Stylish Rain Jacket & Footwear Collab

MILAN — Aigle, the French heritage label best known for its rubber boots, has deepened its collaboration with India Mahdavi.

On Monday, the French outdoor lifestyle label said it enlisted the French Iranian designer and architect to design a new rain jacket awash in green khaki, sandy beige and a lilac shade Mahdavi dubbed “purple rain.”

The jacket is indicative of Aigle’s adaptive, cosmopolitan style and is crafted with an MTD fabric. MTD stands for Marine Technical Development and is a specialized, breathable and waterproof fabric technology developed by Aigle for outdoor clothing and footwear. The outerwear item is complemented by a pair of beige culottes and a pair of boots in the same palette as the jacket, building on a previous collaboration between Mahdavi and Aigle.

Mahdavi said her design approach is aligned with Aigle’s. “I share strong values with Aigle: authenticity, passion for French craftsmanship and attention to detail.”

In 2024, Aigle invited Mahdavi to design a limited-edition pair of boots, styled with a graphic design, on the occasion of the house’s 170th anniversary.

Aigle is in the midst of a brand transformation under chief executive officer Valérie Dassier, and has repositioned itself from a diluted lifestyle concept to a focused “French outdoor lifestyle” label.

To highlight its shift, last year the brand revamped its Paris and Hong Kong flagships with a sleeker, more contemporary look, redesigned its logo and focused on key core items — all while delivering double-digit growth across key markets.

Ready-to-wear makes up more than 70 percent of Aigle’s global sales, though footwear remains a key focus going forward. A significant footwear initiative is planned for 2026.

Mahdavi, who founded her Paris-based design practice in 1999, is no stranger to the world of fashion and often forges alliances. In 2024, she designed handbags for Aurélia Stouls, a friend and neighbor who is known for her body-hugging stretch leather ready-to-wear line.