What a joy to put on your sports pants, to feel this comfortable and supple material...
... But what a misfortune to sacrifice your style in this way!
The problem with sweatpants is linked to their function: they are comfortable - to the point where some people definitively put aside their style - but often, much too sportswear. When you go out in sweatpants, it feels like " I exchanged all notion of elegance when I arrived home for sacrosanct comfort, then I was too lazy to get dressed to go shopping." In short, the message sent is not great...
If most sweatpants are made of classic cotton, like a good old pair of jogging pants, it was time for techwear to get involved in order to make them a piece that combines comfort AND elegance . And this is precisely the challenge of this collaboration with Seagale .
But first, why did you approach this piece from a techwear angle? Because comfort is precisely one of its main issues, of course!
Our technical but elegant sweatpants, in collaboration with Seagale.
Urban techwear: a quick reminder
To put it simply, urban techwear consists of putting together urban clothing (therefore NOT made for hiking) with technical materials , which are usually found on sports clothing.
These are often breathable, waterproof, water-repellent, stretch materials, etc.
Our softshell, suitable for daily wear, also protects from rain thanks to its water-repellent material. It is therefore a piece of urban techwear.
If urban techwear and big budgets went hand in hand until now (look at the prices at Acronym or at Arc'téryx Veilance to convince yourself), we are timidly witnessing the appearance of more accessible urban techwear in recent years (for example example at Uniqlo , on a few pieces).
Make no mistake, a beautiful technical material is like leather: its price cannot be reduced. I very much doubt that the Uniqlo membrane is as efficient as a Neoshell from Polartec, for example.
Unfortunately, French brands are rather rare in this area . One particularly interested me, which comes from the south of France...
Seagale: French urban techwear
Seagale's objective is clear: to create casual and stylish clothing , with hidden technicality in the materials to make them as comfortable and urban as possible.
If the goal is obvious, there are nevertheless very few French brands which risk combining style and technicality (if the subject interests you, I have listed five, including Seagale ). This is why I find their positioning very intelligent.
The icing on the cake is that they adopted a so-called “direct” business model. Indeed, well aware that technical materials cost a certain price, they decided to sell without intermediaries in order to keep prices accessible.
They made themselves known with their famous swimsuit shorts which made life easier for many men this summer: water-repellent, stretchy, as comfortable in the water as on a café terrace or while jogging. These are the ultimate summer shorts.
Then they expanded their range with their merino and tencel t-shirt (exactly the same material that you will find inside our pants), their boxers and their sweaters .
You therefore understand that this DNA of easy-to-wear urban techwear, at affordable prices, particularly interested me for a collaboration.
We find the famous Seagale zipped pocket, very practical so as not to misplace your phone.
Two materials to protect you from the cold
As surprising as it seems, even in urban techwear, it is complicated to find pants that protect from the cold AND are stretchy .
There are a plethora of materials that wick away perspiration effectively and are very stretchy, like the Schoeller Dryksin on our chinos , but as soon as it's winter, nothing keeps you warm .
I saw some vague attempts but the prices were really high and availability was non-existent, like the Handler Jeans from Lynx for over 300 euros
There are wool pants that protect you from the cold like never before, but when it comes to stretch, we're not there at all.
This didn't discourage Seagale: they solved the problem by using two different materials ...
A technical wool and polyester blend
Let us immediately thank Bertrand who agreed to reveal his material sourcing. This is a fabric from Miroglio , an Italian manufacturer.
The stakes were high here: we absolutely had to choose a material that would break the overly sportswear side of sweatpants. For this reason, our choice turned to wool, the most elegant thing on pants.
The main material: a technical blend of wool and polyester, making it very easy to maintain.
It's a light gray (I won't repeat my refrain about light gray in winter , you know it) but which is mottled, in order to bring a more relaxed touch.
The composition is a little special since it is 53% polyester, 43% wool, 4% elastane. You know my distrust of synthetic materials
He explained to me that it was an elastane thread, surrounded by a thread that mixes wool and polyester .
Ok, but why so much polyester?
The answer is simple: it provides stretch, resistance and, above all, allows machine maintenance without any problem!
Bertrand also insists on one point: it is not a choice of material with the aim of saving money because it costs almost the same price as our 100% wool flannel from Vitale Barberis .
