If your closet looks anything like mine, there’s one winter jacket that always ends up doing the heavy lifting. It’s the one by the door — the default choice for cold mornings and spontaneous hikes. The rest make rare cameos when guilt kicks in.

When the seasons shift, it’s easy to fall into the habit of buying just one more layer. Maybe it’s a national park tee to support conservation efforts (or because it makes you feel like you could summit something before lunch) or a technical fleece that costs more than your mortgage payment and promises to wick moisture better than the other two you own. Either way, the cycle repeats — round and round like the spin cycle on an overloaded washing machine — new gear in, old gear out.

Tignes was unseasonably warm for November, and by midday, I was sweating through a bulky ski jacket with no layers to shed, sweltering on the chairlift like someone who dressed for an Arctic expedition but missed their flight out. The next day, I wised up and layered the Explore Jacket under a gilet, and finally felt like I could move. With my arms free, my turns were cleaner and everything just flowed; honestly, the shell alone would’ve done the job with a lightweight wick-away underneath. This unicorn jacket has breathability dialed in, excellent insulation, and a helpful inner pocket perfect for stashing your cell and whatever else you don’t want tumbling down the mountain.

After a few days of wearing it on the slopes, I caught up with head designer for the brand, Virginie Brunet. Brunet’s skill for creating technical clothing that is also seriously stylish is a breath of fresh air. Take the Explore Jacket. Its clean lines, use of matte fabric with just a touch of sheen, and tailored silhouette make it suitable for a ridgeline and out in town.

These days, it feels like every outdoor brand is trying to prove it can make gear that both performs on the mountain and looks good when grabbing beers after. While big names like Goldwin and Fjällräven have already blurred the lines between backcountry-ready and city-approved, Parmi, being a smaller family-run company, brings something more personal. Born in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Parmi nails that sweet spot between technical function and street-level style without trying too hard.

Rewriting the rules of outdoor apparel through conscious consumption

I first learned about Parmi’s stance on fast fashion while chatting with Brunet. Later, I connected with the brand’s co-founders, twin sisters Michèle and Véronik Bastien, to dig deeper. As we talked, it became clear that Parmi isn’t trying to flood the market with trend-driven drops. Their goal is more straightforward but harder to pull off: make fewer pieces people want to wear for years. This approach relies on durable materials, classic fits, flexible collections built for capsule wardrobes, and gear designed to last beyond a single season.

The Bastien sisters hail from Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. The mountain resort village is an all-season outdoor playground for snow hounds, mountain bikers, trail runners — you name it. It’s also a community where you wouldn’t feel out of place rocking up to a bar fresh off the hill.

“When you live here [in Mont-Tremblant], outdoor activities are ingrained into everyday life, which is why having versatile clothing is so important,” Véronik says. The Bastien sisters have infused Mont-Tremblant’s status as a premium adventure destination into Parmi’s collections. Their apparel embodies both functionality and style, with minimalist designs and timeless colors. “The colors we are using are very important,” Michèle says. “You’ll never see garish primary colors or flashy over-the-top styles.”

The rise of athleisure has reshaped wardrobes around the world. The global athleisure market, valued at over $358 billion in 2023, is expected to nearly double by 2030. Big names like Patagonia and Arc’teryx helped pave the way and make much-loved gear and clothing, but there’s something to be said for turning your attention to smaller, emerging labels that deliver the same technical quality and are built to last. Parmi falls into that space. Many of its pieces are at a price point that reflects the intended longevity: technical tees around $100, lightweight jackets run about $200, and trail-to-town pants are in the $150 range.

With a shared background in finance and marketing and a successful venture in women’s cycling wear behind them, Michèle and Véronik launched Parmi Lifewear in 2021, driven by a vision to simplify and elevate the outdoor experience.

“Cycling was our foundation for five years,” Michèle says. “But with Parmi, we wanted to take that experience and build something bigger — clothing that adapts to how people actually live, where you don’t need a different outfit for every part of your day.”

That ethos carries into their newer collections, including cycling apparel designed for a shift in the culture. “People are riding in a different way,” Michèle observes. “If you look at our products, we don’t have that regular jersey with a zip down the middle. We wanted to create a more informal style for cycling gear.”

Rather than focusing solely on technical specs or performance built for elite athletes, Parmi designs with the everyday outdoor enthusiast in mind with gear that’s functional enough for a ride or hike but casual and comfortable enough to wear straight into the rest of your day.

Sustainability beyond the marketing jargon

The impact of conscious clothing purchases is undeniable, given that about 34 billion pounds of textiles are disposed of in the United States each year. Many outdoor brands such as NEMO Equipment, Cotopaxi, and Outerknown are trying to combat this by leaning into circular production models — recycling, repairing, and reusing gear in an attempt to extend the life of products.

Parmi offers something similar with its patch repair services to mend minor rips in well-worn gear. The company also promotes a mindset of purchasing fewer, higher-quality pieces — pieces you’ll reach for again and again that don’t need to be replaced.

Parmi collaborates with European factories that follow sustainable energy, waste, and environmental practices. The brand employs mineral dyeing and digital printing techniques that reduce water, energy, and ink consumption by approximately 10 percent compared to traditional methods. It also incorporates recycled fabrics into its denim lines and selects materials that require less frequent washing, such as merino wool, which is naturally odor-resistant and breathable — thereby extending the lifespan of each garment and conserving water. Of course, there’s a fine line between producing clothing with a smaller environmental footprint and ensuring durability. Michèle explains that when choosing between a recycled fabric that’s less durable and a more robust alternative, opting for the latter can be more sustainable in the long run, since it reduces the need for frequent replacements.

Adding to that, the Bastien sisters will launch a Preloved Market this summer to sell items used in photo shoots or pieces that have minor defects. For consumers, it will be a great opportunity to score discounted must-haves. For the brand, it means less waste of otherwise perfectly good clothing and gear. The launch is expected to coincide with the outcome of the company’s pursuit of B Corp certification.

Investment pieces for a capsule wardrobe

Some of Parmi’s best-sellers, like the water-repellent Bridge Pants ($230, pictured above), offer technical performance for cycling and all-day comfort for everyday wear. The merino wool t-shirts ($110) are breathable and moisture-wicking, while staying effortlessly stylish in eight colorways. Pair them with the reversible lightweight vest ($216) for a polished, adaptable look that layers for evenings out or cold mornings in the mountains.

There’s no question that for many, Parmi’s pieces are investment items. But it fits well with the mindset of buy less, save more, and begin building a capsule wardrobe.

Parmi’s collections lean on uncluttered designs and refined palettes to help you create a wardrobe that actually works. “We have excellent repeat business,” Michèle says. “People like the fit and the quality. We’ve been in the market for two years, and some customers have ordered over 20 times. They’re returning not to swap out a t-shirt for a different color, but to invest in new pieces that expand their wardrobe into a fuller, more functional collection.”

While versatility is the thread running through every piece, Parmi doesn’t cut corners on performance. “Of course, you need some specific gear. For biking, for example, you need a decent bib,” Véronik clarifies. “But overall, we’ve created items people want to wear for all activities.”

The balance between form and function, simplicity and sport keeps people coming back. Not for a new version of the same thing, but to build something that lasts. To make that process easier, Parmi also offers one-on-one personal shopping assistance via email or the online chat function, helping you figure out what you need based on your lifestyle and existing wardrobe.