After our hats, our caps , our cashmere throw 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 presentations!
Our grained leather boots made in England
To walk a lifetime
After the brogue , it was time to tackle another great classic of English shoes: the “brogue boot” in grained leather.
It's 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 dressier circumstances,
- and another for a more relaxed context,
- while having great comfort for your trip.
This boot ticks all three boxes! It is made to be worn with chinos, jeans or flannel pants. A blazer or a sweater or everything else in your wardrobe.
In short, if you only had to take one pair of shoes (excluding sneakers) it's 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 sews petit-stitch on our Dainite soles.
We could write an entire article on manufacturing at Barker… and that’s what we did! I invite you to read Nicolò's article on his visit to the workshop when our first boot was made. And it’s the same construction for our brogue boot.
Grained leather from Annonay
Well set to last
The whole point of grained leather is obviously its texture. Many tanneries offer them with a very different grain, more or less coarse. And after seeing quite a few, we came back to Annonay, the famous French tannery which supplies the most high-end shoe brands, which masters 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 pretty 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's aniline leather
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 resistant and perfectly suited to cold seasons, because it insulates the foot from an icy sidewalk.
Unlike a leather sole, you will not be worried 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 marked “commando” type crampons.
It's stupid, but if you ever step in an unidentified organic substance, cleaning it will be really easy: a jet of water with good pressure on the sole, and that's it.
Before you have to replace a Dainite sole, you really have some margin, it's extremely durable, like much more than a leather sole.
I also had fun looking for testimonials and photos on the lifespan of a Dainite sole, and imagine that I didn't find much. At most, a few people describing around ten years of wear before changing their sole…
This is what I want with this brogue boot: robustness of 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
Regarding the assembly, it is Goodyear called "storm welt", where the welt goes up slightly on the upper. This makes it possible to reinforce the tightness of the assembly (we are still using English shoes!).
Again, if you want to know more about the manufacturing process, read Nicolò's very detailed and comprehensive rendition .
WHAT ABOUT COMFORT?
The Dainite sole also offers “softer” cushioning than a leather sole, and makes it very comfortable on uneven floors.
As for the shape of the shoe, it's exactly the same as our brogues, you won't be out of place: round, comfortable and "contemporary". It’s a form that has proven itself!
And to go with these English shoes, let's now move on to another piece that a gentleman farmer would not deny: the thick cardigan with a shawl collar.
Our new “waffle” cardigan
Waffle love
BonneGueule and shawl collar cardigans, it's a great love story. It's one of my favorite pieces to wear in winter, you feel enveloped 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 waiting for: a very beautiful light gray heather waffle.
And it's a beautiful baby weighing 875 grams for a size M!
The alliance of two Italian sons
To have this speckled effect, we mixed two yarns, from two different spinning mills:
- a Lanecardate thread: it is he who 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 stitched:
MESHING AND FULLY FASHIONED
A big difference
Each piece is assembled using the fully-fashioned technique , also called “remeshing”.
So without any cutting of scissors!
THE ADVANTAGE OF FULLY-FASHIONED
Whereas with fully-fashioned , each part is knitted and assembled to the right size, without any waste.
In other words, if you want to add a pocket, it is knitted directly onto the side of the cardigan, instead of being cut and sewn afterwards.
This is what guarantees a sleeve without unnecessary volume, and a beautiful shoulder drape.
But it's not the only piece to keep you warm... After your feet and your torso, let's move on to your hands for our very first pair of gloves!
Our deerskin gloves
Cashmere linings
A very elegant camel.
And a safe bet: dark brown.
After our cashmere throw that I presented to you here and already available there, time for another first time for us in this launch: two pairs of gloves!
As I really wanted them to have their "something extra", we started with an idea: to use the prestigious Finnish deer leather that we had used for our jacket last year.
On the occasion of its launch, I told you the whole history and interest of this deer leather that I love so much. For those who weren't there, I've given you a complete reminder and you will see that there are plenty of things to learn.
Then, I will tell you about their cashmere lining and their assembly in a workshop which is making a 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…
It is not a “general public” leather because:
- its tanning process is more complex than simple cowhide, it is therefore (very) much more expensive
- and the quantity of raw material is limited by hunting quotas, as part of government population regulation policies.
It is for these reasons that it is a leather that is only used by large luxury houses.
But concretely, what are its advantages compared to cowhide?
Her sweetness
It's the first thing you notice when you hold it: it's a very soft leather , with a hand that exudes (very) high-end.
Mikko, the manager of the tannery, who we called by videoconference, often repeated the expression "buttery soft" which could be translated as "very soft", "silky".
Her beauty
Deer leather has a magnificent visual grain , a texture that we recognize at first glance, rich and inimitable.
It may be reminiscent of taurillon, another high-end leather, but deer leather is even softer, more flexible, more resistant.
