BEAMS and Arc'teryx Mark 25-Year Partnership with Koyo

Japanese retailer BEAMS and Canadian outdoor brand Arc'teryx are celebrating 25 years of collaboration with a new collection called 'Koyo'. The launch marks the partnership's first global release.

BEAMS first partnered with Arc'teryx in 2001. A buyer named Kei Hirosawa recognized that the brand's high-performance mountain gear, with its specialized engineering and sleek silhouettes, had potential as streetwear. The partnership has produced limited-edition pieces exclusively for Japan for over two decades.

A History of Color and Innovation

The collaboration's history is defined by reworked classics and bold colorblocking. It began with a redesigned Arc'teryx Sebring 25 backpack. A Theta AR jacket followed in 2004.

Key pieces from the archive include a 2011 special-edition Theta SV jacket in a five-color GORE-TEX Pro shell. This item became a coveted streetwear grail. Another standout was a BETA SL jacket transformed with an asymmetric, monochromatic design inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi.

Thematic color palettes have been a signature. Past collections featured schemes like 'Twilight Trail' in pastel lavender and yellow, and 'Cosmic Bloom' in green, purple, and pink, inspired by natural superblooms.

The Philosophy: 50% Gear, 50% Fashion

The collaboration's success stems from balancing aesthetic appeal with real-world function. BEAMS designers reportedly test the gear by climbing with Arc'teryx ambassadors.

Keita "Gonzo" Kobayashi, product director of BEAMS, explained the approach at the launch event. "Arc'teryx's main goal is saving climbers' lives. They don't need to make something fun," he said. "But the balance of our project is fun. I like to say that 50 percent is gear, and 50 percent is fashion. It's cool to wear as fashion, but at the same time it works as gear."

The Silver Jubilee 'Koyo' Collection

The anniversary collection, named 'Koyo' after the Japanese term for autumn leaves, features six pieces. The hero item is a tricolor Theta AR jacket. It juxtaposes Arc'teryx's signature 'Blaze' color with BEAMS's corporate orange.

A commemorative logo for BEAMS's 50th anniversary is woven into an interior patch and displayed on the exterior. This is a rare instance of Arc'teryx sharing branding space with another company.

The full Koyo collection consists of the following items:

Cult status and secondary market demand for previous Japan-only releases led to this 2024 global launch. The collection contemporizes highlights from the partnership's history with colorblocking authentic to both brands. It focuses on the purpose of each piece.

Arc'teryx receives much credit for its current style status. BEAMS saw that potential in high-performance gear a quarter-century ago.