After last week's launch, here is the second act of this month of November placed under the sign of simple and wintery elegance, with very soft colors.
Here is the program for this week:
- pants and a fully canvassed jacket , in a beautiful anthracite wool
- two sweaters including a turtleneck , in yarn blends exclusive to BonneGueule
- a new series of hats incorporating these yarn blends
- new socks (finally!) with alpaca and silk
- and finally, a Donegal effect scarf
To get your hands on it, visit our e-shop this Saturday, November 14 at 11 a.m.
In the meantime, I present to you today:
- a coat with 45% baby alpaca in an exceptional fabric for a luxurious hand
- a 100% French merino wool coat , from the Tricolor project
- Benedict
Here is a presentation that was expected! Now is the time to offer you two new coats, in two very different exceptional materials:
- a coat made from a blend of baby alpaca and wool, very luxurious (and a little less expensive than our yak coat!)
- a coat in 100% French wool, at the same price as our other permanent 100% wool coats
Indeed, our coat offering is already solid in terms of classic colors like navy blue or gray. We therefore wanted to explore new horizons, a stronger style, and slightly more original colors, while remaining on soft and pleasant to wear shades.
A beautiful woolen sheet that mixes baby alpaca and wool, for a luxurious feel. BonneGueule coat, hat, shirt, cardigan and chinos
A 100% wool fabric, made from the wool of French sheep, and also woven in France. BonneGueule hat , sweater , coat and pants .
Our coat in baby alpaca fabric, wool and polyamide
The great thrill of The softness of baby alpaca
I'm not going to lie to you: I find this fabric sublime, and the 45% baby alpaca has a lot to do with it, notably thanks to the know-how of the Italian Ferla. Who else but him to work with such beautiful fabrics?
This material is just sublime!
Ferla, we can summarize it in 3 points:
- very creative in what he offers
- magnificent colors
- a specialty in baby alpaca
For those who are more curious, I invite you to scroll down the menu below:
I'll be blunt: I love Ferla.
And that’s where… the first problem arises!
Usually, Italian suppliers have very “explanatory” communication. Watch all content from Vitale Barberis Canonico, Albini or Candiani.
They quickly understood that the market was demanding explanations, workshop images, and education. And the biggest have invested heavily in this direction .
The only aerial photo of the workshop! I mainly deduce from this that Ferla is located in a haven of greenery… #inspectorcolombo (photo credit: Ferla)
On the other hand, at Ferla, there is not much to eat.
It's all the more surprising for such an old company, with world-famous archives, which must have a ton of stuff to tell, and whose creativity is unrivaled (I'll come back to this point in a moment).
Despite everything, let's investigate and see what relevant information we can recover...
A small family business with a century of existence
Ferla employs 40 people, which is very few for an Italian draper! Moreover, when I talk about Ferla to other Italian suppliers to say that I like its creativity, I am always told " yes, but you know, Ferla are artisans, that's why They are so expensive.”
One of the very rare interior photos of the factory, with this curious parquet floor. (photo credit: Ferla)
While Italian drapers try to push prices down to remain competitive, Ferla has made the opposite choice, namely to remain very clearly at the high end, with a unique and creative offer.
This is how this very small company was able to carve out a place of choice among all the luxury brands .
Here too, a photo given without explanation by Ferla, where the fabric is obviously being washed, and where the machine seems to be very modern. (photo credit: Ferla)
For the record, they only have two French clients: a very large luxury house and… us!
Finally, because of their unique know-how, they want to keep it secret, and little information circulates about them .
In my opinion, there are three points that make Ferla's positioning unique:
The Ferla touch #1: characteristic creativity
They're creative, but it's still very tasteful and elegant, it doesn't go all over the place with WTF and unwearable things. In short, they have really specific fabrics, very easily recognizable.
To see for yourself, take a look at this page from their website , which gives a good overview of the variety of colors and textures they work with.
