I don't know about you, but it's always a bit of a hassle to find a good big sweater for winter. I'm not talking about fine knit sweaters, there are very decent ones almost everywhere. I'm really thinking of a chunky knit: a chunky piece that packs its weight in winter softness, the kind of sweater that packs its pounds of merino sheep.
And he is precisely the problem: the sheep. The rascal is expensive, so his presence is a bit requested .
Every time it's the same: I come across a design that I like, I turn over the material composition label, and then I exchange my smile for a grimace: 30% polyester? 60% polyamide? 100% acrylic? Uuuh, I don't call it a "wool sweater" , my good sir.
And when I finally find a sweater in -real- wool, it's the price tag that makes me cough: it goes over €300 every time . At Tom Ford, his famous merino wool cardigan costs more than €700 (and I insist, it's only wool, not cashmere)!
So as with our other pieces, we said to ourselves that we had a role to play. Already last winter, we were able to offer a piece of pure merino wool for less than €300, as part of a collaboration with the French knitwear brand Six & Sept.
Good merino wool!
A chunky knit cardigan with Six & Sept behind the scenes
Alexander therefore took his staff pilgrim sourcing, and went to test different workshops.
And... we quickly realized that it was going to be very difficult to do better than the previous collaboration. We then said to ourselves that we needed to collaborate with a knitwear specialist. Given the quality standard that we had set for ourselves, we had to be very rigorous in the selection of service providers to offer a knit of quality similar to a high-end piece, but with a much more attractive price .
So we left with Six & Sept, and we integrated a new cardigan model permanently into the BonneGueule Line (these guys know how to work).
Alexandre and William (co-founder of Six & Sept) during their workshop visit (in the middle, it's Paolo, the workshop director).
In this way, all our readers can benefit from a mesh of incomparable quality for a price that defies the market... and brands that are greedy for plastic materials.
Nicolas has already collected his.
A chunky knit to spend the winter warm
We wanted to escape the banality of a simple sweater. By offering a product with real added value , both in terms of material and style.
And precisely, the cardigan is versatile in its uses: it gives character to a silhouette.
It is a timeless and reliable product: there is no question of offering a piece modeled on a trend that has passed too quickly.
The story of 1 kg of merino wool...
The recipe for creating this big stitch? Add more than a kilo of merino wool, compact yarn, English rib knitting and horn buttons. Have it spun and assembled by partners selected for their know-how. Let it rest... And serve hot!
Once sheared in Australia , the wool is transported to Tollegno in Italy for spinning , until a compact yarn is obtained that will not fray.
The color is also better fixed, and will not fade. The dyeing process used on the yarn we chose allows us to have a yarn with several shades. The result is a subtle, nuanced and luminous color, but which remains discreet.
The spun wool then remains with our mascarpone-eating friends to be knitted near Venice , and benefit from Italian know-how in terms of finishing.
Knitted in English rib , the piece is then more voluminous (it traps more air). Even if it requires 50% additional material. It is by resisting the cold that we suggest you approach the coming winter... (winter is coming).
And for purists, the cardigan is knitted in gauge 5, which guarantees a thick and dense knit. A voluminous piece that highlights your build.
A wool with almost magical properties
As a reminder, merino wool comes from Australian sheep (which were way too hot, poor people). But above all, the fiber of this wool is softer because it is finer and longer than traditional virgin wool . And it doesn't itch! Never !
Even better, this wool softens over time ! Quality wool does not retain odors and wicks away perspiration.
Wool is thermoregulatory : the structure of the fiber traps air which acts as an insulator. Unlike cotton which, once damp, acts as a cooler at the slightest breath of wind. Unlike synthetic which simply makes you sweat, and ultimately feel cold.
Often, some manufacturers will add fabric softener while weaving the material. So much so that once washed, wool loses all its softness and you are disappointed to discover a fragile material. As far as we are concerned, there is no fabric softener used in this cardigan. We therefore have a NATURAL softness.
