Staying warm does not have to mean less style.

In only its second year of production, outerwear line The Wild North is quickly proving this on and off the runway.

Debuting its Fall/Winter 2015 collection at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week (TOMFW) with six foot tall male models strutting down the runway with nothing on, but boots, underwear and, of course, the collection’s luxury coats, certainly peaked the fashion industry’s attention.

Leather patchwork on a finished wool blend. An extravagant fur trimmed hood. These are only a taste of what designer Janet Han incorporated into her line this year.

Han says she drew on inspirations from her many outdoor adventures in northern Ontario.

“I do a lot of active sports, especially during the winter. I do a lot of snowboarding, hiking. So my inspiration comes from my long hikes,” says Han. “Ontario is really yours to discover… Thunder Bay is a great place, one of my favourite spots in Ontario.”

Not only is Han inspired by the outdoors, but she also aims to use as many natural materials in her collection as possible. She says a lot of wool, instead of Gortex, is used, as well as biodegradable, natural fur and Tibetan sheep hair.

Based on reactions during TOMFW, as well as at this year’s World MasterCard Fashion Week, fashionistas seem to be in favour of the line’s sleek, yet cozy, style.

“I loved that they had the fur lining in them, the fur trims. [What] I found interesting was the long fur, sheep, goat fur, in and outside the hood,” explains Alexander Liang, editor-in-chief of KENTON Magazine, after the TOMFW showcase.

“I hope to give the consumers a different type of product where they look fashionable and be functional at the same time.” – Janet Han

“I’ve spoken to the designers before and one thing they’re keen about is having the technical warmth of having to get you through the winter, but at the same time they have a more tailored, luxurious element where they use wool and leather; things you don’t typically see in parkas.”

Han, a fairly new designer in the fashion realm, has high hopes for The Wild North in the seasons to come, but for the time being, she is focused on achieving results for her clientele.

“I hope to give the consumers a different type of product where they look fashionable and be functional at the same time,” she explains. “A lot of [our] products can go up to -40 degrees no problem; you will be very warm.”

Photos By. Fitzroy Facey