Forward Womens Outerwear F/W 2026/27 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Womens Outerwear F/W 2026/27 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Forward
Interviewee: Tony McWilliam, Global Brand Director

In 2 sentences – how was the women’s snow outerwear market in 2024/25?
Great! I think a lot of brands underestimate the desire for women to get out into the mountains and ride just as hard and as fast as the men. We’re also finding there’s a lot of demand for unisex pieces – jackets and pants – so that the rider can choose what type of fit they’re going for and mix and match across the range.

What are the main trends you take your inspiration from for 2026/27?
I feel we’re one of the few brands that truly understand and provide an offering that combines style, sustainability and performance in one – you can’t ignore the fact that we’re seeing brands like Zara and H&M move more and more into the outdoors, but what they lack in terms of deep understanding of the technical requirements for performance outerwear we more than make up for in terms of a global viewpoint on trends that are influencing more ‘mainstream’ consumers. We’re split between the development mecca of Annecy and the freeriding mecca of Verbier with an incredibly diverse community and consumer base, giving us a wide insight into a broad spectrum of demographics and trends. We’re seeing small indie brands like Backside Rabbit and Beyond Medals bring new ideas in terms of style which is great – the industry needs fresh ideas and new perspectives.

What new jacket fits and pant silhouettes are coming out in 2026/27?
Our entire line is completely new for 26/27. Our Manifest High Alpine line is even more focused on technical, demanding skiers and snowboarders with more details and features than ever before – while our Catalyst All Mountain line is totally revised with new fits, new models which pull from street and urban fashion but with unmatched technical features and high-performance fabrics. We’re also looking at ways to make our products more versatile – our Manifest Alpha Lined Jacket & Pant takes a 3-layer shell fabric and bonds Polartec® Alpha Direct insulation to the back of the membrane, creating a light, warm, comfortable silhouette which is unbelievable versatile in all weather conditions.

Tell us about colours and prints:
We’ve always had a history of subtle, complex colour choices and this year is no exception – we’ve moved slightly away from our bright colour hits of FW25/26 to more refined colours for FW26/27 and we expect to continue this into the future. We take considerable effort to match colour hues to the texture of the fabrics we use and this creates incredible depth to our offerings.

Any *NEW* technical stories with regards to fabrics and materials?
For the first time we’ve taken the opportunity to develop our own fabric line. We couldn’t find what we wanted in terms of texture, performance, feel and sustainability so we worked closely with the mill to produce our own. XERO™ – Latin for ‘dry’ – is our proprietary membrane developed in-house. Engineered to deliver absolute protection without compromise. Ultra-waterproof, highly breathable, and built to our exact specifications, it sets the standard for performance in extreme conditions. All our products now, from the lowest price-point to highest, share an industry leading 20,000mm/20,000g waterproof/breathability rating, completely PFC/PFAS-free, 100% recycled nylon composition – but within the range we use different weights, textures and weaves to create depth.

How are you addressing sustainability topics, not only in production of your products (materials, transportation, packaging) but also their after-life / repurposing?
We’re the first brand to switch to 100% nylon in our fabrics. Nylon is much more durable then polyester and harder to source, but it lasts so much longer, is much stronger and we expect the industry to slowly adapt to this. We’re also one of the first brands to both work with select retailers through our ‘ReVolve’ program to equip in-store repair facilities with fabric, trims, zips etc as well as offer end-of-life collection and recycling.

How are you targeting the female boardsports clients?
There are so many interesting female riders with adventures and stories to tell its actually hard to select who we can support effectively – as part of the mountain community and culture it tends to be people in our direct network who we are able to assist but that is growing globally every year. We also work with younger up-and-coming riders through our Rider’s Club to give them assistance with coaching, access to networks and guidance on how the industry works and how to create a long-term career as a rider which is getting harder and harder.

Any trends that your brand is moving away from?
Social media. Ha!

What are your big marketing campaigns for 2026/27?
We’re focused on sharing stories from people who are doing unique and interesting things. Outliers who don’t follow the normal path. Having been living and working in the mountains for 20+ years, we’re also fascinated with the transition between the older generation who opened up a lot of the places and resorts we take for granted, and the next generation who are looking at the mountain with new eyes. It’s exciting and inspiring and we hope to be able to communicate those who are progressing the sport and culture to a wider market.

Key Products:

Women’s Catalyst Shell Jacket & Unisex Pant:
Our most popular item for freestyle riders – oversize fit and style with our proprietary Xero® recycled nylon 20k/20k fabric, oversize chest pockets and technical features you’d expect from a much more expensive jacket. The unisex pant is also oversized, with adjustable waist and stretch boot cuff to ensure perfect fit, in the same shell fabric.

Xero® 100% Recycled 3-Layer Nylon fabric; PFC-Free C0 DWR
20K mm / 20K g waterproof / breathable; 100% seam sealed
Adjustable hood
Left sleeve pocket with key hook
2 large chest pockets
Hidden phone mesh pocket
Waist adjustment
YKK Aquaguard water resistant zips
Under arm venting
Interior zipped phone pocket and goggle/stash pocket
Lycra sleeve cuff
Detachable powder skirt
Two-way centre front zip
Womens Catalyst Shell Jacket

Women’s Manifest Alpha™ Lined Jacket & Pant:
Unique in freeskiing, we’ve bonded POLARTEC’s highly breathable, incredibly light and warm Alpha™ insulation to our proprietary Xero® recycled nylon 20k/20k face fabric to create an entirely new category. Lighter and more versatile than a traditional insulated jacket/pant combination, the Manifest Alpha Lined Jacket & Pant is destined to become the piece you throw on every day regardless of the conditions.

Xero® 100% Recycled 3-Layer Nylon fabric; PFC-Free C0 DWR
20K mm / 20K g waterproof / breathable; 100% seam sealed
POLARTEC® Alpha™ Direct bonded to face fabric in body; Primaloft 20g in sleeves
Adjustable hood
Sleeve ski pass pocket
2 large chest pockets with hidden phone pocket and key hook
2 hand pockets
Waist adjustment
YKK Aquaguard water resistant zips
Under arm venting
Interior zipped phone pocket and goggle/stash pocket
Lycra sleeve cuff
Detachable powder skirt
Two-way centre front zip
Removable suspenders
Adjustable elasticised waist
2 large hand pockets with hidden phone pocket
Lower cuff zips
YKK Aquaguard water resistant zips
Inner thigh venting
Elasticised snow gaiter with hook
Hidden key hook
Belt loops
Reinforced kick patch
Womens Manifest Alpha Jacket

Women’s Manifest Tour Shell Jacket & Bib:
Our leading lightweight touring silhouette, we’ve incorporated elastane into our proprietary Xero® 3-layer fabric to create a versatile stretch fabric with an athletic fit to become your go-to jacket/pant combination to explore uncharted territories. Sleek, refined and sophisticated, our Tour silhouette is everything you need and nothing you don’t.