The days of wearing Instagram-worthy wilderness-bound wedding dresses atop the world’s highest peaks without Gore-Tex and moisture-wicking SmartWool are over says REI, which unveiled the outdoor retail industry’s first bridal collection today.
Mountaineering brides-to-be clamored at the doors of the retailer’s flagship Seattle store to be among the first fitted for the REI brand’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” bridal wear line.
“I can’t think of anybody more helpful for a wedding dress fitting than one of REI’s in-store experts,” said Tricia Leong as an employee wrapped a ruched Gore-Tex rain skirt around her waist. “Julie here has been married at the top of Washington’s three biggest volcanoes, so she knows what she’s talking about.”
Women tested the dresses’ weather endurance in mock mountain-peak stations where staff shot 28-degree windchill air at 30 MPH.
“How’s that off-shoulder SmartWool tube top feeling — huh? Huh?! What?!” one REI employee asked a customer over howling wind. “Ah, she says hypothermic, but happy.”
Vera Wang is reportedly in talks with the company to design next year’s collection.
“The juxtaposition of cozy, versatile, soft wool with stiff, uncomfortable, unbreathable fabrics is a modern fashion opportunity I don’t see her missing out on,” said local personal stylist Lindsey Erkhart. “It’s high fashion and marriage metaphor in one.”
