Today, Tiger Beer announced its collaboration with fashion designer Izzy Du, who is known for revolutionising outerwear in London, to create the world’s first puffer jacket with a beer-powered cooling system made specifically to keep you cool in tropical heat.
Created with the help of BBH Singapore and LePub APAC, now people all over the world, regardless of the weather, can enjoy this fashion staple! Puffers have become one of Gen Z’s hottest obsessions across the world, inspired by celeb-approved styles and iconic runway looks – but in Tiger Beer’s home region of Asia, the tropical heat means this wardrobe must-have is a no-go.
To beat the heat, the TIGER Summer Puffer’s cooling system is powered by an ice-cold Tiger Beer, which chills water that is pumped around the wearer’s body via a network of silicone tubes. These tubes make contact with key points where the arteries are closest to the skin, cooling the body down by up to 5°C in the sun. To engineer the tech behind the TIGER Summer Puffer, Tiger Beer and Du worked with a creative studio in Japan, Whatever Co.
Masashi Kawamura, chief creative officer at Whatever Co. said, “Inspired by the same tech that keeps astronauts cool in extreme temperatures, we tried a variety of cooling system designs, each making the jacket more effective at keeping the wearer cool for as long as possible. We tested various tube placements, tube materials, water tank designs and electronic wiring before landing on the final mechanism. We even had a trial run where the jacket became too cold to wear, and we had to tune it down to get it to the right temperature.”
In terms of design, Du captured the boldness of Tiger Beer and incorporated a number of design cues inspired by the brand, paying homage to a tiger with design elements like a bold and bright orange hue, tiger ears, a pair of fangs, and a subtle striped pattern.
“Making a puffer for the summer is an external expression of how refreshing and cool it feels to drink a Tiger. I started with the feeling of opening an ice-cold can of beer, and playing with the colours of the brand, before imbuing the aesthetics of the puffer with a new function,” said Du. The ChineseCanadian designer has been making waves in the world of puffer fashion with voluminous forms and unrepeatable originality.
Her bold vision makes her a perfect fit for Tiger Beer, a brand that believes in defying the odds and attempting the unthinkable. “This idea is highly innovative and links to Tiger Crystal’s refreshment proposition to resonate with our target consumers in a new and exciting way,” said Sean O’Donnell, global brand director at Tiger Beer.
“The puffer jacket is one of fashion’s hottest items amongst Gen Z and millennials across Asia but there’s one challenge: it can’t be worn in the heat of the tropics. At Tiger we have been defying the odds since 1932 by brewing beer in tropical weather when others said it couldn’t be done. Tiger Crystal refreshes you when you’re on fire, so why not make a puffer jacket with a beer-powered cooling system that does just that?” The TIGER Summer Puffer follows the brand’s recent Brewed For Your Fire campaign for Tiger Crystal which brought to life on-fire moments and crystal-cold refreshment together through a dynamic mash-up of fun live-action footage and Gen-Z-inspired animations.
Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer of BBH Singapore said, “It’s always a joy to work with brands bold enough to play in pop culture. And with refreshment so intrinsic to Tiger Beer, it’s only natural for them to refresh puffer jackets for drinkers in Asia.”
Cyril Louis, regional executive creative director at LePub APAC, said: “At LePub, we believe the only way for brands to win is to resonate in culture at scale, and it is a pleasure to work with the Tiger Beer global team in bringing this piece to APAC and the rest of the world. Izzy has also been an amazing collaborator, uniting the worlds of Tiger Beer and fashion in the most stunning, memorable way.”
The TIGER Summer Puffer statement jacket, featuring the world’s first beer-powered cooling system, can be experienced first-hand during Paris Fashion Week.
After its debut in Paris, Tiger Beer is bringing the TIGER Summer Puffer to Asia for ZoukOut, Asia’s longest-running dance music festival. Taking place in the tropical heat of Singapore in December 2023, festival goers will have the opportunity to witness the TIGER Summer Puffer in action, combining fashion with music.
