Historically a specialist in shoes and rubber boots, the Aigle brand now offers a complete line of clothing for men, women and children. (and bears, if we believe their ads) .
For our part, we came across the Aigle team by chance, as part of the launch of a premium line. Indeed, this brand is in the process of changing, and is gradually moving from the very classic parka, to a return to its workwear origins , and to a very technical DNA.
Aigle notably collaborates, here with Nigel Cabourn,
which is a pretty awesome workwear brand
which we will undoubtedly have the opportunity to talk to you about again.
We therefore looked into the question quite a bit to see whether or not we were going to revise our opinion. Here are our conclusions in this article!
Vulcanization: a revolutionary process
To understand the evolution of the Aigle brand , we will retrace the history of the brand.
A little historical reminder: at the origin of the Aigle brand, there was the meeting between two visionary men: Hiram Hutchinson, an American entrepreneur, and Charles Goodyear, chemist and inventor of rubber vulcanization...
Until this discovery, rubber was an unusable material in its natural state. Indeed, it is brittle at low temperatures, melts when it is hot, and sticks when exposed to the sun (just like chocolate) .
In 1842, after several years of research, Charles Goodyear found the solution and invented the revolutionary process of vulcanization: by mixing rubber with sulfur, and heating it in a pressurized atmosphere, he succeeded in permanently stabilizing the product. That is to say, vulcanized rubber is more elastic, much less brittle, and no longer melts at high temperatures .
The process is reliable, and many applications will emerge. An entire industry will thus be created: tires, clothing, condoms... The opportunities are crazy and concern many sectors.
Hiram Hutchinson (at the time, Florian wasn't there to teach him how to tie his bow tie :)
The chemist Charles Goodyear dedicated his life to research, and was the author of numerous inventions.
Please note: the American tire company Goodyear, founded in 1898, has no family connection with Charles Goodyear. The name of the company was simply chosen to pay homage to Charles Goodyear, for all of his work on rubber.
The Compagnie du Caoutchouc Supple and “à l’Aigle” products
In 1850, Hiram Hutchinson met the American Charles Goodyear. Very quickly, the American entrepreneur detected the enormous potential of the vulcanization process. Indeed, rubber is a material that provides excellent protection against rain.
At the time, more than 90% of the French population was rural. Hiram then considers France as a market with enormous potential for his products.
Old advertisement for the À l'Aigle brand , which later became Aigle.
In 1853, Hiram Hutchinson moved to Paris and bought his rubber vulcanization patent from Charles Goodyear. At the same time, he created the company "La Compagnie du Caoutchouc Souple", intended to produce and market waterproof shoes and boots. It sets up its production site in Montargis, where 5,000 pairs are manufactured per day, and where 600 employees work. The products are marketed under the brand name “à L’Aigle”.
Advertisement for “à l’Aigle” boots (1956)
In 1854, Hiram Hutchinson entrusted the reins of his business to his son Alcander, only 23 years old. In 1867, the latter simplified the company's name and renamed it "Hutchinson". The same goes for the name of the brand “à l’Aigle” which becomes “ Aigle”. The success is growing and the products are sold throughout Europe, and even in Australia! In 1860, a factory in Manheim (Germany) opened its doors, to better supply the markets of Central Europe.
In 1898, Alcander's children decided to sell their shares. The new shareholders will gradually diversify the Hutchinson group's offering: tires for bicycles and automobiles, tents, groundsheets, etc. The Aigle brand is also expanding its offering by offering boots for hunting, horse riding and boating. , and will even go so far as to offer basketball and tennis shoes!
Hutchinson bicycle tire: stronger than steel!
Much later, in 1967, the production site moved to Ingrandes near Châtellerault, on the grounds of a former American base of 30 ha. At that time, the factory was operating at full capacity and produced more than 10 million pairs of shoes per year.
It was in 1989 that Aigle launched into textiles, and thus began to offer a line of clothing for the city and the countryside. That same year, the brand opened its first store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Paris). Even today, this boutique is the flagship (= reference store) of the brand.
The Aigle store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
In 1974, Hutchinson, then in great financial difficulty, was bought by the oil company Total (on state injunction). Little by little, Total will sell off so-called “consumer public” activities to refocus on industrial ones. Thus, in 1994, Total separated from the Aigle brand, which was sold to the Apax Partners investment fund (which owns other textile brands, such as New Look).
