Fashion Test Drive: Canada Goose x Reformation's Mila Puffer

We love discovering the most covetable pieces for the upcoming season. And to help you determine if you should go ahead and indulge, we've gone one step further and taken them for a Test Drive. Let's get you acquainted with Canada Goose x Reformation's Mila Puffer.

It's a crisp winter morning in Aspen, Colorado, and I'm driving a snowmobile up a mountain. The temperature is hovering a little below 30 degrees, but it's the type of cold where the air is so fresh it has a rejuvenating effect on your soul; you feel yourself becoming a better person with each inhale. Flurries are lightly falling, and the scene is impossibly beautiful—a snow globe come to life. I'm doing my very best to keep my eyes on the pre-plowed road in front of me and not gawk at my postcard-esque surroundings and crash the machinery. "How," I repeatedly ask myself, "did I get here?"

Canada Goose and Reformation are how. The two brands recently dropped a capsule together and flew me out to snow-capped Aspen to take one of their new puffer coats (opens in new tab) out into the wild. The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience—The hotel! The spa! The food!—but I'm here to discuss the outerwear. Without further ado, here's everything you need to know about Canada Goose x Reformation's Mila Puffer.

The Style

The first aspect to note is that the Mila Puffer is reversible. Offered in two colorways, Sangria Multi and Pink Lotus (pictured) or Seaweed Multi and Peacock, the coat boasts a tri-color chevron print on one side and a solid hue on the other. And given it'll cost you an impressive $1,150, it being two coats in one makes its price tag a much easier pill to swallow. Furthermore, the Mila's modularity is ideal for fashion folks like me whose style is predominantly mood-driven. On a Tuesday, perhaps I'm plugged into a maximalist frequency and want the bold, multi-colored graphic, but on Wednesday, I might be feeling more mellow and prefer the solid pink. And when I do gravitate toward a more minimal look, I know I'll appreciate the jacket's tonal logo disc on its left sleeve, a more understated design than Canada Goose's iconic red, white, and blue branding.

The potential for customization continues: The coat's hem features an interior drawcord that allows you to toggle between cinched-in and boxy fits. And even when you opt for a baggier look, given its relaxed drop shoulders and cropped fit, the Mila Puffer never steers toward marshmallow Michelin Man territory, as even the best winter coats (opens in new tab) are wont to do.

You'll see I styled my pink Mila Puffer with the Olivia Headscarf (opens in new tab) ($195), a reversible necktie hood also from the buzzy collaboration.

The Functionality 

On Canada Goose's Thermal Experience Index—which ranges from "lightweight" to "extreme"—the Mila Puffer ranks at "versatile," meaning it falls on the lighter end of the spectrum and is ideal for temperature conditions ranging from 32°F to 5°F. Dressed in thermal undergarments, a sweater, and snow pants, I was perfectly toasty for a slew of outdoor activities, including the aforementioned snowmobiling excursion where I was out in the snow for almost three hours straight. The coat also features hidden coin snaps on its center front, which I found crucial in trapping extra heat.

The puffer coat is fabricated in a durable, wind-resistant, and water-repellent ripstop material that's engineered to withstand high winds, light rain, and snow—which I greatly appreciated when hanging out at the peak of Aspen Mountain (11,200 feet!) during snowfall. 

Additionally, both sides of the reversible jacket feature exterior pockets with zipper closures. In other words, the Mila Puffer has four pockets to keep your phone and wallet secure and store a few other winter essentials, like gloves, a scarf, SPF, and your favorite pair of sunnies. 

The Sustainability 

I'll admit I was rather dubious of the sustainability angle of this capsule. Canada Goose, after all, is a company that has garnered controversy for its use of coyote fur. In 2020, however, the luxury brand revealed HUMANNATURE (opens in new tab), a sustainable and ethically-minded initiative that "[reinforces] its commitment to keep the planet cold and the people on it warm." Such efforts include pledges to cease manufacturing with fur (opens in new tab) no later than the end of 2022 and to achieve carbon neutrality (opens in new tab) by 2025 through reducing its emissions, both of which were significant signals to the public that the company is on a more environmentally-conscious path. And its collaboration with the sustainability-centric Reformation further proves it's turning over a new, greener leaf.

Now, let's get into the sustainable specifics regarding the Mila Puffer. Firstly, this coat contains no fur. It's made of Recycled Featherlight Ripstop, a heavy-duty fabric constructed from 100 percent recycled nylon, and stuffed with responsibly-sourced duck down that's certified by the Responsible Down Standard. (Poultry down, the company explains on its site, will remain a core to the Canada Goose brand as it's one of the most efficient and lightweight natural insulators.)

Beyond the fabrications, Canada Goose and Reformation want you to think about sustainability in terms of the lifespan of your garments, too. All outerwear from the collection is adorned with a "Loved By" label, a tag featuring blank lines intended for names and years, to encourage you to pass the coat along from friend to friend, family member to family member. With its $1,150 price tag, there's no way around it; The Mila Puffer is a steep, steep investment. But it's an investment you only have to make once, and from there, it can go on to serve your circle of loved ones and live the long sartorial life it deserves.

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