Update: you can order the Jules Tournier pure wool jacket now on the shop .
In my opinion, a wool jacket is a bit like the best of both worlds.
The relaxed cut, and the authenticity of the wool , which is also an elegant material with insulating and breathable properties (we can never say it enough).
It is a garment with great potential, offering many possibilities. I always have in mind the image of Daniel Craig and his Dior Homme jacket in Spectre .
This model really left its mark on me. Note the buttoning system hidden by the zip!
You can wear this type of jacket with ankle boots, derby shoes, sneakers, chinos, jeans, wool pants... for me, it's a key piece in winter.
For this reason, we began to explore this avenue with the blue and gray wool jackets from Jules Tournier.
And since they were so well received, we wanted to go further: a more original color and a high-tech innovation for cold insulation that has just come out...
A persimmon specially developed for us
A color full of nuances
As with our camel coat , we wanted deep nuances. A color with relief.
I told Lionel by Jules Tournier that we wanted to make a khaki in fir tones.
I expected him to offer us a perfectly solid color, and he (very) pleasantly surprised us with this slightly mottled khaki, truly unique .
It is quite complicated to describe because it is rather atypical, and a photo is worth a thousand words. I'll let you be the judge.
We could have fun counting the different shades of the threads making up the woolen cloth. The khaki is punctuated with pale green, olive, small grayish touches, there are even hints of "dollar green"! It is the harmony of these variations that gives the color all its depth.
A 100% wool French cloth
Obviously, it is 100% wool . Here again, we are really happy to be able to offer it to you in this price range. , where you are probably used to seeing 20% or 30% polyamide in other brands.
In terms of weight, we are talking about 330 g/m².
For comparison:
- and 410g/m2 for the camel coat.
Why this choice?
In fact, I absolutely wanted a more fluid, more supple drape . Not to mention that we had already worked with more "workwear" sheets on the previous models.
By choosing a lighter wool, I wanted to play on the drape. To make it more fluid, more "natural".
But this jacket is no less warm, we have equipped it with a brand new insulation technology...
No, I didn't touch your little sister's Angora rabbit...
Polartec Alpha® insulation
The importance of padding
This is the other great feature of this jacket: its hidden technicality.
I am frustrated to see that this element, which is nevertheless key to comfort, is too often treated lightly.
George-Michael, chief designer:
"Let's go ask Jean-Mich' from production where we'll find the cheapest cotton wadding!"
Most often, brands see it as the component that must be as cheap as possible .
They then simply specify that there is "padding", without ever indicating its origin or its properties.
It's all the more unfortunate since clothing insulations are constantly improving! So, as soon as we started to take an interest in this type of material, it was clear that this aspect of the jacket would be taken care of. My techwear side spoke!
And very quickly, it was the Polartec Alpha® that caught my attention...
Polartec, the insulation of the US Special Forces
Polartec Alpha® is originally commissioned by the US Army Special Forces.
In cold regions , soldiers often alternate between moments of intense physical activity where they sweat, and much more static moments, where their body temperature can drop quickly. .
"Snowball fights with colleagues are fun, but what do I wear? And how do I keep warm when it's over?" That's where Polartec Alpha® comes in! (Credits: Reuters)
Until now, the Special Forces had a system of layers of clothing to remove or wear depending on the situation. Good old layering, in short.
It was painful, especially when the sweat had no time to evacuate and the soldier had to remain motionless: perfect conditions for shivering...
Their specifications were therefore as clear as they were complicated to implement. To protect them from the cold, they needed something that:
- keep warm (the base),
- facilitates mobility, therefore quite compact ,
- resists compression well , especially if the garment is rolled up in a bag or worn with a backpack over it,
- breathe when there is movement: excess heat must be evacuated ,
- does not fear humidity and dries quickly.
And that's how Polartec Alpha® was born! Moreover, Polartec's marketing director will say that its technology " makes it unnecessary to remove or add layers during major activities. "
The bubbly Brendan Leonard paints a humorous portrait of the Polartec Alpha®, comparing it to the snowy owl. This animal keeps its body at 38-40°, even when it is -50 outside.
I was also reassured to see the list of brands using Polartec Alpha®. These include:
- Arct'eryx Veilance ,
- who used it "in a sandwich" with Schoeller and merino on a vest (over $400 each, though),
- Sea to Sky ,
- Triple Aught Design , a techwear brand halfway between explorer clothing and an urban spirit,
- Kitsbow , a very nice brand of cycling clothing,
- Millet , Black Yak and Rab , where I can safely say that they are among the best outdoor brands in the world . Again, the fact that such demanding brands use Polartec Alpha® is a very good sign for me.
But why does it regulate heat and humidity so well?
Usually, synthetic insulation looks like wadding, like cotton used in pharmacies. These are long cottony filaments, which form a more or less thick material. The problem is that wadding can sag, distribute poorly, be too bulky, etc.
So Polartec started from scratch, looking for another way
Here, the filaments are replaced by a very strong and stable mesh in the garment . There are tiny "hairs" on each side: these are what trap the air and keep the heat.
And it's the mesh structure that allows perspiration to circulate easily. It's important that Polartec Alpha® dries quickly, because dry air is a much better insulator than humid air!
Since the whole thing is much more compact than wadding, it makes it possible to create insulating clothing that fits relatively close to the body .
Polartec made a video that they have the secret to , and which explains in a very visual way how the Alpha® works.
Turn the sound up to the epic music, and you'll want to save the world.
Quilting that doesn't sag
Polartec Alpha® has another advantage, simple for outdoors but very important for more urban clothing...