This fund then inherits a group which has been making a very important strategic shift for several years already, gradually dissociating itself from its emblematic product (the boot), to concentrate on outerwear clothing. The Apax group will therefore move in this direction, and accentuate this policy of diversifying the offer towards clothing. It will impose “Aigle” in the textile landscape.
The vulcanized boot: emblematic product of the Aigle brand
The Aigle x Kitsuné collaboration: a poncho and boots...
Aigle has also managed to establish itself in the fashion sector.
In 2003, Aigle was once again sold. This time, it is the Swiss investment fund Maus (owner of the Lacoste brand) which acquired it, and which still owns it. The brand celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2013. It now employs 1,100 people, and has opened more than 350 stores around the world (including 270 in China, Japan and South Korea). 65% of its turnover is generated by its clothing line.
But what about the interest of the products, for the textile geeks that we are?
The Aigle Downtown rain parka, the test (550 euros)
Aigle being known for the quality of its "outerwear" pieces, we had to test this piece which has the particularity of combining a natural material (down) with a technical material (Gore-Tex).
We selected the Downtown parka for this test. Because it is a piece that Aigle puts a lot of emphasis on, and which is one of its bestsellers .
Benoit and his usual photogenic style wear the Downtown parka,
with raw denim from the BG line and BGNS.
Technical materials at Aigle: the combination of Gore-tex and down
Technically, Gore-Tex is a textile membrane (i.e. a flexible and thin layer) which allows one body to be insulated from another. On clothing, it ensures a high level of waterproofing: in fact, its pores are 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water!
Concretely, this means that the water in the liquid state (the one who wets) cannot infiltrate, even by capillary action. The membrane is therefore completely waterproof. Another main feature: its high level of breathability. These same pores are 700 times larger than a molecule of water vapor: the membrane therefore allows perspiration to escape.
The Gore-tex membrane is laminated
between the outer fabric and the inner lining.
Please note, although Gore-Tex is a “windproof” material, it does not in any way provide heat gain. The membrane only helps reduce the feeling of cold, but no more than any other material. Combined with warm materials like down, a piece with Gore-tex can keep you warm. But it is in no way Gore-Tex that will be responsible for the feeling of heat.
So we come to an important point. Aigle decided to combine this technical material with a natural material: down, a source of heat. Down is a material with one of the best weight/warmth ratios on the market . Down is not feather; it is a flake (can be several cm in diameter), and most of the time, it is taken from ducks and geese.
The appearance of synthetic materials (obviously less expensive) to compete with it does not change anything. A good quality duvet will always be warmer! This is explained by its microscopic structure which traps much more air than cotton or synthetic fillings. You can't beat Mother Nature .
But as you can imagine, down is also a more expensive material... The ultimate luxury is eider duck down: it is collected by hand directly from the nests, and its price is astronomical!
A detail dear to Benoît, the eider duck moves in flocks and alternates between gliding and flapping flight. It lives in the northern hemisphere, notably on the Scandinavian coasts and in Iceland. Several etymologies are considered. The term eider could be a loanword from the Old Norse aedr or the Icelandic aedur1. The word “edredon” would thus derive from the Icelandic oedardun. Additionally, two fossil species are known, one preserved in Middle Oligocene rocks of Kazakhstan and the other found in the Lower Miocene or Upper Pliocene horizons of Lee Creek Mine, USA. The second may belong to the genus Somateria. Benoît says thank you for reading this important paragraph.
Another element to take into account: down is a compressible material. In other words, if something compresses it, it will lose a lot of its insulation. This is why a person with a large down jacket will be able to feel a little freshness when it is windy if the wall made up of the jacket is too flattened (the gusts will compress the garment). Thus, compacted down is down that insulates less.
Note from Benoit: this is why you should not choose a down jacket that is too close to the body, because if the down is tight, it loses its thermal properties.
On the Downtown parka, the Gore-tex / down combination is therefore ambitious; the risk being that the technical membrane will suffocate the down. But rest assured! The parka protects well against the cold and above all, it is waterproof! Perfect for withstanding the showers of March, and more than enough to withstand the cold of the French metropolis!
For comparison, a Canada Goose parka is warmer, but it's not waterproof (and Liam Neeson tells you : " When your down gets wet, it's the end" ).