This color mix is magnificent. (photo credit: Ferla)
The Ferla touch #2: an unrivaled sense of texture
They are all about loop and texture, which gives their fabric a “signature” hand, very difficult to find elsewhere. And believe me, having searched for such textured and creative equivalents for a long time, I know what I'm talking about!
Ferla, given its small size, offers a surprising variety of textures. (photo credit: Ferla)
For this, they do not hesitate to try numerous blends with wool, silk, linen, mohair, alpaca and, when necessary, polyamide to provide strength.
The Ferla touch #3: baby alpaca specialists… but not only
Remember that these three fabrics are among the most sober that you can find at Ferla. I'll let you imagine the rest! (photo credit: Ferla)
They are specialists in baby alpaca, they have entire fabric collections on this theme. It's a material that is not easy to work with creatively and they always come up with super cool designs. Moreover, very very few Italian drapers venture there.
They also use mohair extensively because they are very fond of these luxurious and fluffy wools.
And here, we have much stronger fabrics! (photo credit: Ferla)
Ferla is my little pleasure when I'm in a professional salon. I absolutely want to stop by their stand (much too small and discreet compared to their added value, you don't come across it by chance) because you'll be amazed by their new fabrics.
Here is the composition of this fabric:
- 45% baby alpaca
- 45% merino wool
- 10% polyamide
Let’s go into a little detail…
Baby alpaquoi?
First, you need to know what an alpaca is. It is an animal of the camelid family:
Photo credit: Incatops.
They live in the Andean countries. They are found mainly in Peru.
In the past, only Inca royalty had the right to their wool. It was considered a divine fiber.
Baby alpaca wool is a finer category and softer. It is often found on younger alpacas, hence its name. It is generally obtained at the first mowing.
Its softness is compared to that of cashmere. The difference is that baby alpaca wool deforms and pills less.
It also stays warmer than sheep or lamb wool.
It is difficult to work and therefore quite rare on the market.
When we say rare, we are talking about 1.5% of global alpaca wool production.
45% baby alpaca?
45% baby alpaca is really significant in terms of proportion, and it directly places this fabric in the category of “fabrics used only in luxury houses”
It is thanks to such a proportion of baby alpaca that we obtain a softness which is much closer to 100% cashmere than to 100% wool.
I do not get enough !
Compared to our 100% yak coat, which is known to be very soft, I find the Ferla blend a bit softer still. Thanks for the pun.
Unfortunately, a 100% baby alpaca coat is not feasible: it would cost a fortune and would be too fragile.
This is why there is 45% merino wool, providing a good dose of robustness.
Here, a woolen thread is also made up of two woolen threads twisted on themselves, to make it stronger.
As for polyamide, its role is very important: it helps solidify the baby alpaca yarn, but also gives this “tiny curl” effect so characteristic of Ferla.
A soft herringbone pattern
If I love Ferla so much, it's because they master fade and heather effects to perfection. On this fabric, there is a “snowy” visual that I really like. The chevrons take shape very gently, with a thousand and one nuances…
Raglan shoulders
This is a very visible feature of this coat, we wanted to explore another shoulder, which makes it comfortable with a blazer for example.
A spectacular American facing
As a reminder, a facing is a piece of fabric that is placed under the top fabric, the one that is visible from the outside.
In the case of this coat, this is one of my favorite finishes on this coat. There is no lining fabric in the front (apart from inside the sleeves), everything is made with Ferla fabric.
When you open the jacket, I find that it has an effect, it's very high-end:
In addition to that, at the torso level, this allows for two layers of fabric (the fabric on the outside "comes back" to the inside), therefore a higher level of warmth.
The advantage is that the interior pockets are also sewn from this fabric, which is more durable than a lining fabric.
It is a construction that requires more care than a normal construction: since there is no lining to hide the back seams, everything must be perfect, and we had the seams bound for an even finish. more upscale.
A comfort slit in the back
She is discreet in the photos, but she is there! It provides ease during certain movements. It is also practical if you want to wear a large knit, because it acts like a bellows.
