French heritage brand known for its original packable nylon windbreaker and functional, weather-ready outerwear.
ORIGIN
France
PRICE TIER
premium
Founded in Paris on a rainy day in 1965, K-Way was born from founder Léon-Claude Duhamel’s idea for a lightweight, completely waterproof jacket that could be folded into a small, wearable hip pack. This invention, the colorful nylon windbreaker, became a symbol of practical and modern design, its name a clever mix of the French "en cas de" (in case of) and a trendy American-sounding "-way" suffix. The brand quickly achieved widespread success, with its signature blue, orange, and yellow taped zipper becoming a registered trademark and a symbol of its authentic design. After a period of decline and a factory fire in the 90s, the brand was acquired in 2004 by the Italian group BasicNet, which sparked a significant revival.