Two years ago, we posted a story about a small, but growing, trend on the Upper East Side of Manhattan: Legions of women — fancy women! — were buying a cheap, army-green winter jacket on Amazon, by a Chinese company that otherwise sold wall-mounted tables and storage cabinets. A lot has changed in those two years. For one, the coat went viral, both online and in real life: It became difficult to walk five blocks without seeing at least as many coats. The price went up from just under $100 to $140, and then back down (in some colors) to $110. An Instagram account was created, tracking where the coat was popping up across the world. (Australia! Taiwan! London!) At least one owner discarded their Orolay when, after a pilates class, she was unable to figure out which coat on the rack was hers (there were four); she wrote about the experience for the Post. Orolay made a lot of money — they estimated they’d make some $40 million in 2019 (70% through Amazon) — and went through something of a brand pivot. Gone from their site are the folding chairs and cabinets. They’ve become bona fide Winter-Coat Retailers, with a slightly Adidas-esque logo and, on their site, a bevy of pictures of women in puffy coats, against pictures of snowy mountains and chilly cityscapes. Below: some other, while perhaps not front-page-worthy, still important Amazon-coat-related updates from the past year.
New styles were released
Including one — rather cool — color-block coat, a genuinely nice puffer, and one that’s slightly Norma Kamali–sleeping-bag-esque. Orolay also added a new color to the original style (bright red). It almost immediately sold out, but they’ve since restocked.
They also released a men’s version
It comes in black, “oyster gray,” khaki, and army green, and features the brand’s new logo prominently on the chest.
Then a children’s version arrived
It has the same multi-pockets, side zippers, and artificial lamb-lined hood as the original. “It will be attractive when you wear the same coat as your girls,” reads the description.
Two brands created Amazon Coat-esque jackets
Sam Edelman’s $139 “Faux Shearling-Lined Puffer Coat” has a similar faux-fur lined hood, blocky pockets, and boxy fit. It comes in non-Amazon coat colors, like yellow and white.
And J.Crew’s Chateau Puffer Jacket has Amazon Coat-esque paneling and a surplus of pockets.
A robust resale market emerged
The average price on Ebay for the Amazon coat is about $60 (there are about 400 listed on the site, at the moment); over on Poshmark, the average price is a little higher, around $95.
Everyone is guessing at what the “Next Amazon Coat” might be
And those guesses are not restricted to jackets. “This Wedding Guest Dress Is the New Amazon Coat,” reads the headline of one PureWow article. CNN argues the coat’s successor is “the Amazon nightgown dress,” an “easy breezy” dress that gives off “major bohemian vibes.” People asserted that a $32 Prettygarden teddy-bear-coat knockoff has “serious viral Amazon Coat Potential,” and Glamour wondered if a pair of $28 wide-leg pants worn by Eva Chen might be it. Our feeling on the matter? No such “next” exists.
Oprah became a fan
She put it on her annual “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list, writing: “It’s flattering, warm, comes in sizes up to 5X, has adjustable side zips, and costs way less than it appears.” Wowza.
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