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The Danish Rainwear Brand "RAINS" – Creating Spaces & Clothing that Embody Living with Rain at Their New Headquarters
Founded in Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, RAINS is an apparel brand built on the philosophy of "staying stylish, even on rainy days." Specializing in rainwear, the brand offers unisex outerwear and bags with waterproof, water-repellent, cold-resistant, and windproof functionality. Since its establishment in 2012, RAINS has expanded globally, especially across Europe and North America, and now operates approximately 30 flagship stores worldwide.
In 2023, the brand opened its first store in Japan at Laforet Harajuku. Then, at the end of March 2024, RAINS marked a new chapter by opening a brand-new headquarters building in its home city of Aarhus.
In this feature, we showcase the new headquarters—designed as a projection of the brand’s philosophy—along with a special report from the 2025-26 Autumn/Winter Collection held there.
RAINS Headquarters: Intertwining Architecture & Nature
About a 30-minute drive from downtown Aarhus, RAINS’ new headquarters sits atop hilly terrain and is designed to blur the boundaries between urban life and nature. At its heart lies an inner garden, where elements of indoor and outdoor space blend seamlessly. Expansive glass walls ensure the surrounding nature remains in view at all times from within the building.
This harmony with nature is a vivid architectural expression of RAINS’ aesthetic, which transforms outdoor wear for urban living.
The headquarters showcases bold brutalist architecture, featuring exposed concrete, glass, and brick. The design was a collaboration with Danish architectural studio SLETH. Four distinctive metal facades, sculptural staircases, and curated art pieces give the space a gallery-like feel, rather than just that of a typical office.
The total space is about 11,000 square meters, of which around 6,000 square meters are dedicated to logistics and warehouse functions. There’s also an in-house cafeteria with a dedicated chef and a gym for employees, reflecting RAINS’ philosophy of fusing comfort, function, and design in the workplace as well.
What’s truly fascinating is that, true to a brand rooted in rainwear, "rainwater" plays an integral role in the building. A uniquely developed rainwater management system connects the building to its climate; on rainy days, water flows throughout the premises, enriching the landscape and bringing it to life.
Thanks to this system, rainwater nourishes the inner garden and the greenery that wraps around parts of the building exterior, evolving over time to envelop the industrial structure in wild green. Harnessing the blessings of rain to their utmost is, without a doubt, at the core of RAINS’ DNA.
The new headquarters officially opened on March 27. Just a few days later, on March 31, RAINS welcomed both local and international guests to the venue for its 2025-26 Autumn/Winter Collection show. "RAINS" co-founder Daniel Brix Hesselager voiced his particular affection for this event.
"The climate of Aarhus was truly the driving force behind founding 'RAINS.' Here in Aarhus, we learned to cultivate patience—and to channel that spirit into making rainwear. There was no place more fitting for our show—marking the opening of a new era—than this new headquarters, because it is the place that embodies our brand at its very core," he shared.
Returning to the Brand’s Roots: The “FOREVER” Collection
Amidst steel shelving in the warehouse space, a pop-up runway cloaked with white fabric set the stage for RAINS’ new “FOREVER” collection, themed around “unwavering resilience.” Presented through 30 ensembles, this show marked the brand’s 10th milestone collection and underscored its return to its foundational spirit.
In recent seasons, RAINS has showcased experimental styles—such as oversized puffer coats and futuristic, costume-like pieces—at Paris Fashion Week. However, this collection took a decisive step back from those avant-garde approaches, refocusing on the brand’s foundation: rainwear.
The spotlight was on functional items crafted from durable, waterproof PU material. Alongside these core pieces, the collection introduced a fresh mix of textures, pairing soft fleece with glossy finishes and ruching for a new sense of style. Together, these choices elevated both practicality and fashion appeal, thoroughly transforming the old “frumpy” image of rainwear into refined urban outerwear.
Johanne Dindler, the design director, explained the goal behind this latest collection as follows:
“We focused on reinterpreting timeless pieces. The concept is about merging timeless elements with extreme features. Through silhouettes, textures, colors, and innovations in design, we express our evolution. There's a quiet confidence and understated boldness infused throughout.”
The show's composition also reflected this stance. It began with pieces in calming tones, then closed with more radiant looks. Throughout, the collection left a consistent impression as outerwear equipped for all kinds of weather conditions.
RAINS aims to further expand into the Asian market, starting with its very first store opening in Japan. In addition, the launch of a footwear line is planned for next year, fueling expectations for the brand's growth and ability to transcend category boundaries.
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Effortlessly crossing the boundaries between outdoor wear and fashion, RAINS continues to expand what's possible. This is a brand that consistently answers the question of how to dress on rainy days from a fresh and innovative perspective.
The back-to-basics collection for this season, along with their new headquarters embodying the brand's philosophy, serve as fitting symbols of where RAINS currently stands and the directions it's moving toward. Like rays of light breaking through the clouds, it brightly illuminates what lies ahead.
Text by ELIE INOUE
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