Over the past few months, a meme has spread across TikTok: a pair of hiking shoes touching the forest floor for the first time, after having walked solely on urban asphalt. Beyond the irony, the content points to a cultural truth: the definitive colonization of urban space by outdoor aesthetics.
In this phenomenon, known as Gorpcore—a term derived from Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, the classic trail snack used by climbers—technical garments abandon their original context to become an aesthetic statement seen in cities where the nearest cliffs are miles away.
Today, on the streets of Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York, or Berlin, it’s no surprise to find complete sets from Arc’teryx, Gramicci, ROA, Merrell, or Patagonia. Ultralight vests, waterproof fabrics, aggressive traction footwear, and technical accessories such as carabiners and ropes are naturally integrated into the visual language of contemporary street style.
This shift of outdoor aesthetics toward the urban imagination has not only had a visual impact: it has also changed the commercial balance of the sector. According to data from the recent Mediobanca report, Italy currently leads the production and export of sporting goods in Europe (22%), with the Mountain Attitude segment representing an impressive 29% of national turnover in the sector.
The symbiosis between functionality and aesthetics has generated collaborations such as The North Face x Gucci, Salomon x MM6 Maison Margiela, On x Loewe, and Vibram x Cecilie Bahnsen. These partnerships have legitimized technical discourse within the most demanding parameters of fashion, blurring the lines between luxury and utility.
The phenomenon is expanding beyond clothing: designer thermoses (Yeti, Hydro Flask, Stanley) have become cult accessories; aesthetically curated yoga studios (Alo Yoga, Nike Strength Studio) are redefining the idea of well-being; and running clubs are multiplying as new spaces of aesthetic belonging. Athleisure has evolved.
And in 2025, performance culture has transcended its athletic origins to become a lifestyle. A new sensibility is taking hold, where efficiency, purpose, and adaptability are valued. Technique is no longer an accessory: it’s the foundation. And anyone who doesn’t understand this will simply be left out of the game.
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