The wool is woven impeccably. No defects or irregularities in the weft. The cold will not pass!
Tired of ironing? This wool does not crease and hardly stretches (never leave it on a hanger, especially when it dries).
And it's not a piece that requires a lot of maintenance : a quick bath in soapy water once a season is enough, because wool doesn't take on odors.
In short, merino wool is the cousin of cashmere, without having the price .
Finishes: top of the range, no amalgam
One of the most important characteristics of this piece is that it is not a “cut and sew” cardigan but rather a “re-knitted” cardigan. “Cut and sew” type manufacturing is used for T-shirts and generic knitwear. In this case, the material is knitted by the meter. Then the different pieces of the piece (bust, collar, sleeves, etc.) are cut out from the material and sewn together.
With this piece, we opted for a much more high-end assembly: we offer you a stitched cardigan .
To put it simply, the knitted material that comes out of the machine already has the shape of a piece of the cardigan. Then, the employees in the workshop assemble (= re-mesh) the different pieces together with specific machines. Once everything is re-stitched, we obtain the cardigan (needless to say that this process requires more attention and, above all, much more time).
Examples of pieces of the cardigan straight out of the knitting machine (you recognize the holes for the side pockets).
But then, how do we know if the cardigan is “cut and sewn” or “re-knitted”?
Quite simply, we observe reductions on the re-knitted pieces which are very visible at several strategic levels: between the shawl collar and the bust, between the bust and the sleeves... In these places, we can clearly see that the material does not does not stop sharply (which would mean that the factory employee has vulgarly cut into the material) but that the transition from one piece to another occurs naturally.
The decreases are very visible, with a row of stitches oblique to the sleeve.
Finally, the pockets are not patched, but directly knitted into the cardigan (understand, they were not added at the last minute). This is a real purist detail, which you will rarely see!
The patch pockets of the cardigan.
And the buttons? We opted for horn buttons . Because it's super beautiful.
The cut: as usual, no worries!
The cut is fitted, with high armpits and well-defined sleeves (even if it's still a cardigan, so a flexible piece!).
How to choose your size ?
The sizing is super classic , and identical to our collaboration with Six & Sept except for one nuance: the bottom of the cardigan is less tight than our old collab', it falls straighter and more fluid, it's a small update day of Six & Seven 😉
And for the others, well it's a very standard size .
If you usually wear M in shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, etc. so just stick to your usual size . And that's all !
Easily and effectively integrate the cardigan into your outfits
The BG-2.3 cardigan fits perfectly into casual or formal outfits. Wear it with a blazer, you'll get a dressy, winter-appropriate outfit with a casual touch.
You can combine the cardigan with more noble and worked materials such as wool, cotton, leather, silk or more sober colors such as the indigo of raw jeans, navy blue, heather gray. You will get different degrees of formality and casualness depending on the choices you make.
Nicolas wears his cardigan under a thrift store blazer, matched with BG jeans and Septième Largeur ankle boots. We immediately think of a three-piece suit, but that's not it :). Without seeming like it, we're looking for a dressy and casual look, completely wearable after work to go for a drink.
For the t-shirt, prefer round necks (but not crew necks) and don't hesitate to play with color contrasts. Tone on tone is also possible, but then play on the contrasts of materials , by contrasting the chunky knit with smoother materials, like poplin or oxford.
As here with Vincent (who manages orders at BonneGueule), putting on a t-shirt with chunky knit is an underestimated combination but very easy to do!
Kevin, explorer of volumes and shapes, wears it with a simple plain t-shirt.
The collar of a classic shirt will pair perfectly with the shawl collar of the cardigan. And a nice material, like a beautiful chambray, will bring out the texture of the cardigan.
As has often been said, mixing blue and beige is a basic color combination in men's wardrobe.
One last thing ! Don't hesitate to combine raw materials : chambray, denim, leather, wood with the cardigan to obtain looks with character.
The chunky knit cardigan is now available
You can now order the chunky knit cardigan from Atelier BonneGueule.