Remember, other insulators are in the form of wadding or feathers. If you put them as is as padding, these insulators sag. . So we need to compartmentalize them: this is called "chamber quilting", those little spaces that you see on any down jacket.
But we don't have this problem at all with Polartec Alpha®! Since it is a very stable mesh, it can be layered very simply - almost like a tailored jacket interfacing - without needing to compartmentalize it.
In terms of the exterior rendering, on a "fashion" piece, it changes everything. We have an exterior that looks like a classic jacket, without the down jacket look!
So, what’s it like to wear Polartec Alpha®?
That was the big question when I received the first prototype! Indeed, if Polartec is very breathable, on this jacket, it is still mounted underneath a good old Jules Tournier woolen cloth. What interested me was therefore the compactness.
Well, for now, it's a jacket that fulfills its role perfectly . It's nice not to be too hot as soon as you start walking a little fast or inside a store, while being protected from the cold when you're sitting outside for example.
What are the limits of this piece?
Yes, now and more and more, I want to explain what the limits of a garment are. Because currently, in the jungle of brands that claim to make ultra-luxury at knockdown prices without intermediaries, a little sincerity and frankness do good!
Not the warmest insulator, but the most versatile
First of all, it doesn't replace a huge down jacket for very cold weather, like Canada Goose .
Simply because down is the most insulating material. But at least no geese were mistreated in the design of this piece!
Moreover, Polartec Alpha® is not intended to be the warmest possible insulation, but rather the one with the best bulk/warmth/breathability ratio.
They are also very transparent about this:
Is Alpha "warmer" than down or synthetic insulation, weight for weight?
Nate Simmons, Polartec's marketing director: " It's not warmer than synthetic insulation, weight for weight. We didn't try to invent a warmer insulation. We tried to invent an insulation that's more breathable, more active, and stores more air.
In the same way that synthetic insulations are not warmer than natural down, but perform other functions.
This versatility allows the Alpha to be suitable for a wider range of activities and weather conditions. It's what makes it a good layer under a windproof material, where other padded jackets have poor moisture wicking properties."
For urban use, where you constantly switch from hot to cold - while still wanting to keep a fitted silhouette - this is precisely what interested me.
In summary...
Outdoor Magic , a great site about outdoor clothing, ends its test of the Polartec Alpha® with a rather reassuring conclusion... This is what confirmed my choice of this technology!
Outdoor Magic: " Hmmm, it's a bit of a magical insulator in the end. Not too hot when you're moving, not too cold or damp when you're stopping. This padding is the one we've seen the most this winter, and that's not going to change in the near future.
Is it an insulator? Is it a thermo-regulator? Is it a thermo-regulator insulator? Or a mutant padding? Or a platypus-material that combines all these properties?
You know what? I don't know and I don't really care. What really matters is that it works. And it works beautifully."
On the finishing side?
The jacket is made in Romania, in our workshop that takes care of our blazers and coats. It is used to working with large Jules Tournier wool sheets and to our standards:
Fleece lined pockets
As a reminder, I have always deplored the viscose-lined pockets as soon as it is cold because they do not warm our fingers. Suddenly, those of the jacket are lined with a small fleece which will keep your hands warm.
Two YKK zipped interior pockets
To store your personal belongings safely, it doesn't matter how you place your jacket on the back of a chair.
Viscose sleeve lining
An ecological viscose that comes from Italy (many viscoses in the world come from deforestation).
Chambray effect bust lining
The lining of the bust, with a chambray effect, is composed of 63% cotton and 37% polyester. Polyester is essential here for the lining in order to provide resistance to the cotton, which must encapsulate the Polartec Pro. It is made in Romania.
High-end ribbing
The ribbing comes from Action Maille , and it is made in France.
Strong and tight, it won't let you down.
How to wear our thick khaki wool jacket?
The first advantage of a khaki wool jacket is its versatility . With the exception of sartorial looks, it will fit into almost any combination.
Its shape also makes it a more relaxed coat. Don't hesitate to play on this when constructing your looks.
Let's look at some examples together.
With a gray casual shirt and jeans, the jacket easily brings a touch of color that contrasts with the rest without overdoing it. The look remains sufficiently sober, nothing prevents you from adding one or two accessories depending on the "final tone" that you want to give it, like a bag for example. Besides, there is nothing very complicated. It is the kind of look that you already master perfectly. ( Grey speckled shirt BonneGueule , Kurabo cotton / linen jeans BonneGueule , boots bought in a thrift store)
The collar of the jacket will highlight that of your shirts...
...while remaining perfectly flat at the back.
On the same basis as the previous look, we swap the shirt for a gray merino t-shirt. Immediately, the assembly gives a more casual image, simple but effective. If François chooses to keep his boots for their "adventurer" side, sneakers would be just as appropriate. ( Grey merino t-shirt BonneGueule , Kurabo cotton / linen jeans BonneGueule , boots bought in a thrift store)
Flannel pants, merino sweater and woolen cloth jacket: the outfit that will stand up to the cold! Joking aside, although it is indeed made up of three woolen pieces, none of them are worked in the same way: the look is enriched by this contrast. In terms of colors, the khaki goes well with the burgundy of the sweater. It is, like gray or blue, a shade that can temper the more intense ones. Boots with thick soles finish the outfit with a workwear note, but brogues or small white sneakers would also work. ( BonneGueule burgundy merino sweater , BonneGueule houndstooth flannel pants , Grenson boots)
How to get the Jules Tournier and Polartec Alpha® thick wool jacket?
You can order the Jules Tournier pure wool jacket now on the shop !
