SKI BUDDIES: As part of its partnership with U.S. Ski and Snow, J.Crew is partnering with Italian sportswear firm Kappa to create two exclusive performance jackets.

While J.Crew has long captured the ski scene in its catalogues and lifestyle merchandising, this is the brand’s first foray into on-mountain performance ski pieces. Kappa is known for its avant-garde fusion of Italian technology, retro hip-hop style, and technical sportswear worn by athletes.

“The collaboration will combine Kappa’s Olympic-level performance expertise with J.Crew’s timeless American style, highlighted through custom details and vintage-inspired patches,” J.Crew said in a statement. There will be one high-performance jacket for men and another for women, both “engineered for movement, warmth and comfort on the slopes.”

The jackets will be for sale alongside the J.Crew/U.S. Ski and Snow collection launching early 2026 on jcrew.com and in select J.Crew stores.

As reported last March, J.Crew signed a three-year partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard involving collaborating on merchandise with an après ski feeling, athlete appearances and J.Crew hosting on-site activations at key U.S. Ski & Snowboard events. J.Crew will also have a presence at the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, known as Milano Cortina 2026. The competitions commence Feb. 4.

The activation strategy, called J.Crew by the Slopes, starts this coming weekend at the Stifel Birds of Prey, an Audi FIS World Cup in Beaver Creek, Colo. There will be a preview of the collection, and chances to win prizes. Activations are also scheduled for Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen Jan. 9 to 10, and the Stifel Intermountain Health Freestyle International in Deer Valley, Park City, Utah Jan. 16 to 18.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the nonprofit Olympic and Paralympic National Governing body for skiing and snowboarding. The organization oversees 10 national teams and represents nearly 250 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, for alpine, cross-country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, snowboard, free-ski, nordic combined, ski jumping, Para alpine and Para snowboard.