The latest line in Arksen’s apparel range, the Spring/Summer 2025 collection is designed to deliver ‘always on’ practicality, offering a seamless transition between outdoor activities and urban wear with a unique blend of rugged design and materials and premium comfort.

The company’s design team focused on the three staples of a man’s casual wardrobe – the hoodie, the zip through and the sweatshirt – and added Arksen’s unique technical twist to deliver premium quality and high functionality.

We spoke to Creative Designer Simon Oates to find out more...

What are the three garments in the collection?

We have the Limosa, a zip-through track jacket, the Clao, which is a sweatshirt, and finally the Nox, which is a hoodie.

The theme of the collection is ‘always on duty’ – how do the products deliver that?

‘Always on duty’ captures the core idea behind these garments: they are built with purpose and functionality in mind. Each piece is designed for versatility, offering the everyday comfort of a sweatshirt or hoodie while also functioning as a key mid-layer in a high-performance, technical clothing system. Thanks to advanced fabrics and smart design details, these garments are ready for both daily wear and demanding outdoor conditions.

What are the unique aspects of the Limosa jacket?

It’s a breathable softshell layer made from durable, Italian-made recycled polyester, so although it looks like a simple zip-through, it can withstand a lot more than an everyday jacket. It also has laser laser-cut underarm ventilation side panels for comfort during high activity, which is the kind of detail you’d more likely see on an expedition.

What is the stand-out piece?

All the garments are brilliantly designed for their specific use cases, but for me, the Clao is the most revolutionary because it’s engineered from Polartec Power Air and it’s built specifically for movement. This is an incredible material which creates a durable face, like a normal sweatshirt, but has a grid back that provides high thermal properties for mornings and evenings, when temperatures are cooler. That gives it an exceptionally wide comfort range for varying conditions in one single garment – but it’s comfy, not bulky.

How do they fit with the rest of the Arksen range?

All of our products – from base layers to expedition parkas – are designed to work together. We don’t think in terms of standalone pieces; instead, we create modular collections of adaptive garments. Each item can be added or removed depending on the weather or the activity. Our goal is to give the Arksen user the right tools for any adventure, whether that’s climbing a mountain or staying warm and dry on the morning commute.

What inspired the colour palette?

We have taken a really industrial design focus on this collection – and the palette actually comes from the aluminium hull of our flagship Explorer Vessel, the Arksen 85. We design with a philosophy to make garments for maximum use, and that does not just mean physical durability. Using neutral colouring makes the garments timeless, so they have longevity well beyond this season, and it makes them suitable for wearing with the widest range of colours, meaning they can be worn more often.

Why have you focused on designing for transitions?

Transitional weather – or simply unpredictable weather – something is we in Britain are very familiar with, but it is not just here where we have to handle changes in weather. Many of the environments where our adventure gear is in action experience wide ranges in temperature and changing conditions, so we have designed these garments to suit as many adventure environments as possible. By focusing on this, we can reduce the number of items people need in their layering system.

Is there a specific focus on making them lightweight?

Yes, in garments like these, which are designed to take on multi-functional roles working in urban environments as well as the adventurous outdoors, you need to be able to throw them on and barely feel you’re wearing, but they also need to be able to withstand whatever weather that is thrown at them. Keeping the weight down is important – but that does not come with a compromise in wearability and comfort.

What kinds of activities do these garments suit?

Our garments are designed to perform across a wide range of activities, with fabrics that have a luxury feel but also subtle technical features. You’ll feel just as comfortable wearing our mid-layers while relaxing at home or at the pub as you would hiking, trail running or tackling more demanding alpine and marine adventures.

And do these garments follow the same ethical approach expected from Arksen?

Absolutely. They use premium materials and processes specifically engineered to reduce waste and increase longevity. On top of that, the growth of the Arksen brand helps put more funds towards our registered charity, 10% for the Ocean, to increase global ocean conservation funding.

We invite you to explore our S/S 2025 collection today, designed deliver ‘always on’ practicality wherever you are in the world.

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