After our hats, our caps , our cashmere blanket available here and our high-waisted pants, here are three new pieces where texture is once again in the spotlight:
- grained leather for our boots,
- speckled wool for a cardigan
- and deer leather mixed with cashmere for gloves…
Let's go for the introductions!
Our grained leather boots made in England
To walk for a lifetime
After the brogue , it was time to tackle another great classic of English shoes: the "brogue boot" in grained leather.
This is a style of shoe that allows you to go to the office or wear them in a more casual context with jeans and a jacket. Its versatility is of great use if you travel regularly.
I am thinking in particular of a trip where:
- you must have a pair for more formal circumstances,
- and another for a more relaxed context,
- while having great comfort for your trip.
This boot ticks all three boxes! It's made to be worn with chinos, jeans or flannel pants. A blazer or sweater or whatever else is in your wardrobe.
In short, if you were to only take one pair of shoes (excluding sneakers) it would be this one.
Made in UK, by Barker
To have a beautiful, comfortable, durable and timeless shoe, we chose to have it made in England, by Barker, our workshop with whom we have already worked on several occasions.
A Barker worker performs the petit-point stitching on our Dainite soles.
We could write an entire article about manufacturing at Barker… and that’s what we did! I invite you to read Nicolò’s article about his visit to the workshop when our first boot was being manufactured. And it’s the same manufacturing process for our brogue boot.
A grained leather from Annonay
Well on its way to lasting
The whole point of grained leather is obviously its texture. Many tanneries offer them with very different grains, more or less coarse. And after seeing quite a few, we came across Annonay, the famous French tannery that supplies the most high-end shoe brands, which has mastered this type of very timeless leather "design" to perfection.
I deliberately wanted a fairly dark brown leather for two reasons:
- I think it goes very well with denim.
- and it will develop a very nice patina over time
In short, grained leather is an elegant leather, with this added texture which gives it a lot of charm.
For the more technical among you, it is an aniline leather. , with an extremely discreet protective layer, which will patina beautifully.
ON THE USEFULNESS OF A GOOD OLD DAINITE SOLE
For a shoe to wear all year round, I absolutely wanted a Dainite sole (like on our boot).
Very common among English brands, the Dainite sole makes this brogue boot hard-wearing and perfectly suited to cold seasons, as it insulates the foot from an icy sidewalk.
Unlike a leather sole, you won't be anxious about walking on gravel or cobblestones, as it is a very durable sole, especially in wet weather.
Little anecdote: the design of this sole is made in such a way that small gravel and other dirt cannot get stuck there, unlike a sole with more pronounced "commando" type studs.
It's silly, but if you ever step on an unidentified organic substance, cleaning it will be really easy: a jet of water with good pressure on the sole, and it's done.
Before you have to replace a Dainite sole you really have some leeway, it's extremely durable, like much more than a leather sole.
I also had fun looking for testimonies and photos on the lifespan of a Dainite sole, and imagine that I didn't find much. At most, a few people describing about ten years of wearing them before changing the sole...
This is what I want with this brogue boot: robust English manufacturing + Dainite sole = shoe that will last you for many years (+ leather that will become more and more beautiful over time)
A GOODYEAR “STORM WELT” TYPE MOUNT
As for the assembly, it is a Goodyear called "storm welt", where the welt rises slightly on the upper. This makes it possible to reinforce the waterproofness of the assembly (we are still on English shoes!).
Again, if you want to know more about the manufacturing process, read Nicolò's very detailed and comprehensive rendition .
AND IN TERMS OF COMFORT?
The Dainite sole also offers "softer" cushioning than a leather sole, and makes it very comfortable on uneven ground.
As for the shape of the shoe, it is exactly the same as our brogues, you will not be disoriented: round, comfortable and "contemporary". It is a shape that has proven itself!
And to go with these English shoes, let's now move on to another piece that a gentleman farmer wouldn't disown: the thick shawl collar cardigan.
Our new waffle cardigan
Love of waffle
BonneGueule and shawl collar cardigans, it's a great love story. It's one of my favorite pieces to wear in winter, you feel wrapped in warmth.
The last cardigan we released was in January 2020, it was time to expand our line a little with a color and texture that I was eagerly awaiting: a very beautiful light gray mottled waffle.
And it's a beautiful baby of 875 grams for a size M!
The alliance of two Italian sons
To achieve this speckled effect, we mixed two yarns from two different mills:
- a thread of Lanecardate: it is this which brings the speckling to the thread
- a thread of Filivivi which gives this beautiful ecru with a very slight hint of gray
And of course it's a cardigan that is completely re-knitted:
REMEASING AND FULLY FASHIONED
A difference in size
Each piece is assembled using the fully-fashioned technique , also called “remeaillage”.
So without any scissors!
