After debuting at New York Fashion Week in February, American outdoor brand L.L.Bean and menswear designer Todd Snyder will launch a collaboration, L.L.Bean x Todd Snyder. Reportedly the largest collaboration to-date for L.L.Bean, this is the latest collaboration for Snyder, who has a history of working with iconic American heritage brands.
The “From Away Collection” pays homage to L.L.Bean’s 108-year outdoor heritage. In an unprecedented first, the Maine-based company opened up its archives to an outsider. “After seeing these old photos of the founder, Leon Leonwood Bean, in his hunting gear, I was struck by his very authentic aesthetic,” said Snyder, a proponent of American design. “It was simultaneously dapper and down-to-earth. I really wanted to bring that to life.”
The collection will include more than 50-pieces, which will be available for purchase online and in-stores beginning October 30.
During a trip to L.L.Bean HQ in Freeport, Maine, Snyder – a long-time collector of the outfitter’s vintage field clothing – realized that one is either a Maine-Ah (from Maine) or From Away (not from Maine). For the collaboration he wanted to bring those two worlds together in a mash-up of Maine outdoorsman and downtown New Yorker. The results are a series of limited edition pieces – the L.L.Bean Boot, Portuguese cotton flannel Chamois Shirts, puffer vests, Norwegian sweaters, and Boat and Tote – reimagined through the CFDA Award Nominee’s lens. The L.L.Bean x Todd Snyder ‘From Away Collection’ will honor the iconic apparel and footwear of the Maine-based brand with styles that range from apparel to accessories and include Chamois Shirts in camo and hunting orange, double-breasted overcoats in Bean’s signature flannel, sherpa jackets, and graphic sweatshirts that incorporate the brand’s vintage logo – one introduced in 1987 that features the outline of Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s tallest peak.
“As a Midwestern guy, I am inspired by Maine’s raw, natural beauty, from the mountains and forests to the lakes and rivers to the rocky Atlantic coastline,” said Snyder. “So this collection is all about suiting up for adventure – sartorial or otherwise.”
For L.L.Bean, this collaboration is an opportunity to reintroduce many of the classic items that have become synonymous with the brand. “Everything we do at L.L.Bean revolves around quality products and making sure people are comfortable in the outdoors, no matter if they are walking to the subway or camping in the woods,” said Owen Kelly, vice president of product creation for L.L.Bean. “Working closely with Todd to comb through our archives for inspiration, it became clear that he gets our history and our brand, and we couldn’t think of a more perfect fit.”
