Against the rain and for your style: our new parka

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

It's tempting to let your looks go when the weather turns bad. 🌧️

But you know us: no letting things slide at BonneGueule.

Bad weather is considered a good opportunity to stand out with a beautiful raincoat, a change from waxed jackets and other shiny ponchos.

Waterproof, comfortable and ultra-functional, our Lofoten parka, available here, is ready to accompany you in all your mid-season moments, whether it's raining or windy. 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 about the volume of this parka, which has been carefully studied and refined.

This parka has a straight cut.

Not oversize (that means oversized, and that's not the case here), but straight. There's room, 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 mentioned this point in his review article :

And that's something I felt as soon as I tried this piece on. 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 fall is clean and neat.

In short, I found the volume well balanced and the piece very comfortable : it slides and rests 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 designer stylist who accompanied us in the development of this parka.

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

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

The cut was of course an issue. 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: This parka falls to the knee (a little higher or a little lower depending on your height).

This length first of all allows you to protect 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 piece to fully express itself. Worn open, the garment flutters around you, bringing a welcome touch of style to your silhouettes.

Sympatex, German technology (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 provider 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 a fully circular production by 2030.

In short, Sympatex is one of the most environmentally advanced suppliers of technical materials for the outdoors , and it is no coincidence that its fabrics dress 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 conventional membrane?

To put it simply, it is a membrane that does not have 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 prevent raindrops from entering… in theory! In practice, the pores can become saturated or clogged and no longer properly evacuate your perspiration.

The Sympatex membrane works in a completely different way.

There is a combination of:

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

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

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

And if there is a big pressure difference between the outside air and your body heat, it's 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’s 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 revolutions in the so-called “Martindale” abrasion test, compared to a range of 20,000 - 50,000 revolutions for a more classic membrane.

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

With such resistance, you can carry 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.

Regarding breathability, this fabric has a RET of less than 8. In concrete terms, it's perfect for urban use, while still having a bit of 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. Routine maintenance

For routine maintenance, we recommend taking your parka to the dry cleaners once a year.

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

2. If the water repellency of the parka decreases

If the water repellency fades, meaning that water droplets are absorbed by the fabric instead of forming beads on its surface, then we advise you to take your parka to the dry cleaners and ask them to reactivate the water repellency.

If you don't have a dry cleaner offering this service, then you can machine wash at 30° on a synthetic programme.

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

Regarding laundry, I do not recommend a classic 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 primer.

Nikwax products are the most environmentally friendly and have been proven for 30 years: you can go for it with your eyes closed!

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

Details galore (by Benoît)

A multitude of pockets

On the outside you have two snap flap pockets, lined with fleece for warmth, as well as a zippered pocket with our signature coyote-colored grosgrain pull tab , which subtly contrasts with the rest of the piece.

Inside, you will find our two usual spacious mesh pockets to store gloves , hats , or neck warmers . 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 really care about for storing your items!

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

A wraparound hood

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

This helps improve the hood's hold in windy weather. It's 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 its refined shape make this parka very versatile.

Here is a concrete scenario using several silhouettes, to be adapted 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 pair with camel pants. On your feet, burgundy loafers. Or derbies, if you prefer.

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

Wednesday - A costume like no other

This midweek, it's a suit. But not a tailored suit. More like a workwear set , consisting 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 on this Friday. You've worn enough this week.

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

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

Sunday - Weekend in the countryside

You decide to spend the weekend in the countryside. The look is relaxed, of course. A coyote sweatshirt, a white t-shirt and navy chinos (or raw jeans): that's your uniform.

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

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