H1
Element x Millet MXE Alpha Reversible Hooded Jacket Toffee

A featherweight shell backed by insulation built for special forces

This is probably the most technical piece in the MXE collab, and it doesn't try to hide it. On the Toffee side, it's a clean windbreaker, with only the Millet M and Element tree printed in cream on the chest, and on the lower back, the angular interlocking figures that act as the seal of the whole collection. The paneling across the chest echoes Millet's alpine jackets, the Annecy house that has been gearing up mountaineers for over a century. Flip it and the jacket jumps eras: the cream Polartec Alpha knit, with its open waffle texture and Toffee nylon hem, recalls the vintage 70s fleeces you dig up in thrift stores. Two faces, two moods, one logic: mountain gear built for city life.

The relaxed fit hangs straight, with raglan sleeves that free up the shoulders and a hood with full coverage. The outer face is Toray Air Stretch Ripstop, a Japanese fabric weighing just 54 g/m², in 100% polyamide, with light stretch and a PFC-free DWR water-repellent finish. Ripstop is the fine grid woven into the fabric that stops a tear from spreading. On whichever side you choose, the Polartec Alpha 90, made of 78% recycled polyester and 22% polyester, was originally developed for US special forces: insulation that holds warmth while moving moisture out. The finishing is precise: Toffee binding at the elasticated cuffs, drawcords at the hood and hem, and a contrast 2-way zip.

Alpha is what's known as active insulation: it keeps you warm standing still on a platform and breathes when you're walking fast or taking the stairs, no sauna effect. Ripstop side out, the jacket blocks wind and sheds light showers; Alpha side out, you get extra softness for dry, cold days. Cord stoppers cinch the hood and hem when the wind picks up, and zip pockets keep your phone and keys secure. A hidden-zip chest pocket, tucked into the chest paneling, rounds out the storage. Light and packable, it drops into a bag without taking up space.