Indeed, it takes real know-how to correctly mix polyester, wool and elastane in the right proportions as Miroglio does. Wool and polyester blends passing through the machine are the specialty of the spinning mill.
A lining that keeps you warm
Yes, the lining of the pants is in exactly the same material as their t-shirts!
Second strong point of these pants, yet invisible: they are lined up to the knees with the same fabric as their merino and tencel t-shirts :
- 50% merino wool for heat regulation, anti-odor properties and wicking away body moisture,
- 50% tencel , an artificial fiber made from eucalyptus and bamboo, which is durable and very stable when washed. If this fiber intrigues you, Seagale wrote an article about it on their blog .
So we have the best of both worlds: merino for warmth , and tencel for stability.
Moreover, it is a Schoeller yarn which is the basis of this material, the same Swiss company which produces the fabric for our stretch and water-repellent chinos!
In fact, this makes it very pleasant to wear in cold weather. There is an appreciable enveloping warmth . When I had to get my shot, it was 2 or 3°C, but it was mostly windy. Well, I didn't feel anything in my legs. As much as with our flannel pants, with added stretch.
You are really protected from the cold and the wind, without dying from the heat indoors. “This makes it as comfortable as pajamas” according to Bertrand, with style.
The belt: three possibilities for perfect support
The elastic band and drawstring...
The waistband of a pair of pants is the key to their comfort, I'm not kidding you. Here, we approached it in three ways:
- a double elastic (inside and outside), which adapts to your body shape,
- the purple drawstring , characteristic of Seagale, to tighten the piece as you wish,
- and if you ever want to hide the elastic, it's entirely possible thanks to the belt loops.
It's silly, but I've never seen other sweatpants with so many support options at the same time.
If you want to hide the elastic, simply slip a belt through the loops.
A fitted and comfortable cut
A fitted cut at the ankle, then more classic at the thighs.
Making semi-slim sweatpants would make no sense. You can't have something tight either, since the thighs are lined. As a result, the volume at the thigh level is "normal" , not excessively loose or particularly fitted. It's natural.
On the other hand, the ankle is much more adjusted to avoid the pitfall of sweatpants that are too wide, which would give them a truly urban look. It is this mix of volumes between the thighs and ankles that gives these pants their recognizable cut.
This makes it perfect to wear with sneakers, whether they are running shoes, high tops or designer sneakers! Likewise, this tight side makes the association with work boots interesting.
It's the opening of the ankle that plays a big role in the overall silhouette.
How to choose your size ?
Our sizing is very classic.
Simply take your usual size .
How to wear sweatpants?
Thanks to its "hybrid" side between elegance and comfort, these sweatpants go far beyond the purely sportswear framework of this type of piece.
Come on, let's look at some inspirations. 😉
Spontaneously, Luca puts on his sweatpants with a white t-shirt and a navy quilted bomber jacket: comfort, here you go. In the middle of this palette, colored sneakers fit very easily. Enough to give Luca wings! (Balibaris bomber, Muji t-shirt, Piola sneakers)
Thanks to the texture of the wool and its cut, the sweatpants can also be worn in casual-chic inspired looks. The combination is all the more interesting as the look is more casual, while still maintaining a certain allure. Besides, a nice sweater with a shirt underneath is enough. Note the collar and the contrasting ribbed edges, adding relief to the whole. ( BonneGueule shirt , Asphalte sweater, Clae sneakers)
The chunky knit turtleneck is much more versatile than you might think. It is also a piece that gives a lot of presence to the wearer, exuding a certain “maturity”. With the sweatpants, indulge yourself in terms of colors: light gray will go with almost everything. Here, duck blue can fully express itself. However, since it is a strong shade, Luca discreetly finishes his look with sand sneakers. (Hircus sweater, Nike sneakers)
We end with more streetwear influences. The line of the sweatpants also lends itself very well to mid and high sneakers, which Benoît chooses to recall with his jacket. He could also have opted for some really badass boots, for a more pronounced workwear look. We finally find a wealth of textures, no two pieces have the same appearance. (Secret merino tee, Melinda Gloss denim jacket, BonneGueule x National Standard sneakers)
How to get the BonneGueule x Seagale sweatpants?
The official launch takes place this Sunday January 22 at 2 p.m.
You can also find it in our stores in Paris
As usual, newsletter subscribers will receive the link a little earlier. And for the others, register without further delay:
