Today, I present to you our two new releases for formal wear. Business essentials, with the quality you expect, and a formal look. So, after a peacock blue blazer for those looking for a little risk, we did things well, and with simplicity.
Because there are the original pieces, on which we want to have fun and enjoy ourselves, and then there are also these more serious pieces, with which we seek a form of elegance, an "understated" style . (We will explain this concept very specific to English speakers below)
It's not always easy, at the office, to please yourself in terms of style, without being too daring. Wicket tie & pocket square, Archiduchesse socks, Barker Derby, BonneGueule cardigan .
The case of a lawyer in investment banking
For the record, my best friend works in the legal department of an investment bank. It turns out that I'm the one who "takes care" of his wardrobe. We always go shopping together. And I often try to encourage him to have a little more fun with his style, to try a little more daring, without going beyond "the rules". Except that...
It’s not necessarily appropriate. One day, he confessed to me, with disappointment, that he almost never wore his pair of black double-earred shoes that we had bought together. Why? Here’s what he told me:
"It's really nice Nicolò, but when I wear it, it stands out too much. My boss, my colleagues, they don't understand. You see, what I need is clothes that look professional , well dressed, with a touch of personal taste and originality. But just a touch, nothing extravagant."
And he was absolutely right. It is a real need and not just for him... But for many of you.
If I tell you this, it's because remembering this exchange we had, I was delighted at the idea of these outings which should meet his expectations... And those of all those among you who have the same needs!
Because many of you are looking for the right suit and shirt to spend a stylish week at the office.
Friends, these two pieces are for you.
The textured micro-pattern suit
What we tried to do was to make a costume that was affordable, with a very high-quality fabric, not flashy but still interesting for the wearer. No more, no less!
There you go, Renaud looks very serious. Professional, square, elegant but not fanciful.
"Understated" elegance, as they say in English
If I use this word in English, it is because no French word translates exactly its spirit. The closest word would be "sobre", but it is not exactly that.
I would rather define it like this: a sobriety that "does more" while appearing to do less . In short, it is a subtle style.
And to me, this fabric choice is exactly that: you have a micro-pattern, but it's almost tone-on-tone, so even up close this suit doesn't jump out as "a patterned suit."
Despite the seriousness of his outfit, he does not lose this touch of originality in the choice of material for his costume.
And how would I describe this micro-pattern, then? I would say that it is more or less a micro-grid , with a mottled effect.
A "three-dimensional" secret
But beyond the pattern, there is a little "secret" in the appearance of this fabric, which further reinforces this idea of "understated" style. A detail that you might notice without putting words to it. This secret is what Julien, our product manager, revealed to me when I asked him about what was unique about this suit.
"Oh yeah, don't forget to talk about the three-dimensional side of this fabric!" he told me.
“On the side... what?” I exclaimed.
“Three-dimensional!”
Well, at first, I thought Julien was going to talk to me about physics or science fiction.
But when you look closely, you understand what he meant. The subtlety of this texture is that it reveals itself much more when the fabric is viewed from the side .
When the light skims this fabric, the relief of some of its threads becomes much more apparent. Which is what makes this material so subtle: its originality is only revealed discreetly, by a sideways glance.
From the front, what stands out the most is the pattern: a fabric with a blue background, very finely squared by a lighter blue, all in a slightly irregular and mottled way. As said above, therefore.
But from the side, it is the texture in the tactile sense: we almost "see" the three-dimensional feel of the material.
Another photo to illustrate the point: look at the part of the jacket lapel exposed to the light at an angle. Notice how the texture changes compared to the dark areas seen from the front?
What is the “hand” of a fabric?
Obviously, this fabric is 100% Australian merino wool . But a material is not limited to its composition, especially for wool which has a thousand ways of expressing itself depending on its fineness and the way it is worked.
And to really understand a fabric, you need to dwell a little on what the "hand" of a fabric is.
The hand of a fabric is simply what happens when you touch it . Is it soft or rough? Stiff or fluid? Airy, or dense? A little stretchy, or totally stiff?
If I tell you all this, it's because the hand of this fabric is really its greatest strength in my opinion. But to make you understand it in writing... It's quite a challenge.
I would say first that it is a "nervous" hand. That is to say that under the pressure of your fingers, the fabric returns to its shape easily.
In this close-up, there is a detail that I would like to draw your attention to: the iron creases. Do you see how the material is able to keep a sharp front crease of pants, while not creasing otherwise? This is the sign of a beautiful hand.
As for the touch, I would call it "dry". It's hard to explain, but a dry touch is the opposite of a fluffy touch: it doesn't particularly retain air, and is not "puffy". Wool itself is soft , but its raised weave gives this sensation of "breathing", the opposite of a fluffy touch, which gives the impression of creating an "air cocoon".
