Against the rain and for your style: our new parka

It's not easy to be stylish when it rains.

The temptation is great to leave your appearance aside when the weather turns bad. 🌧️

But you know us: no sloppiness at BonneGueule.

We think that bad weather is a good opportunity to stand out with a beautiful rain coat, which changes from oilskins and other shiny ponchos.

Waterproof, comfortable and ultra-functional, our Lofoten parka is ready to accompany you in all your moments of life during mid-season, whether it rains or winds. Very Swiss army knife, it can be worn with a sweatshirt and jeans as well as a suit and tie.

New cut for a new style (by David)

I'm not talking about your hair but the volume of this parka, which has been carefully studied and refined.

This parka has a straight cut.

Not oversized (that means oversized, and that's not the case here), but straight. There is fullness, without excess. Just enough to allow you to wear it comfortably with a blazer, a workwear jacket, a thick sweatshirt or an overshirt.

If you wear the suit regularly, this parka will be perfectly suitable.

Benoît raised this point in his review article :

And that’s something I felt as soon as I tried on this piece. The first thing I thought was that the cut is cool and the parka looks great.

The sleeve is comfortable but does not gape. The shoulder line is well defined but not tight. The drape is clean and crisp.

In short, I found the volume well balanced and the piece very comfortable : it slides and sits on my shoulders without resistance. I feel good in it even with several layers of clothing.

To achieve this result, we can thank our product team as well as the experienced stylist designer who supported us in the development of this parka.

This stylist guided us on its volume, its details, its inserts, its cutouts.

Our product team then refined the product using three prototypes made by our Romanian workshop.

The cut was of course a topic. The parka was initially a little tight in the chest for our cabin model.

The sleeve has also been slightly widened compared to the first prototype to give you more freedom of movement:

Length level: this parka arrives at knee level (a little higher or a little lower depending on your size).

This length firstly protects your legs from the urban drizzle. It also has the advantage of being elegant and majestic. It is a length that allows the volume of the room to be fully expressed. Worn open, the garment flutters around you, bringing a welcome touch of look to your silhouette.

Sympatex, German technical expertise (by Benoît)

We have a long history with Sympatex, since we started working with them in 2016 , for the release of our first softshell . Since then, Sympatex has continued to strengthen its environmental commitments.

What I admire about this supplier is its willingness to push two sliders to the limit:

• recognized performance and durability
• and the lowest possible environmental impact

This last point is important, because usually, a membrane involves a lot of chemistry: polyester fabrics, glue, membrane, etc.

At Sympatex, everything is recycled or recyclable : from the membrane to the outer fabric, including the glue to laminate the two parts. As such, the fabric is OEKO-TEX certified and the membrane is Bluesign certified.

And that's not all ! Sympatex is also a carbon neutral company and completely PFC free for its water-repellent treatments. They also aim to have fully circular production by 2030.

In short, Sympatex is one of the most advanced suppliers of technical outdoor materials in terms of the environment , and it is no coincidence that its fabrics are used by the most responsible technical brands.

If you're curious, their YouTube channel has a lot of interviews and webinars on this topic.

How is the Sympatex membrane different from a traditional membrane?

To put it simply, it is a membrane that has no pores , unlike Gore-Tex. The operating principle is therefore very different.

Gore-Tex is made up of many pores, large enough to let water vapor pass through, but small enough to keep raindrops out… in theory! In practice, the pores can be saturated or clogged and no longer evacuate your perspiration properly.

The Sympatex membrane works completely differently.

There is a combination of:

• hydrophilic polyester, to “pump” the water vapor emitted by your body
• hydrophobic polyester which will reject water outside

To put it simply, this membrane works a bit like a blotter with water vapor from your body.

Where it gets interesting is when your heat increases: you will generate more water vapor, and the membrane will be able to transport even more water.

And if there is a big difference in pressure between the outside air and your body heat, even better, the membrane becomes even more efficient!

That is to say , the colder it is, the warmer you will be and the more the membrane will be able to wick away your perspiration.

All this is very well explained in the video on the presentation page on the Sympatex website.

And of course, it’s a fabric that is completely windproof!