The cut and finishes of the Downtown Aigle parka
The cut of the Downtown parka is not fitted. It is important to understand that this is technical clothing, and that the cut is not close to the body. Personally, I wear a size S, and that doesn't shock me: I find it sufficiently fitted.
But as you know , I like to wear loose-fitting clothes (which causes big debates in the team!). Benoit, who usually wears his Canada Goose parka, also wears the Aigle Downtown parka in size S.
Yes, I know, the chinos are also quite loose!
Streetwear influences oblige.
The parka has six exterior pockets: four are patched (and close with press studs), and two others allow you to slip your hands warm at bust level (see photo below). In my opinion, any parka must have these two pockets at bust level: it's essential for warming your hands!
Your hands warm up, your heart rejoices.
The parka closes with a zip and snap buttons. Fully closed, it completely covers the neck and provides excellent protection. The removable fur (raccoon) sits on the ears and keeps you warm !
“Check that button press, bro” Alexandre tells you.
The parka covers the buttocks well, which is important to be well insulated from the cold (on short parkas, insulation is provided by a large ribbed edge at the bottom of the piece).
The length of the sleeves is good: they bite very lightly on the hand. Appreciable finish: the ribbing at the cuffs reinforces insulation against the cold.
The armhole is at the right height: it is high enough to ensure comfort during everyday movements, without breaking the general silhouette of the piece. You can also slip a large stitch underneath without any problem!
Finally, the hood holds well on its own, which embellishes the overall silhouette of the piece. This is a “crucial” detail: there is nothing worse than a parka hood that falls limply in the back.
Finally, it is even possible to tighten it at two levels: there are tightening tabs on either side of the hood, and a final one on the top.
Nice detail: the hood is removable!
But it's better to keep it if you're shooting a rap video.
The interior finishes are neat with zipped pockets, and others with Velcro.
So, this downtown parka?
The Dowtown parka is available in two colors ( available on the Aigle website ): black and khaki, for a price that is certainly a little high (550 euros). But Gore-Tex and down are expensive materials: this is logically reflected in the final sale price. A good parka, made from beautiful materials, has a price; but it is the assurance of wearing it for several years.
In fact, the Gore-tex / down mix is interesting. As I said a little earlier in the test, it is not the warmest parka I know, but it is more than enough for a port in France (especially since it is very easy to slide several layers underneath). Its waterproofness is a real advantage. I find the piece very functional and very practical (patch pockets, interior pockets, removable hood and furs, etc.).
Wear it with chinos, or raw jeans like in the photos, and don't hesitate to wear workwear clothes (chambray shirts, checked flannel...) or simpler pieces like basic T-shirts.
It is even possible to wear it with a more formal outfit like a suit (in this case, opt for the black color!). Travel time of course: you will be protected in cold rainy weather, but it is not the most elegant outfit in the world (even if the Downtown has a good little style, but I really recommend it in brown, not in black !).
Geoffrey's opinion: I anticipate the questions! If we think about the competition, I think we don't necessarily have to ask ourselves whether it's better to have the Downtown from Aigle, or the Nobis parka, or even the Canada Goose , because they don't fulfill the same uses (ask you rather: “ what do I need?” ).
Because here, we really have rainy and moderately cold winter clothing, versus products designed specifically for snow. Note that Woolrich (I wear it in the article on Gustin jeans) offers a good in-between, always in the same price ranges.
Note from Benoit: I was able to wear the Aigle parka for a while. In fact, it does not play on the same level as Canada Goose which is a real clothing brand specialized in negative temperatures (beyond that, you are too hot). In fact, the Aigle parka takes over when it's too hot for a Canada Goose. At 5/6°, walking at a good pace for 20 minutes because you come back from a party and are in a hurry to get into bed, you risk being too hot in Canada Goose, especially if you have a large knit in below. With an Aigle parka, you will be fine. In terms of warmth, we are somewhere between a Canada Goose and a classic woolen cloth coat. For people who are extremely cold, even when it's 10°, this is the kind of clothing you'll like.
So obviously, as soon as the temperatures become negative, a Canada Goose parka is warmer! The brand's expertise in terms of thermal insulation is indisputable, and Aigle is not intended to compete with it. That said, the fact that the cut of the Aigle parka is relatively straight makes it easy to add a layer of clothing.
