Home > Culture > Life & Style

Swapping volume for versatility: Lightweight puffers make a comeback

Published: 04 Nov. 2025, 07:00

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

K-pop girl group aespa member Winter sports a lightweight puffer in an Instagram post uploaded in October. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Fall is flying by this year. As an early cold snap has kicked in, picking the right wardrobe can be trickier than usual.

Enter the lightweight puffer jacket.

Thin, waist-length and fitted, these jackets were once typecast as uniforms for finance guys, golfers and, in Korea, soldiers in mandatory training. But they’ve made a comeback this autumn among the wider public — a change from the bulky long jackets and heavy coats that used to dominate the season.

Lightweight puffers [LF]

Searches for the keyword “lightweight” between Sept. 1 and Oct. 20 rose 30 percent on year, and those for “lightweight puffer” surged by 109 percent — evincing that shoppers are swapping volume for versatility, according to the lifestyle platform LF Mall.

Thin puffers have become a Gen Z fashion staple as well, reimagined in glossy silvers, powder pinks and blues and other bold hues. On social media, they’re styled with cropped hoodies or pleated skirts and worn oversized or zipped tight with chunky headphones — signaling a move away from pure practicality toward playful self-expression.

K-pop girl group Red Velvet member Seulgi poses while wearing a lightweight puffer in an Instagram post uploaded in October. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Brands have swiftly adapted to the shift. Musinsa Standard expanded its City Leisure line with jackets in new colors and other outfits for women. Reebok and New Balance each introduced lighter, more flexible down pieces designed for milder weather. Uniqlo’s PuffTech outerwear remains a bestseller, even inspiring adults to adopt its viral toddler-sized puffers as cropped jackets. Teton Bros, known for its high-end outdoor wear, reported soaring sales this fall after its lighter designs caught on with both hikers and fashion-forward urban consumers.

The appeal of the light puffer lies in the garment’s versatility — easy to layer, pack and store — alongside the trending “smart consumption” ethos, in which one garment is expected to perform across different seasons.

K-pop star Jeon So-mi wears a lightweight puffer for North Face's fall campaign shoot. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

“Changing climate patterns and increasingly blurred seasonal boundaries mean consumers are shifting from buying the warmest coat possible to choosing outerwear that adapts to temperature jumps,” an LF spokesperson said.

That adaptability, paired with the increasingly popular clean minimalist aesthetic, also mirrors broader fashion moods, including the rise of “quiet luxury” and a renewed appreciation for understated practicality. In a sense, the lightweight puffer bridges the gap between outdoor performance wear and everyday city style.

IU wears a quilted lightweight puffer for Black Yak's campaign shoot. [LF]

Korea’s old military quilted jackets — or kkalkkalli, worn as an inner layer for soldiers — are also receiving attention amid the popularity of light puffers.

Black Yak unveiled its new Lukla Down series, featuring puffers in a quilted pattern, as worn by singer-actor IU in the brand's recent campaign. Moving beyond its traditional focus on heavy outerwear, Black Yak is emphasizing lightweight pieces this season, expanding its lineup by about 50 percent compared to last year.

“The key theme in this fall’s fashion scene is versatile lightweight down,” a Black Yak spokesperson said. “We’ve combined distinctive vertical quilting patterns with seamless tube construction to prevent insulation leakage and elevate the design.”

The North Face also doubled its supply of lightweight down jackets this year. The brand introduced a range of new pieces — from windbreakers to short puffers — designed for both daily wear and outdoor activities, offering consumers more flexible options.

“As consumer spending remains subdued, lightweight puffers that can be worn in all seasons except summer are expected to stay in high demand,” a North Face spokesperson said. “This year, multi-season designs with distinctive quilting details are drawing more attention than simple, basic styles.”

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]