Interior zipped pockets
You are beginning to know me: for me they are simply essential for securing small personal effects, especially if you fold your coat in half over the back of a chair.
Buttons to tighten the sleeves
In case of a cold snap, or if you want a more fitted look on the forearm, simply tighten the sleeve with the second button.
A belt to refine the waist
This is the other very visual detail: this coat has a belt, it's up to you to play with it as you feel!
Can we remove the belt if we wish?
Yes of course !
If you prefer a beltless look, you can remove it, and you can even remove the belt loops simply, using a seam ripper.
If you don't have the confidence to do this, any local retoucher will be able to do it for you in just a few minutes.
Counter-buttons as reinforcement
In order to reinforce the solidity and sewing of the buttons, they are reinforced with a counter-button:
Some outfit ideas
Charcoal pants go perfectly with the light color of this coat. Coat, long-sleeved t-shirt and BonneGueule pants .
It’s a material that goes very well with more casual shirts, like chambray. Glasses, Salt Optics, BonneGueule coat, hat, shirt, cardigan and chinos
The elegance of the coat works perfectly with the casualness of a hoodie. BonneGueule hat , long-sleeved t-shirt , hoodie , pants and sneakers .
With the introductions made, let’s move on to the next coat!
A 100% French wool Tricolor coat
Four breeds of French sheep for a single woolen sheet
We are continuing our momentum from last year, once again using wool from the Tricolor project. I'll detail it below, but to put it simply, know that it's a very nice initiative that promotes French wool.
This turtleneck with this beige coat is a perfect match! Hat , sweater , coat, pants and brogues BonneGueule
What’s special about these wools? They are wonderful !
A unique color
Like our bomber jacket released last year, I am a big fan of these taupe/sand shades specific to the wools of the Tricolor project.
It's a very mottled beige, almost powdery, with a beautiful irregularity. Frankly, if someone had told me that it was a Japanese supplier behind this wool, I would not have been surprised.
The color reminds me a lot of yak, and that's not so surprising when you know that this woolen cloth is a natural color, without dyes, just like our yak coat from last year.
It is therefore a 100% wool sheet, 500g/m² (heavy weight for winter).
A raw and complex color.
And it is again Le Passe Trame, in the Tarn, which carries out the weaving.
In short, it is a material that masterfully demonstrates French know-how when it comes to making fabrics with soul.
And as I already said, a great source of pride is that this wool comes from French sheep! It seems stupid said like that, but it's anything but a detail...
A color created without dyeing
The most impressive thing about this wool? There is absolutely no coloring .
What you see is just the wool of three more or less dark French breeds of sheep, skillfully mixed by the weaver:
🐏 the Île-de-France breed is a breed resulting from a crossing of Rambouillet merino sheep with English rams. It has excellent wool quality and easily adapts to varied breeding conditions.
🐏 the Solognote breed is an old and rustic breed, once bred for its wool, and which adapts very well to poor soils. A small breed, she is now under a conservation program.
🐏 the Arles merino breed is a famous French breed recognized for the quality of its wool.
🐏 the black Velay breed is a French breed so old that little is known about its origins. She was already raised by the Celts. And as its name suggests, it provides completely black wool.
The Bizet breed, where we can clearly see this beige/cream colored wool.
The Tricolor project: a small step for BonneGueule, a big step for wool 🚀
This wool coat raised in France is seemingly a little piece of history being written. Because it has been decades since it existed on an industrial scale!
Why is it new to shear French sheep to make clothes?
To put it simply, French weavers generally have difficulty working with local wools which have a very raw finish . It was easier to order merino from Australian or New Zealand breeders.
And for certain breeds, it is true that the quality of the wool, which is very rough, is not good enough to make a sweater or a coat.
I remind you that sheep in France are primarily raised to produce milk, cheese and meat, but not for wool.
French sheep produce wool that can be magnificent when it is worked with desire and passion.
Except that these sheep must be sheared! And French sheep breeders didn't know what to do with their wool...
So what do we do with the wool of French sheep?
This was a surprise for me: the wool of French sheep is considered waste .
