Disclaimer: No, it's not a bug, it's "by Rafik" that you read under the title of the article. For those who don't know me yet, I'm an intern at BonneGueule as Benoît's assistant, and the time has come for me to deliver my first article to you on the blog 😉
For this great first, I chose to talk to you about a brand whose name alone intrigued me as it seems so full of history: Commune de Paris - 1871.
It is one of the French brands which is gradually digging its hole in men's fashion - and for good reason - since Commune de Paris is one of the pioneers of Parisian streetwear , has a complete casual wardrobe, and does not hesitate to multiply collaborations with brands from other horizons.
Moreover, we had the opportunity to find out a little more about the brand by meeting Alexandre Maïsetti. The collection has many strong pieces, we will give you combination ideas to intelligently integrate them into your outfits.
Interview with Alexandre Maïsetti, co-founder and designer of the Commune de Paris label
At his side, Sébastien Lyky and Edouard Launay.
Can you introduce Commune de Paris?
We have been designing and producing clothing, objects and accessories for men since 2009.
What is the link between the historic event and the Commune de Paris brand?
We wanted a brand with a strong connotation and identity, anchored in history. All 3 of us are Parisians, and we felt represented by this brand.
It is an event which symbolizes the ideas of insubordination, of French independence. This is the identity that we wanted to give to the brand. Being a little-known event, we only wondered how people would receive the brand.
Do we find this state of mind of independence and nonchalance in your clothes?
We are self-funded, we do what we want for the brand. We really like the community aspect for producing visuals and photos; for the site with illustrators, photographers and artisans; with other brands that have real know-how in their fields, in order to offer slightly more innovative products, which go beyond the scope of our simple clothing line.
For example, we like to have fun in our collaborations. We also like to try other media, learn new things.
What are your inspirations?
Sébastien Lyky is an artistic director in an advertising agency. He is very attracted by images and aesthetics, with a “ruthless” attention to detail and a very graphic eye.
I have more of the “clothing” side, because I already had another brand before. I also have a graphic vision with the assembly of cuts, colors, etc. (we used to do graffiti together), all with a little architectural side that we find in the stripes, patterns and good color combinations. Having a graphic eye is important.
We are inspired by what we see every day in the street, we recreate: reuse old basics and reinterpret them in a more modern vision (new colors, more fitted cuts, etc.), sober and wearable lines for every day, rather than lines for fashion shows with models.
Can you tell us about the origin and choice of materials? The making ?
We are on European production: our materials are mainly Italian and English, particularly for wool, tweeds and suits. Manufacturing is mainly done in Portugal. In France, we manufacture our silk squares and our ties. The scarves are made in Italy. We could choose to produce everything in France, but prices would increase by at least 20%.
Future plans?
The first: having a physical store / HQ. Otherwise, we like new projects, but also doing them again with old partners. For example, collaborations with LIP, Astier de Villatte and an English shoe brand are being studied.
Test: Commune de Paris pieces to integrate into your wardrobe
For this article, I chose to test a sweatshirt, a shirt and a bag. I will tell you more about it later. For the moment, I'll leave you with Florian, who tested a wool sweater for you.
The speckled pattern sweater
This cable-knit wool sweater fits very easily into an urban outfit. So we forget the mountain sweater aspect! The sleeves are deliberately long to adjust the ribbed edge as we wish. You can even unroll it completely in case of extreme cold. The cut is fitted at the shoulders and pectorals and looser at the hips.
With this cut, this sweater has a more casual style, less perfect than those you usually find.
E Galeries Lafayette scarf, Three Animals coat,
Commune De Paris sweater, Topman pants.
You see, it's child's play to add it to an outfit: the color gradient around the blue does the rest. The scarf completes the look by giving a little volume. Of course, we don't have to worry about putting it on, it must remain natural! Note that a khaki scarf would have been more appropriate than black (it would have given a slightly more punchy outfit with this little dissonant color).
The shoulder head is clean and the junction between the twists is clean
We add two-material derbies for a reminder of the colors and that’s it ;). We obtain a consistent and homogeneous hold.
(Shoes: Menlook Label / Pants: Topman / Coat: Three Animals)
You may be wondering, “How many statement pieces can I fit into an outfit?”