Note in passing that this fabric has a material weight of 240g/m, which makes it a so-called "4 seasons" fabric, wearable for most of the year.
On the importance of falling
Finally, beyond the look and feel, the third key element of a fabric is its drape.
What is "the fall"? Well, because only a photo can illustrate such a concept, I invite you to take a closer look at the pants below.
Here, although the fabric is not particularly heavy, it is elegantly "pulled" by its own weight. Look for example, how all the surfaces that do not ripple under the movements, are clean and free of folds. Well, that is what we call "a beautiful drape." (Boots are an old prototype of ours!)
The drape is therefore one of those things that make a suit elegant, but that few people manage to verbalize. Often, you think that the best suits are the "best cut", when in reality, an approximate cut, but in a fabric with a sumptuous drape, can render better than a fair cut in a fabric that falls badly!
In short, I have only one regret here: that you cannot touch this material at the very moment you read these words. In fact, I want to say to the curious: come to the store to see it! If only to touch the material and see it in action . Maybe you will not leave with it or will not need it... But you will have understood what a beautiful hand and a beautiful fall are. And that brings us satisfaction!
An Italian fabric Tallia Di Delfino
Well, but where did we go to get such fabric then?
Origin: Biella, Italy
Creation: 1903
Organization: industrial group (Marzotto)
It is again Tallia Di Delfino, a supplier who has already proven himself on our suits in the past. It is a relatively confidential weaver located near Biella (the cradle of textiles and more particularly of wool work), which belongs to the large Marzotto group, one of the big names in the industry in Italy.
And when you know their creative approach, you can see that it was indeed from them that you had to look for the fabric for your costume: they are precisely known for making "classic" fabrics with a touch of subtle originality . And personally, I realized that I have many times preferred their fabrics to those of the "big" weavers who are more widely distributed. Especially because they have, among other things, an excellent hand.
Like more and more Italian weavers, Tallia di Delfino is governed by demanding ecological standards. And they also apply to its energy consumption: here, the solar panels that supply the factory with electricity.
They were also the ones who produced the fabric for our first mottled suit , which was in the same spirit as this one.
They work only with Italian yarns , always with very beautiful fibers. All their fabrics are entirely made in their factory , from weaving to finishing.
A loom from Tallia di Delfino in action. Italian production, from A to Z!
And they are not left out when it comes to ecology since they are ISO 14001 certified , which is a high-level environmental certification.
Now that you know everything about this fabric, let's move on to manufacturing. Because without good manufacturing, there is no beautiful suit.
Our high-end confection
As always with our suits, this suit is made in our workshop specializing in sleeved pieces, in Romania.
Let us quickly recall the central elements of this beautiful creation.
Traditional semi-canvas construction
While the regulars among you already know this very well, the others are probably wondering what it is all about. Well, on the front of the jacket, a suit can be "heat-sealed", "semi-canvassed", or fully canvassed.
The heat-sealed construction: it is based above all on a heat-sealed material, which joins the two sides of the jacket together. This is the most economical solution in production, but also the one that gives the least beautiful drape and the least good lifespan: blisters appear over time, there are more creases, and movements are more restricted. A bib is also added to provide support, but it is different from interlining.
Semi-canvassed: the bib and the lapels are also provided with a tailor's horsehair canvas. It gives a more beautiful drape and prevents the lapels and bib from blistering over time. It takes longer to make because the "traditional" TRUE semi-canvassed interfacing must also be sewn to the main material. As for the bottom of the jacket, it is heat-sealed. This is more time-consuming and expensive than the previous construction.
Fully canvassed: the horsehair interfacing runs down the entire front of the jacket, all the way to the bottom. There is no iron-on. This is the highest-end, the one that gives the best drape, but it is also much more expensive to produce.
Therefore, as our desire was to offer a very beautiful fabric at a competitive price, we have equipped this suit with the semi-canvassed construction, the best compromise in our opinion.
The hair (mainly horsehair, mixed with wool) of a lining.
Semi-lined, double light
Not to be confused with interfacing. Lining is the fabric that is added to the inside of jackets so that it slides and to protect the main fabric.
Me, doing my (really) best to show you the semi-lined construction of this suit jacket.
Well here, it is present in "semi-lined", in order to have maximum lightness and freedom of movement. Only the key areas are lined, while the others are left bare. Paradoxically, this construction is more expensive to achieve , because it requires particularly careful tailoring in places that are normally "masked" by lining.
"Barchetta" chest pocket
It has a slightly curved shape. It's prettier. And it's perfect for slipping a clutch into (if you want).
Horn buttons
For aesthetics! And they are "sewn on tail", that is to say reinforced to be sure not to let go of you.
And of course, the other high-end tailoring details that you are used to from us. Don't panic, they will be recalled on the costume's product page.
