CreatripTeam

The North Face White Label is running a pop-up at The Hyundai Seoul until Nov. 12 to showcase the new Ella Nuptse down jacket and suede Nuptse variants, drawing long lines as visitors try on items and preorder. First released in 1992, the Nuptse down jacket became a staple—nicknamed a “national item,” “winter school uniform,” and “muscle-man padding”—and often sells out or trades at a premium on the secondhand market. Brands are diversifying designs to attract younger buyers with retro and cropped cuts, improved waterproofing, lighter/stretch fabrics, and stylized details (e.g., shirring and subtle sheen on the Ella). The pop-up also offers accessories and a limited “Nuptse Ella Bear” gift for early buyers. Competing Korean outdoor labels are responding with celebrity campaigns and new lines—from IU-fronted short down jackets to cashmere-filled long coats and multi-style lightweight downs—intensifying the seasonal padding market.