THE ADVANTAGE OF FULLY-FASHIONED
Whereas with fully-fashioned , each part is knitted and assembled to the correct size, without any waste.
In other words, if you want to add a pocket, it is knitted directly onto the panel of the cardigan, instead of being cut and sewn afterwards.
This is what guarantees a sleeve without unnecessary volume, and a beautiful shoulder fall.
But that's not the only piece to keep you warm... After your feet and torso, let's move on to your hands for our very first pair of gloves!
Our deer leather gloves
Cashmere lined
A very elegant camel.
And a sure bet: dark brown.
After our cashmere blanket that I presented to you here and already available there, here is another first for us in this launch: two pairs of gloves!
As I really wanted them to have that "something extra", we started with an idea: to use the prestigious Finnish deer leather that we had worked with for our jacket last year.
On the occasion of its launch, I told you the whole story and the interest of this deer leather that I love so much. For those who were not there, I put you a complete reminder and you will see that there are plenty of things to learn.
Next, I will tell you about their cashmere lining and their assembly in a workshop which is making a big comeback in our columns.
A prestigious deer leather
Luxury at your fingertips
Indeed, deer leather is usually reserved for luxury, because it is more complex and expensive to tan, but has undeniable qualities, which is what we will see together.
Last year, we found it in a beautiful little Finnish tannery, run by Mikko, which, in addition to making many efforts to preserve the environment, specializes in this luxurious leather.
So here’s what makes this leather so prestigious…
This is not a "general public" leather, because:
- its tanning process is more complex than a simple cowhide, so it is (very) much more expensive
- and the quantity of raw material is limited by hunting quotas, within the framework of government policies to regulate populations
It is for these reasons that it is a leather that is only used by the big luxury houses.
But in concrete terms, what are its advantages compared to cowhide?
Its sweetness
This is the first thing you notice when you pick it up: it is a very soft leather , with a hand that exudes (very) high-end.
Mikko, the manager of the tannery, who was called by video conference, often repeated the expression "buttery soft" which could be translated as "very soft", "silky".
Her beauty
Deerskin leather has a magnificent visual grain , a texture that is recognizable at first glance, rich and inimitable.
It may be reminiscent of bull calf leather, another high-end leather, but deer leather is even softer, more supple, more resistant.
In my opinion, I find that it is a leather with one of the most beautiful grains there is.
By the way, this is an opportunity for me to remind you that each skin is unique. If you take advantage of your order to offer a pair to a friend for Christmas, you will be able to see all the little subtleties that make each pair different.
Its flexibility
It is very flexible, which gives a certain comfort to this jacket in addition to its lightness. It is not for nothing that deer leather gloves are so popular!
For the tightening tab: two snap buttons with a "gun metal" finish that I find very beautiful.
Likewise, it is sometimes used for high-end shoes, because of this flexibility combined with durability , as is the case with the very high-end Japanese brand Visvim.
It also has a natural stretch compared to cowhide, which increases the comfort of these gloves.
His resistance
It is also very durable , which is why it is sometimes used for high-end motorcycle jackets.
Some brands also use it for bags. In fact, Hiroshi Fujiwara, the Japanese streetwear pope, has had a deer leather bag… for 30 years! We can understand why deer leather was the preferred leather of Native Americans for shoes or clothing.
It's also water resistant, so if you ever get caught in the rain with your gloves on, you have nothing to worry about.
Just let them air dry (not over a radiator or with a hair dryer) and wipe them dry if necessary.
I invite you to read this thread from The Fedora Lounge forum where a member asks a question about durability, and is answered with words like "very supple", "very strong", "it's worth it", or even "supreme comfort"...
Its patina over time
Mikko told us last year: deer leather is never "set" when it leaves the tannery.
He had insisted on the fact that a deer leather only becomes more beautiful with time. With successive wearings, light, humidity, it will age beautifully. Mikko speaks of beeswax for the maintenance of the leather (if you can find some), and you can also use products like Renapur or Mustang Paste to prevent it from drying out, composed of natural waxes and oils.
As an anecdote, I found the story of a man who recovered and restored a deerskin jacket worn intensively for decades, and stored for 20 years! You have a good idea of the durability of such leather.
Where does our deer leather come from?
A Finnish tannery that sources locally
To start, here is the video of our meeting on the occasion of the launch of our deerskin jacket last year:
So we continue our reminder about this leather: it comes from Finland, more precisely from the south of the country, from the Ahlskog tannery . It is a very small tannery of about fifteen people. Mikko, the manager, likes this team size, because it allows for even more meticulous quality control.
These skins come from deer hunted under very strict government policies to regulate deer populations. This is not farmed deer.
Mikko, the leader of Ahlskog.
These skins come from deer hunted under very strict government policies to regulate deer populations. This is not farmed deer.
Moreover, the supply of leather is only possible between October and March during the hunting season, and outside this period, the tannery must wait for the next hunting season to obtain supplies.