Now let's move on to the shirt. Because after all, what's a good business suit without the shirt to match?
So chic! Finally a (new) formal shirt
This is only the second time that we have made a real "100% formal" shirt at BonneGueule.
And there's a reason for that: we often find that "normal" formal shirts lack character . You know our love for texture and relief. However, the basic formal shirt is often poplin or twill: two fabrics known for being particularly smooth. At most, a little oxford from time to time (although it is considered more casual).
The other central element of a formal wardrobe along with the suit: the shirt.
But at the same time, texture on a shirt quickly becomes quite casual. And when it comes to patterns and prints, it's easy to fall into the bold, or even the downright "edgy". And that's not the point here! So, how do you reconcile the two and have a formal, elegant, but not "flat" shirt ? Well, we chose...
An Italian dobby, textured and elegant
Why does it work then? What makes this blue dobby elegant and formal?
Note the light capture of the material!
Because on the one hand, the texture visually blends in at a certain distance, and appears as a solid pale blue. The shirt is therefore also endowed with this discretion necessary for the context.
On the other hand, this fabric is silky. This is important, because this light capture gives a slightly more precious character to the fabric, and allows it to have this formal, very dressy appearance.
And finally, the pattern created by this "dobby" weave is geometric. Where the irregular side of a chambray or a speckled fabric suggests casualness, the regularity of the weave calls for formalism , creating like hundreds of small diamonds perfectly nested.
A fabric from Albini, the most Italian of weavers
Origin: Albino, Italy
Creation: 1876
Organization: family business
We no longer need to introduce this high-end Italian spinning mill, from which a large part of our shirt fabrics come, including our very first white dobby shirt .
Let us simply recall that the Albini group, over 200 years old, is one of the most eminent producers of high-end fabrics throughout the world. And its most unique asset is to control its production from A to Z, from the growth of the cotton to the final fabric.
For those who want to know more, we have produced a report on this house, right here .
Easy to live with
This shirt has another advantage over the poplin you usually wear to the office. You probably know it, but it's a fabric that wrinkles so much that people end up despairing and buying "non-iron" versions.
Renaud can finally lean back while drinking his coffee, without fear of coming out all crumpled! (Note in passing: To be completely honest with you, the collar is a bit lacking in hold here. The prototype photographed did not yet have the right iron-on in the collar. Don't panic, on the final version, it will be perfect')
Well the advantage of this dobby is that it is not only easy to iron , but it creases very little. So no more shirts that look like rags after two hours of wearing them. All without chemical treatments or denaturing the fabric.
Note in passing that, still with a view to comfort, this formal shirt is longer , to make it easier to wear in pants. It is not a casual shirt designed to be worn casually, and it will save you from having to pull on it every time you get up!
The right collar
For the collar, we chose an Italian collar , also called a "cutaway" collar.
Its slightly more flared opening has two advantages for the formal wardrobe. On the one hand, the points fit particularly well into the lapels of a jacket, even when the collar is open.
Under a jacket, it is well-fitting.
And worn with a tie, the extra space highlights the knot of the tie.
The Italian collar, or cutaway, is a good way to add one more detail to the outfit without overdoing it. The tie is only enhanced.
"Zampa di Gallina" sewn mother-of-pearl buttons
This is the little recurring detail of our shirts, and it takes on its full meaning in my eyes, on a more formal shirt. "Zampa di Gallina" means "chicken's foot" in Italian, in reference to this way of sewing the button with three "fingers" rather than crosswise. It is purely aesthetic, and it is again a discreet way of making a nod to our sartorial influences.
The buttons are also "sewn on the shank", to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Of course, the other details of our Portuguese manufacturing are still there, like the reinforcement swallows at the bottom of the shirt and the seams tightly tightened at six stitches per cm. The recipe does not change!
How to wear these new “business” pieces?
Of course, you can wear them as we showed earlier: suit, shirt, dress shoes. The tie and pocket square are optional.
But here are some alternatives to modulate the register a little. You can never have too many.
Not too serious costume
With a casually knotted scarf, a wool cap, a light denim shirt, and minimalist sneakers.
Mismatched...not the same
Wearing the mismatched jacket or pants with the complementary piece of another suit is always an option. It allows you to add variety without changing the style too much.
Here, the shirt works well worn with a crew neck sweater, leaving the first button open.
Under the coat
Just to show you that obviously, the suit and shirt can be accompanied, in winter, by an overcoat of your choice.
BonneGueule camel coat .
Always Cool Rolled
You probably know about the love of the editors of BonneGueule for the turtleneck. Yes, we know, we've been talking about it a lot lately. But admit that it's nice to be able to do this:
Wicket pouch, Barker Derby, BonneGueule pants and turtleneck .
