You should always look to an expert in times of need. If you’re in the market for a new car, for example, talk to a German; if you want to learn more about red wine, speak to a Frenchman; and if you’re in need of a raincoat, then seek out a Brit. It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s best raincoats come from countries where the sunshine is somewhat of a rarity. Which explains why some British brands have become connoisseurs of the rain jacket; just look to YMC and the ever-popular Inuit Parka and Wax London and their signature ‘Waxed Mac’ for evidence. We’re even rather good at making umbrellas too – thanks to London Undercover. So, to mark the sorry state of the current British summertime, we thought it would be best to introduce you to yet another British brand that is producing some of the finest summer-appropriate-and-shower-ready-outerwear out there – The People’s Poncho.
There can be few more potent symbols of our throwaway culture than the discarded single-use poncho that litters the fields of so many UK festivals. But the poncho shouldn’t have such a short-shelf life; as its lightweight construction, oversized silhouette and incredibly protective traits make it the perfect piece of outwear for your day-to-day movements. And when it comes to summer, where your choice of outerwear needs to be light but able to keep out the rain too, well that’s where the poncho really comes into its own.
The People’s Poncho was founded in 2016 with a mission statement of ‘embracing the rain’ – having taken inspiration from China where the rainy weather does not deter people from ‘hopping from place to place’ under the protection of a lightweight poncho. The brand, therefore, decided to develop the poncho into a waterproof, affordable and practical travel accessory for all and has since grown its collections to feature a range of different colours and designs to suit different personalities.
The brand’s ponchos are designed with bad weather firmly in mind – and the results are as much products of industrial design as they’re of practical genius. The People’s Poncho’s ‘Hardy’ Poncho is made from three layers of hard-wearing and fully waterproof Japanese polyester. Trimmed with a drawstring hood, and detailed with a waterproof zippered chest pocket, the poncho offers safety enhancing reflective piping, side buttons to aid manoeuvrability, and internal straps to hook onto bicycle handlebars or over hands so your legs are protected from the rain when cycling. In total, the poncho only weighs 0.4kg and comes with its own waterproof carry bag for easy storage too.
Shop the latest collection from The People’s Poncho at OPUMO.
Be sure to read our ultimate guide to men’s coats and jackets.