A durable fabric from the Sympatex professional range

Yes, this fabric is normally reserved for professional applications, but I chose it for its very high durability , since it has a score of more than 80,000 turns in the so-called “Martindale” abrasion test, against a fork 20,000 - 50,000 revolutions for a more classic membrane.

Sustainability was important to me, because I have already seen customers who wear our outerwear very intensively (much more than me in fact!). There I have the assurance of having chosen one of the most durable outerwear fabrics from Sympatex… while maintaining great breathability!

With such durability, you can wear a backpack without worry on this parka.

There are even more durable fabrics, but the material then becomes so thick and stiff that you lose comfort and the ability to evacuate the water vapor generated by your body.

Concerning breathability, this fabric has a RET of less than 8. Concretely, it is perfect for urban use, while having a little margin if you ever have to hurry to catch a tram!

How to maintain this part?

A part with a membrane requires special care, but it is not complicated.

1. Usual maintenance

For routine maintenance, we advise you to take your parka to the dry cleaners once a year.

In the event of a small stain, a wipe with a damp sponge on the affected area will do the trick.

2. If the water repellency of the parka decreases

If the water repellency wears off, i.e. water drops are absorbed by the fabric instead of beading on its surface, then we advise you to take your parka to the dry cleaners and ask them to reactivate it. water repellency.

If you do not have a dry cleaner offering this service, then you can machine wash at 30° on a synthetic program.

Since the fabric is from the Sympatex professional range, it is very resistant to washing.

Concerning laundry, I do not recommend traditional laundry detergent. As I explain in my article on water repellency , to reactivate it, simply wash your parka with two Nikwax brand products:

• a first cycle with Nikwax Tech Wash to remove dirt while preserving the water-repellent treatment as much as possible
• and a second cycle with Nikwax TX.Direct to add a water-repellent finish.

Nikwax products are the most respectful of nature and have proven themselves for 30 years: you can go there with your eyes closed!

And I insist: no need to wash the parka every 4 mornings. Only wash it if it is very necessary.

Here are some details (by Benoît)

A multitude of pockets

On the outside, you have two flap pockets with snaps, lined in fleece for warmth, as well as a zipped pocket with our coyote-colored grosgrain zipper pull that I want to use as my signature , and which subtly stands out in contrast with in relation to the rest of the room.

Inside, you will find our two usual and spacious mesh pockets to put gloves , hats , or neck warmer . The hood also fits perfectly in the pocket. :)

Finally, you have two interior zipped pockets because you know that this is a detail that I value a lot for storing my items!

Which makes a total of 7 pockets to organize and secure your personal belongings: you have plenty to do!

An enveloping hood

This hood is removable using a YKK zip and has three adjustment points : one at the back of the head, two on each side of the visor.

This helps improve the hold of the hood in windy weather. This is a feature directly inspired by the outdoors where hikers and mountaineers regularly have to deal with gusts of wind.

A week of looks with the Lofoten parka (by David)

Its sober color and clean shape make this parka very versatile.

Here is a concrete scenario using several silhouettes, to be used for all your moments of the week and weekend.

Monday - Nonchalant elegance

To start the week, it will be casual chic.

You choose a white shirt that you combine with camel pants. On his feet, burgundy moccasins. Or derbies, if you prefer.

All you have to do is put on the parka to finish the outfit.

Wednesday - A costume like no other

In the middle of the week, it's suit. But not a tailored suit. Rather a workwear set , composed of a work jacket and cargo pants in the same fabric.

To extend this workwear spirit, notched boat shoes. And a light striped shirt to add a touch of chic.

The navy blue parka fits very easily with this set.

Friday - Casual Friday

No shirt this Friday. You've carried enough this week.

Choose a comfortable wool knit, terracotta color, with beautiful ecru pants and brown boots.

You put on the parka without even thinking about it. And you are doing well.

Sunday - Weekend in the countryside

You decide to spend the weekend outdoors. The look is obviously relaxed. A coyote sweatshirt, a white t-shirt and navy chinos (or raw jeans): this is your uniform.

To maintain a touch of elegance, suede leather slippers. Loafers would work well too. Or your favorite pair of sneakers.

All you have to do is put on your parka, which will effectively protect you from the wind, the drizzle and the cold during your evening walk.