In my opinion, I find that it is a leather with one of the most beautiful grains there is.
Besides, this is an opportunity for me to remind you that each skin is unique. If you take advantage of your order to give a pair to a friend for Christmas, you will see all the little subtleties that make each pair different.
Its flexibility
It is very flexible, which gives certain comfort to this jacket in addition to its lightness. It's not for nothing that deerskin gloves are so popular!
For the tightening tab: two press studs 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 , and that is why it is sometimes used for high-end motorcycle jackets.
Some brands also use it for bags. Moreover, Hiroshi Fujiwara, the Japanese pope of streetwear, has had a deer leather bag... for 30 years! We thus understand why deer leather was the preferred leather of Native Americans for shoes or clothing.
It's also water resistant: if you ever get caught in the rain with your gloves on, you have nothing to worry about.
Simply let them air dry (not over a radiator or with a hairdryer) and dry them if necessary.
I invite you to read this topic from The Fedora Lounge forum where a member asks a question regarding sustainability, 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 that deerskin only becomes more beautiful with time. With successive wearings, light, humidity, it will age nicely. Mikko talks about beeswax for leather care (if you can find it), and you can also use products like Renapur or Mustang Paste to prevent it from drying, made from natural waxes and oils.
For the record, I found the story of a man who recovered and restored a deer leather jacket worn extensively 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 begin, here is the video of our meeting on the occasion of the launch of our deer leather jacket last year:
We therefore continue our reminder of this leather: it comes from Finland, more precisely from the south of the country, from the Ahlskog tannery . It's a very small tannery with around fifteen people. Mikko, the manager, likes this team size, because it allows for even more meticulous quality control.
These skins come from deer hunted as part of very strict government policies to regulate deer populations. It is therefore not farmed deer.
Mikko, the ruler of Ahlskog.
These skins come from deer hunted as part of very strict government policies to regulate deer populations. It is therefore not farmed deer.
Moreover, the supply of leather is only possible between October and March during the hunting season, and outside of this period, the tannery must wait until 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, issue, but I want us to be a transparent brand, so here's what you need to know.
Moreover, this is a bit like one of my great discoveries when writing this article: it is necessary to regulate deer populations, particularly since there are no natural predators (the wolf).
This is not an issue to be taken lightly, and there are real dangers in allowing a deer population to proliferate 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
- damage caused to farmers
- a significant concentration of deer allows for easier circulation of epidemics, and there is a risk of transmission to nearby cattle farms
Please note, I am not saying that it is necessary to exterminate them at all costs and make this paragraph a pro-hunting argument. Deer must continue to exist in forests and are an integral part of a rich and healthy ecosystem. And therefore, they themselves must not unbalance it.
In short, the question is infinitely more complex than boiling it down to “it’s not good to hunt deer.”
If you want to explore the issue, I advise you to look into the concept of sylvo-cynegetic balance or read 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 direction: take advantage of his small size to specialize in very high-end leather , namely reindeer and reindeer leathers. deer.
While tanning a ton of leather requires around 45 liters of water, Ahlskog consumes half as much , between 15 and 20 liters, knowing that the European Union considers 25 liters to be one of the best possible scores.
When Mikko is asked how he achieves these savings, he simply explains that he is very careful about his use of water throughout the process, while other tanneries consider water as an unlimited resource and are not very particular about it. 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 them it was impossible for a tannery.
So much for the reminder about our deer leather. Now, let's move on to another feature that was very dear to me: the lining. cashmere.
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 begins to be felt on the fingertips. And you know me well: I want our clothes to allow you to enjoy the present moment to the fullest!
It was absolutely necessary that these gloves be lined, so that they could complete the thermoregulation of the leather and also its “prestige” side.
It is therefore a lining made from a... 100% cashmere yarn from Manifattura Gentile in Italy!
I warn you: it's a real pleasure to slip your hands inside. Between the softness of cashmere and the suppleness of leather, once you've tasted it, it's difficult 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 finishing of the wool.
Made at Omega in Italy
In 25 steps done by hand
Nostalgic fans take note: 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 worked there since the 18th century. As for Omega, they arrived in 1923. Today this family is in its 5th generation (with Alberto who you can see in our report) and it is the last traditional glove maker in Naples!
What you need to know is that assembling their gloves is such a painstaking exercise that ALMOST EVERY step is done by hand, under natural light to clearly see the nuances of the leather. Just cutting 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 deer leather, 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 (correctly) to 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 point: natural skin requires, each pair will be different and will be made widthwise over time. So you have 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 just have 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 at Christmas
On this type of very high-end piece, 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 as magnificent as it is expensive.
Thanks to our economic model without intermediaries, we are very proud to offer these gloves below 130€, something very rare on the French market, especially for an almost artisanal Italian manufacturing and a cashmere lining. It took a special effort but we wanted you to be able to put them under the tree 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.