Each skin is carefully inspected before being sent to the customer.
Why regulate deer populations?
For me, it is very important to address this aspect even if it is a subject on which brands are cautious.
(important note: I point out that I have a personal bias because I now eat very little mammal or bird meat and almost exclusively fish)
This is a sensitive, even controversial, question, but I want us to be a transparent brand, so here's what you need to know.
Moreover, this is one of my great discoveries when writing this article: it is necessary to regulate deer populations, particularly since the absence of natural predators (the wolf).
This is not an issue to be taken lightly, and there are real dangers in allowing a deer population to grow out of control:
- Forest regeneration is threatened, as deer eat tree shoots, or even some trees that are 20 or 30 years old
- the risk of collision with cars increases
- damages caused to farmers
- A high concentration of deer allows for easier circulation of epidemics, and there is a risk of transmission to nearby cattle farms
Mind you, I'm not saying that they should be exterminated at all costs and that this paragraph should be a pro-hunting argument. Deer must continue to exist in the forests and are an integral part of a rich and healthy ecosystem. And as such, they themselves must not unbalance it.
In short, the issue is infinitely more complex than simply saying "it's not good to hunt deer."
If you want to dig deeper into the issue, I recommend looking into the concept of sylvo-cynegetic balance or reading this article .
Ahlskog and the environment
Seeing that Mikko would not be competitive in terms of price with other large tanneries, he decided to take the opposite turn: take advantage of his small size to specialize in a very high-end leather , namely reindeer and deer leather.
While tanning a ton of leather requires about 45 liters of water, Ahlskog uses half as much , between 15 and 20 liters, knowing that the European Union considers that 25 liters is one of the best possible scores.
When asked how he achieves these savings, Mikko simply explains that he is very careful with his water usage throughout the process, whereas other tanneries consider water as an unlimited resource and are not too particular about waste.
Then in the case of chrome tanning, the water is treated directly in the tannery, before being sent to the municipal water treatment plant.
It was also one of the first Finnish tanneries to have environmental certification when everyone told it was impossible for a tannery.
That's it for the reminder on our deer leather. Now, let's move on to another feature that was very dear to me: the cashmere lining.
A cashmere lining
A blanket for your hands
In winter, I have more and more trouble with leather gloves that are not lined. After 15 minutes of walking, the cold starts to make itself felt on the tips of my fingers. And you know me well on this: I want our clothes to allow you to enjoy the present moment to the fullest!
It was absolutely necessary for these gloves to be lined, so that they could complement the thermoregulation of the leather and also its "prestige" side.
So it's a lining made from a thread in... 100% cashmere from Manifattura Gentile in Italy!
I warn you: it's a real pleasure to slip your hands into it. Between the softness of cashmere and the suppleness of leather, once you've tasted it, it's hard to do without it.
It is a yarn that comes from Biella, an Italian region known for its water which allows for a very soft finish on the wool.
Made by Omega in Italy
In 25 steps carried out by hand
Note to those feeling nostalgic: we did a report on Omega in 2016 and you can find it here.
They are based in Naples, a historic capital of leather gloves. The art of glovemaking has been practiced there since the 18th century. As for Omega, they arrived in 1923. Today this family is in its 5th generation (with Alberto, whom you can see in our report) and it is the last traditional glovemaker in Naples!
What you need to know is that the assembly of their gloves is such a meticulous exercise that ALMOST ALL the steps are done by hand, under natural light to clearly see the nuances of the leather. Just the cutting of the patterns requires five steps.
The only time a machine is involved is for some seams which are done on Singer sewing machines from the 1900s (they are still mechanical and not electric).
Between the Finnish deerskin, the Italian cashmere lining and the almost artisanal manufacturing in Italy, I can tell you that I am particularly proud of these gloves which bring together a beautiful heritage of know-how.
How to (correctly) choose your size?
So that they fit you like a glove
As these are our first gloves, it was important that I give you this little update: natural skin requires, each pair will be different and will be done over time in the width direction. It is therefore necessary to be almost a little tight in width at the beginning, because little by little, the pair will adapt to the level of your palm.
To find the right size, you need to take the circumference of the palm (in centimeters) and divide by 2.7. Here is a table that I find very clear to help you:
The question of price
So you can give them away for Christmas
On this kind of very high-end part, this is an important question to address.
As you may have noticed - and as I explained to you last year - apart from luxury, brands are not rushing to use deer leather, as it is a material that is as magnificent as it is expensive.
Thanks to our business model without intermediaries, we are very proud to offer these gloves under the 130€ mark, something very rare on the French market, especially for an almost artisanal Italian production and a cashmere lining. It required a special effort from us but we wanted you to be able to put them under the tree during this holiday season.
How to get our new parts?
Landing this Saturday, December 11 from 11 a.m. on our e-shop and in stores.
