Some people may spend the hot and humid summer days counting down the minutes until their outerwear can be broken out of storage. Nautica Japan’s latest invention, however, packs the cooling sensation of air conditioning into outerwear perfect for summer.
Nautica’s Japan licensee partnered with Japanese label Is-Ness to create a high-tech jacket inspired by vintage athletic gear. Inside is a set of fans that not only blow air onto the wearer’s body but also recirculates air throughout the arms and upper back. The fans are powered by a rechargeable 20-hour battery housed inside an internal hidden pocket. There are five levels of air adjustments, and when cranked up, the jacket becomes more puffed.
The jacket couldn’t look or be cooler, literally. Stylist Akio Hasegawa oversaw its design, which follows a ‘90s sportswear vibe with a white, blue, and black nylon shell exterior. Pockets at the front adopt a familiarly retro squiggle design and a detachable hood provides some element protection. The fans are visible from the outside but succeed in making the jacket look more futuristic.
Easy breezy —
This isn’t the first time cooling technology has been adopted into outerwear. For the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Ralph Lauren introduced a jacket that can monitor and regulate temperature by removing heat from the wearer’s skin, similar to what an air conditioner does to a room. Only one version of the jacket was given to a member of the U.S. Olympic team, so Nautica Japan’s less-advanced version will be easier to get ahold of.
Japanese label Kuchofuku’s systems power the Nautica Japan jacket. The company’s name translates to “air-conditioned clothes” and has even more cooling garments on its site. One AC work jacket was made with delivery drivers and factory workers in mind, but there’s no reason you can’t adopt it into your summer fits.
As for the air-conditioned Nautica Japan jacket, there are a few sizes still available via Freaks Store Japan. It’s priced at about $355, which may seem a little steep. But for the value of never having to sweat outdoors again, isn’t it worth it?
