First Look: AW24 National Geographic Wear Launch

National Geographic, the brand renowned for informative magazines adorned with a pop of yellow, has gone into fashion, and we got a peep at their latest drop.

When I first considered what a clothing line produced by National Geographic would look like, images of boxy black bodysuits with big yellow rectangles came to mind.

Thankfully, I was very, very wrong about that.

What was more surprising was that a brand I’ve always associated with high-quality docos and monthly magazines about science, exploration, and nature was getting into…clothing. And not just clothing, but fashion.

Please don’t tell me this is going to add to the fast fashion problem that’s rapidly seeping into the world of  outdoor gear. Isn’t National Geographic all about protecting the planet?

This is… different

What’s National Geographic Wear?

The brand initially launched its clothing range in South Korea and Hong Kong, where it’s been very popular, before deciding to bring it to the Australian market. 

The mostly unisex range is decked out with large National Geographic Logos (some removable) and are mostly intended to be worn oversized.

Despite the website suggesting XXS would be my ideal fit, the brand representative who selected a jacket for me to try recommended I wear a size small, a full two sizes larger than my measurements. 

‘If I were to fall in a river wearing this thing, I’d definitely drown’, I thought when I first picked it up. 

Maybe I just don’t get the oversized look.

Reservations firmly in tow, I added the Gore-Tex Toliman Insulated Puffer to my daily fit. 

The Gore-Tex Toliman Insulated Puffer

The most technical piece of clothing in the Nat Geo Wear range is the Gore-Tex Toliman Insulated Puffer. Its list of features is impressive and rivals the technical gear we often profile in We Are Explorers reviews. Based on the AW24 lookbook, I assumed the range would be more fash-un than legitimate technical gear but it’s got a lot more to offer.

From the Gore-Tex Infinium coating that’s breathable and water repellent, to the fill power of 600, and an 80/20 down-feather ratio, this jacket is seriously warm and windproof to boot. 

One downside is that it’s quite heavy, and hard to compress. It fits into a 40L Duffel with ease, but a daypack? Forget about it. My main problem is that at two sizes too big, I feel like I’m wearing a doona. This could be mitigated by sizing down – even though you might ruin your street cred. 

The Nat Geo website claims it has an internal temperature gauge label but I’ll be damned if I can find it. It’s bloody warm though and frankly knowing the inner temp of my jacket has never crossed my mind as a desired feature. 

On the plus side, the jacket has fleece-lined pockets literally on top of other pockets (my dreams have finally been answered!), and the quality of construction is excellent. 

National Geographic Wear AW24 Range

From Gore-Tex insulated puffers to reversible vests and urban anoraks, the National Geographic Wear AW24 collection blends form and function to create versatile pieces with ‘minimalist urban energy’.

I wasn’t overly sure what that meant, so I continued reading the press release and discovered that the latest range is also a ‘tribute to rainforests’. 

I guess if you wear it in a forest, then it qualifies as a tribute?

Aside from the wearable sauna Toliman Gore-Tex Insulated Puffer, you can also pick up high necked fleece jackets like the one above, vests in a huge range of styles, and puffers in a wide range of colours. 

National Geographic Still Loves the Planet

Yes, they’re producing clothing, but we all need something to protect us out there and the brand is taking steps to offset any negative impacts, something it calls ‘responsible retail‘. The range uses RDS-certified down so you can rest easy knowing the feathers keeping you warm were sourced humanely. 

I really liked that my jacket arrived in a reusable tote bag. And I liked it more when I found out that those bags are made from 65% recycled cotton and 35% recycled PET. Even the logo printed on the bag was put there using an eco-friendly heat transfer process.

Every purchase from National Geographic Wear supports the global non-profit National Geographic Society to protect the natural world through exploration and education.

Final Thoughts

I’m still not sure how I feel about National Geographic Wear range. It’s incredibly high quality gear but I’m confused about the huge focus on fashion.

Sure, the Toliman Gore-Tex puffer is a great jacket, but it’s Gore-Tex and doesn’t include a hood? For all the obvious work that’s gone into this range, some aspects just don’t line up. I’m questioning whether it would have been better to fully commit to function or fashion, rather than this fusion of the two.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.