Warning warning !
After our yak coat and our shearling, it's time for our new deer leather jacket, which easily ranks in our top 3 of the most luxurious pieces released at BonneGueule... if not in first place!
(don't worry, I also address the question of price at the end of the article, and it will be cheaper than our shearling jacket from last year)
⚠️ This leather jacket will be available in our stores from Saturday October 17th ⚠️
A splendid leather, which had to be mounted on a refined form to express all its richness!
Indeed, deer leather is usually reserved for luxury, because it is more complex and expensive to tan, but has undeniable qualities, that's what we're going to see together!
We found this leather in a beautiful small 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…
Why did you choose deer leather?
Simply great luxury
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 into a vision conference, often repeated the expression "buttery soft" which could be translated as "very soft", "silky".
Its visual
The grain of deer leather is unique and can be recognized at first glance.
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.
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!
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 this leather jacket.
Deer leather has a slight natural stretch that makes it comfortable.
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, and if you ever get caught in the rain with your leather jacket on, you have nothing to worry about.
You just have to let it dry in the open air (not over a radiator or with a hairdryer), simply on a hanger, and wipe it if you really need to.
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”…
The comfort of this leather and its resistance to friction make this jacket ideal for driving.
Its patina over time
Mikko told us: deer leather is never “set” when it leaves the tannery.
He insisted that deerskin only becomes more beautiful over 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.
Its very good thermal regulation
In fall and spring, it will be perfect with a simple shirt underneath.
I already had a feeling about it with my other leather jackets that I sometimes wore far into the summer... or into the winter: leather is a material that regulates body temperature very well .
Deer leather is even more so, because its structure means that it traps more air than other leathers, which gives it excellent insulation properties, and you can wear it for a long time throughout the year. . A true 4-season garment!
Depending on the thickness of the mesh, you have a large thermal range to wear this jacket.
Where does our deer leather come from?
A Finnish tannery that sources locally
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.
Mikko, the ruler of Ahlskog.
The jacket, for its part, is made in Bulgaria in a new, very renowned workshop, which only manufactures for luxury brands.
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 was impossible to approach this article without talking about 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
Scandinavian concern (and common sense) for preservation
It is a tannery that has existed for more than 100 years , and which mainly supplies luxury houses, with ready-to-wear or leather goods.
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 to tan a ton of leather you need 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 we ask Mikko how he makes 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.
After taking the time to set the context, let’s take a look at our jacket in more detail…
Our jacket from every angle
Durability & Functionality
A timeless form
As you have understood, deer leather is very durable, and the goal was to imagine a leather that could still be worn in 10, 20, 30 years and even more!
This is why we opted for a shape with simple, clean lines. The more “unofficial” reason is that the leather is so beautiful that we wanted as few embellishments as possible to highlight its unique grain.
A clamping tab
On each side, you have a tightening tab which allows you to adjust the bend as you wish. For example, this can be very useful if you want a more fitted look with just a shirt underneath.
Two interior zipped pockets
You know that this is an important detail for me: I like to know that my small personal effects are secure in the internal pockets.
We pushed the manufacturing to have even more durability, by placing these internal pockets in a piece of leather. This avoids having internal pockets which cause the lining to crack over time. In fact, the tension is distributed across the deer leather, which is much more resistant than lining fabric.
We can clearly see the interior construction and the two interior pockets firmly anchored in the leather inserts.
What to wear this deer leather jacket with?
With heart and stylish clothes
For this part, I only have two outfits to show you, because a “team shoot” type article will be published very very very soon…
With a yellow sweater (yes yes)
The color of the jacket looks wonderful with the sand/beige tones of the pants and boots, and the yellow of the sweater gives personality! Full BonneGueule outfit!
With a turtleneck sweater
Turtleneck + leather jacket = mega class! Look at how the white pants give a deliciously vintage touch... BonneGueule hat, sweater , jacket and boots , Brut Clothing bag and chinos.
With a chambray shirt and cargo pants
Hat, jacket, shirt, cargo and BonneGueule boots!
The question of price
On this type of very high-end piece, this is an important question to address.
As you may have noticed, apart from luxury, brands are not rushing to use deer leather, as it is a material that is as magnificent as it is expensive.
So, the last time I saw deer leather in luxury, it was at Gucci and the piece cost almost $5,000…
But thanks to our economic model without intermediaries, we are extremely proud to offer this jacket under the €1,000 mark, something extremely rare on the French market, for a product that would be worth five times (yes, five times!) in a home luxury.
Yes, you read correctly, this jacket will therefore be a little cheaper than our shearling.
How do you get these clothes?
Visit our e-shop and in our stores in Paris 3rd , Paris 6th , Lyon and Bordeaux .