There is no absolute truth, it all depends on how you put it together. But still limit it to 2-3 pieces. By strong pieces, I mean clothes that stand out from the ordinary: by the patterns, the combination of colors, the cut, or even by the texture. For example, blue chinos are not a strong piece in my opinion. And you can re-read this article on how to construct an outfit .
Now let's move on to more summery outfits.
The “Birdy” sweatshirt (€155)
We sometimes tend to associate strong pieces with the notion of sophistication. This is also why I chose this model, to show you that you can have a strong piece with a resolutely casual DNA. The major asset of this sweatshirt lies in its patterns, which add character.
Small zoom on the patterns. Note the attention to detail, particularly in the variation of feather colors. It is truly this pattern that makes the sweatshirt a strong piece. Knowing that the colors remain sober, you can combine it with brighter colored pants.
In terms of fit, we have a fairly fitted cut, without it being too tight. This allows you to maintain a form of relaxation in the outfit. The material is also really pleasant to wear.
The loops of the fleece are very regular and quite tight. The more they are, the higher the quality of the fabric.
(In case you were wondering, the weird thing in the top left is the charm from my bracelet).
(belt: Paris Commune).
We have a nice ribbed edge, which does not ride up (as is sometimes the case). To test the quality of a ribbed edge, I invite you to reproduce the little experiment explained by Nicolas in his Frank & Oak test .
The “Flourens” shirt (€145)
Rarely wearing formal shirts, I was seduced by the two-tone side of this one, which gives it a very slight originality.
In terms of fabric, we are using cotton poplin. Soft and light, it is really pleasant to wear too. Even more so as the sunny days approach!
See how well the white collar contrasts with the blue of the shirt. This is the kind of detail that I really appreciate, because it gives depth to the room while remaining discreet. It also has the advantage of holding well, and has an opening allowing you to wear a tie or bow tie 🙂
In terms of finishes, the seams are correctly done: we see regular and fairly fine stitches, in tone on tone.
As for the buttons, they are cut from a very pretty white mother-of-pearl, which has retained its small natural roughness (especially around the edge, which is not exactly round). Small appreciable detail: the second button is stamped with the Commune of Paris cross. This in itself isn't particularly significant, but it's a little extra that I like.
Beyond my shortcomings in ironing (thanks to Victoire de L'Exception for her help), we can see the very slight hammering of the button on its lower part. All of the buttons are also cross-stitched, which, as you know, allows for a more durable hold.
The same detail is repeated on the cuff of the shirt. We note in passing the presence of a reinforcement at the buttonhole, which suggests the quality of the piece.
In terms of combinations, it's a very versatile piece. In fact, its length is ideal and allows it to be worn both in and out. The neutral tones it uses make it an easy to match shirt.
On the other hand, I deplore the absence of a reinforcement swallow, which is a finish that one can expect in this price range.
The “Nubuc” shoulder bag (€245)
Because I'm a fan of accessories, and because many men see choosing a men's bag as being an arduous task, it was important to me to test one. My choice therefore fell on a shoulder bag - practical and comfortable - and not causing any problems on the shoulders of the jackets, due to the sun.
The size is ideal: neither too big nor too small, it allows you to walk around with all your mess without feeling cluttered. It is in nubuck (nothing surprising for a bag called the "Nubuc", you might say) , with a canvas shoulder strap. However, the most fragile areas (shoulder strap/bag body junctions, and shoulder tab) are in nubuck for greater strength; a significant asset. In this regard, it is a fairly standard nubuck, but which is still fair considering the price.
Thanks to its casual and masculine design, as well as its pretty brown shade, this bag will fit easily into many of your looks.
(Chino: Asos / Shoes: Asos / Glasses: Ray-Ban).
However, I regret the lack of attention to the design of the front pocket, which cannot be kept closed. It is in fact an excess of material which prevents it from remaining well placed, which is restrictive if you wish to store things there.
The forward curved appearance of the lower part of the pocket highlights excess material.
This small problem aside, the finishes are very suitable. We once again find the Commune de Paris logo affixed very discreetly, but also a blue edging all along the zip. This contrasts well with the brown, and brings a touch of dynamism to the room.
Commune of Paris, in short...
I would say that Commune de Paris is a brand offering interesting pieces in terms of creation. Despite finishes that could be improved, the products are well made, with an honest quality/price ratio. Finally, we see real care given to the aesthetics of the details, with small, well-executed twists, all in sobriety.
All the pieces tested are available on the L’Exception e-shop.