It barely ends up as insulation for buildings or exported to China... when it is not destroyed!
Indeed, if we look at the economic aspect of the thing, we understand the breeders' choice:
The French wool economy in 30 seconds
- there are 7 million sheep in France…
- which produce 14 million kg of wool…
- scattered among 58 breeds, a very heterogeneous herd.
Here is the problem :
- a sheep shearing costs €2.50
- a sheep produces on average 2 kg of wool,
- but the kilo of wool is purchased from the breeder at a price ranging between €0.3 and €0.1! It's totally insignificant.
And again, this is in the case where a breeder finds a buyer for the wool. Except that we come to improbable situations where some breeders are no longer even able to find collectors who will take back the wool, even for free.
They are therefore obliged to pay collectors who will put it in the recycling center.
We therefore understand better why some breeders burn their wool, even if the law prohibits it.
Today, as part of the Tricolor project, a kilo of wool is purchased for around €1 from breeders, with the ultimate aim that the resale of the wool can cover shearing costs.
What solution to this?
There are some initiatives to promote the wool of certain French sheep, but since everyone does this in their own corner, they are not organized enough to be used by clothing brands.
Some countries have achieved this very well, such as the United Kingdom where most of the sheep's wool is recycled, so why not us?
In France, there is a lack of a real industrial dimension so that brands like BonneGueule can access these very special wool sheets.
But that was before.
The growing demand for eco-responsible materials, in short circuits, and a certain attraction for more raw materials, rich in history, have allowed the Tricolor project to restore a relationship between French breeders and weavers.
The Tricolor project
Tricolor is a Première Vision project and Made in Town .
As you have understood, their objective is to revive the French wool sectors, to revalorize the annual production of French wool.
This woolen cloth is therefore a symbol of the valorization and cooperation of French wool know-how.
And on this occasion, they even produced a very beautiful web series, which I applaud with both hands
To tell you the truth, when we were thinking about taking our cameras to film, and when we saw the quality of these videos, we said to ourselves that the job had already been superbly done...
I particularly invite you to watch episodes 3 and 4 , where we see the Filature du Parc and the Passe-Trame in action, they are the ones behind this beautiful beige wool. And friend Lionel Bonneville, director of Jules Tournier, even makes a cameo!
A wool with a good hold
Having a very sturdy woolen cloth allows the coat to hang very “neat” and structured. There are no creases, and it outlines a pretty physique. Judge instead:
A new form
For this coat, we explored a so-called “mac” shape, simple and so timeless…
Like the other coat, it is made up of hidden buttons, because we found that visually, it highlighted the material well.
It’s a shape that is timeless, but which I also find very contemporary! #paradox. Hat , sweater , coat, pants and brogues BonneGueule
Horn buttons on the sleeves
We found this contrast between this raw and authentic wool with these buttons interesting.
This finish looks more "tailored".. Small important detail: the buttons overlap slightly, like on a high-end blazer.
A spectacular American facing
Yes, there is one, like on the first coat presented above. I remind you, it's one of my favorite finishes!
When you open the jacket, I find that it has an effect, it's very high-end:
In addition to that, at the torso level, this allows for two layers of fabric (the fabric on the outside "comes back" to the inside), therefore a higher level of warmth.
The advantage is that the interior pockets are also sewn from this fabric, which is more durable than a lining fabric.
They are also zipped, to keep your small personal belongings safe:
Counter-buttons as reinforcement
In order to reinforce the solidity and sewing of the buttons, they are reinforced with a counter-button:
Some outfit ideas with this Tricolor wool coat
It's a very soft color which totally allows you to wear sweaters with a slightly more original color. Salt Optics glasses, BonneGueule hat, sweater , coat, pants and sneakers .
The color of this coat goes very nicely with a gray turtleneck and white pants! Hat , sweater , coat, pants and brogues BonneGueule
How do you get these new parts?
Visit our e-shop or discover our new products here .
And to not miss anything about this launch and future ones, register here:
