The Arket puffer coat is still a must-have for influencers and editors alike

The allure of the Arket puffer coat seems to be standing the test of time. Cosigned by countless influencers and celebrities over the past few years (from Hannah Crosskey to Alexis Foreman and Brittany Bathgate) its popularity has increased with every chilly season – rather than declined.

Cast your minds back to February 2020 when the nationwide obsession began. Shopping search engine Lyst – y'know, the ones who crowned Miu Miu the hottest brand of Q1 2024, and the Alaïa Jewelled Ballet Flats one of the most-coveted buys of the year – released news of the most-popular hero pieces of the winter season. As is often the case, the majority were from luxury fashion houses, but Arket's perfect puffer coat made an appearance in the top ten.

The most popular full-length edition in question is crafted from recycled nylon and filled with Re:Down® 100% recycled down and feathers. It boasts a simple cut, handy hood, slits on each side for free movements, and has an oversized fit. Perfect for layering striped jumpers and knitwear underneath. It was also incredibly warm (read: the equivalent to wearing your duvet out in public while still looking put-together, fairly smart and very cool) – but it's not too heavy. Crucial, if you're wearing it to whip around London or travel from the gym to meetings. Reduced from £249 to £174, the cost per wear over a series of cold winters speaks for itself.

We went into lockdown (sorry, hate to bring it up), and the pastimes of dog-walking and daily hikes adopted by many meant that the cold sold out. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, the Scandi fashion brand continued to release new iterations, colour-ways and cuts. Think: a cropped version, cherry-red versions; even a grey version with a drawstring waist, at one point. And the fashion set continued to lap them up.

Since then, we've continued our search high-and-low for the perfect puffer jacket – turning to brands like Sandro, Uniqlo and Massimo Dutti – and while there are so many really good ones, nothing quite beats the OG Arket puffer. Of course, there are also tonnes of other winter coat styles making their mark on the high street, from the humble trench coat to wool coats and other duvet styles, but if you've only got the budget to choose one, this is the style we'd go for. Particularly now it's reduced from £249 to £174.

On sale, there are just two iterations of the Arket puffer jacket available to buy: the classic black, and a chocolate brown. Both practical and highly chic. So, if you're anything like us in the winter-dressing department (i.e. super fans of layers), then you'll want to act fast. Because they're going to sell out.

What makes the Arket puffer coat so special?

We understand that buying a down-filled coat is a big no-no for some, but as Arket's designs are made with Re:Down® (100% recycled down and feathers), it's still something to consider. The alternative is a synthetic fibrefill which is better from an animal welfare POV, but worse on the environment front. Synthetic padding is not expected to last as long as feathers and down will, plus it'll take twice as long to biodegrade and likely end up at landfill once worn out – so, essentially, you've got to weigh out the pros and cons on each side. Arket's puffer coats are also crafted with recycled polyamide shells, whereas a lot of similar high-street styles won't be, which is also something to take into consideration.

For more from GLAMOUR's Senior European Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.