Articles of Interest Releases First Trailer for "GEAR," New Season Investigating the Connection Between United States Military & Outdoor Clothing Industry
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October 15, 2025 – Next Wednesday, October 22nd, acclaimed podcast Articles of Interest returns with the start of a new seven-part series called "GEAR," investigating the connection between the United States Military and the outdoor clothing industry. New episodes will be released weekly in partnership with Radiotopia from PRX, and today, host Avery Trufelmen gives listeners their first look into the season. Out now on all major podcast platforms, "GEAR"'s trailer picks up the story from Articles of Interest's 2022 series, "American Ivy" – a 2023 National Magazine Award finalist, and one of The New York Times' Best Podcasts of 2022 – as Trufelman speaks to Shigeru Kaneko of legendary Japanese lifestyle and clothing retailer BEAMS. When the 1960s turned into the 1970s, what came right on the heels of American Ivy League style was something called "heavy duty" – hiking boots, flannel, down vests, etc. – but as Trufelman explains:
"Part of what gave American outdoorswear its style — its gorpy, ugly-not-ugly utility that Shigeru describes – are its deep ties to the military…The United States outdoor industry and the United States military are interwoven. Whether you partake in either of these institutions or not, both impact what you wear. These clothes shape the way the United States sees its role in the world, and the way each of us see our role in nature."
Listen to the trailer HERE and follow Articles of Interest as much more is revealed over the next eight weeks of "GEAR"
Helmed by fashion thought-leader, public radio pro, and design veteran Avery Trufelman(99% Invisible, The Cut, Curbed) – and named one of the Best Podcasts of All Time by TIME – Articles of Interest is the premier show about what we wear, investigating clothing and culture in a way that's "always well researched, unexpected, and entertaining," says The New Yorker. "And is all the more impressive for the fact that Trufelman writes, produces, reports, sound designs, mixes, masters, and hosts it, with a voice that's like velvet for the ears." But as the culmination of more than two years of research and far-reaching reporting – taking Avery Trufelman to the "militaria room" of Buck Mason, a military convention in Washington, D.C., the Outdoor Recreation Archive in Utah, the Quartermaster Corps Archive in Virginia, the corporate archives of REI in Seattle, the Functional Fabric Fair in Oregon, and a myriad of other places that had never allowed press before – "GEAR" marks Articles of Interest's most ambitious and revelatory work to date.
While clothing becomes more and more high-tech, and garments are increasingly expected to "perform" in a changing climate, millions more people all over the world are wearing clothes that have a connection to America's military. From the sweatshirt to the t-shirt, hoodie and rubber-soled shoe, timeless classics and everyday staples were once the uniforms of soldiers, whether we realize it or not.
Throughout these seven episodes, "GEAR" will explore not only the deep entanglement of military aesthetics with fashion and culture, but the way the field jacket heralded the start of a new philosophy of dress; the veterans who returned home and seeded the early movement of lightweight comfort and durability into the outdoor industry; the counterculture and anti-war protesters who turned surplus into fashion; the emergence of brands like Patagonia, North Face and Banana Republic; the private sector's invention of modern camouflage and the prevailing influence of special ops teams; the introduction of "gorpcore" and the COVID-era boom of sweat-wicking, sunproof and breathable performance fabrics; the soldier-civilian divide and the experience of those who rely on this gear for survival; and the ways in which outdoor equipment can better serve the pressing needs of homelessness, climate change and beyond.
"These fates are really interwoven," Avery Trufelman recently said to Business of Fashion. "Especially in the United States, we don't really have a social safety net…The only sort of fallback that we have is actually, like, a tent and a good jacket."
Articles of Interest is available free on-demand across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pocket Casts, and Overcast. For more Articles of Interest updates, subscribe to the companion newsletter at articlesofinterest.substack.com.
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About Articles of Interest
Articles of Interest is a show about what we wear and is the podcast industry's prestige show touching on fashion and culture. Host and producer Avery Trufelman investigates our collectively held beliefs about fashion and explores topics like the intellectual property law behind knockoffs, creation of tartan and the history of plaid, and how a collection of dolls in a rural museum in Washington state saved French haute couture. Articles of Interest is a smart, insightful take on the clothing industry, for fashion nerds and dilettantes alike. Host Avery Trufelman is a veteran of the design podcast 99% Invisible, and former host of The Cut from New York magazine, and Nice Try! from Curbed.
About Radiotopia from PRX
Created in 2014, Radiotopia from PRX is the first network of its kind. As a network of independent podcasts, Radiotopia empowers audio creators with the artistic freedom to thrive on their own terms and to bring audiences inspired, high-quality, and well-crafted soundscapes. Programming from across Radiotopia has received recognition from the Peabody Awards, the duPont-Columbia Awards, the Tribeca Festival, the National Magazine Awards, and the Pulitzer Prizes.
Immerse yourself in stories and conversations of all kinds — intellectual and emotional, real and imagined, entertaining and thought-provoking. Be part of a community that values bold authenticity and boundless creativity. Discover award-winning audio with vision at Radiotopia.fm.
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