Multidisciplinary Artist Leon Xu Turns The North Face Mountain Jacket Into a Wearable Canvas

Winter is coming, and though, from a style perspective, the season lends itself to cozy ensembles that emphasize the art of layering, finding the ideal protective layer is a tall task. Gearing up for the season, The North Face tapped multidisciplinary artist and designer Leon Xu to remix The North Face Mountain Down Jacket into a work of art. The artist-led collab explores how outerwear can become an extension of your style expression — no longer a hindrance to your cold-weather rotation but a statement piece that stands on its own. Hypebeast met up with Xu in his studio in downtown NYC to see his creative process in motion.

Coined the modern-day Confucius of design, Leon Xu incorporates ancient Eastern philosophy into his artistic discipline, one that fuses poetry, philosophy and self-reflection into visual mediums such as photography, painting and sculpture. He examines the temporal nature of memory in mutable, hazy landscapes; his use of graffiti as a medium for resistance and anti-linear creation also carries this spirit.

With Xu tasked with creatively remixing a signature of the brand, The North Face Mountain Down Jacket (a revamped design of its iconic 1985 predecessor), he initially starts by measuring the garment’s back panel. The outer shell of the jacket, constructed from a proprietary DRYVENT™ fabric, is a waterproof exterior fused with 600-fill down insulation. An adjustable hood, zipper features at the sleeves, large flap pockets at the front panel and cinch-cord at the waist hem give the style a certain level of customization when braving the elements.

After applying a custom-cut canvas to the back of the garment, he paints the cloth white. Once dried, he meticulously circles the garment with soft, airbrushed strokes of muted color. The artwork mirrors a photo captured on his computer, which depicts a tree casting a shadow on a white van. Here, Xu plays with the negative space within this environment, reimagining the outlines of the branches and leaves as a textural motif.

Through Xu’s lens, it’s easier to imagine how outerwear can become a larger canvas to build upon, and how that process encourages style exploration in one’s approach to cold-weather layering. Certain silhouettes provide just the right amount of blank space to add color, or play with prints to complement your seasonal essentials.

Choosing your ideal outerwear is no longer an existential toss-up of fashion over functionality. When The North Face introduced its Women’s Hydrenalite™ City Down Hooded Parka in 2022, the heritage brand addressed this styling dilemma from a design standpoint, developing its 600-fill recycled down insulation and a fully recycled, water-repellent fabric shell as innovative textile solutions. Lightweight yet protective while offering an ultra-warm core, the winter-ready silhouette stands up to the unpredictable nature of the elements and early-morning commutes — conveniently sleek enough to seamlessly store away when the warmer months spring back.

Winter may still pose its threats, but your comfort, warmth and mobility aren’t the main culprits when it comes to the brand’s Hydrenalite™, Mountain and Expedition GORE-TEX® jackets. They showcase heritage craftsmanship and modern design beats optimized for the elements without the added bulk. The Expedition GORE-TEX® Down Hooded Parka maximizes these design features in a three-in-one construction, where a waterproof, 100% recycled GORE-TEX® outer shell and inner jacket with recycled 700-fill down fuse together to accommodate a range of outdoor conditions. The silhouette prioritizes versatility; styled alone, the inner jacket features a bomber-style cut that streamlines the body, with a relaxed scoop neck ideal for layering.

Ahead of the winter forecast, find design inspiration in Xu’s process video above and visit TheNorthFace.com to learn more about the brand’s range of technical outerwear.