A parka, what for?
I love outerwear, I love the functionality of a piece, and I love fabrics with great performance. The parka crystallizes my tastes, and it is an outerwear that combines a few advantages:
- it's a very easy piece to wear, which can be worn over many outfits, from jeans to dresses, from skirts to pants, bringing a nice touch of relaxation,
- it is a piece that is comfortable in many situations: it can be worn in the city and on a weekend in the countryside or by the sea,
- it's a comforting room, which protects from the wind and the cold, a room in which you want to bundle up at the end of the evening,
- it is a comfortable piece due to its cut: no tight and rigid shoulders for example, unlike some coats.
In short, it's the perfect blend of functionality, comfort, weather protection and style!
Because yes, with a parka, interesting contrasts are possible, in particular by wearing it with a dressy outfit underneath, or completely assuming its military origins and with an outfit that goes in this direction.
Having the idea of a women's parka is good, but finding the right materials, the right cut, and the right shape is better!
Once you have the idea in mind, a few questions arise:
- Which fabric to choose to combine style and practicality?
- How to make this parka warm and practical?
This is what we are going to see together today!
A fabric made in Italy to protect you from the elements
To dress this parka, we chose a fabric from Olmetex, a famous Italian weaver known for its fabrics used for trenches, parkas and other “outerwear” from many high-end brands.
© Olmetex
The Omeltex factory, based in Como.
Its Italian DNA allows it to offer fabrics with real style and a beautiful drape, in addition to some technical properties.
You should know that the first parkas in history were entirely made of cotton. But I didn't want to stick with 100% cotton, because once it gets wet, it takes a while to dry!
So we went with a mix of cotton and nylon:
- Cotton for comfort, softness, and style. It's thanks to him that the fabric of this parka doesn't look like mountain clothing!
- Nylon to add durability and quick drying. If the fabric gets wet, it will dry much faster than 100% cotton.
(And for the record, a lot of modern military clothing is made from fabrics that blend cotton and nylon, for exactly the reasons outlined above.)
© The Heddels
N3-B fishtail parkas were worn by American soldiers during the Korean War.
This water-repellent and PFC free fabric will protect you from wind and light showers while being breathable.
Now let's see what we did to make this parka warm...
We use synthetic insulation (we do not use goose down at BonneGueule) to keep you warm. We use two:
- for the body, we chose insulation made in France from Libeltex, a specialist in insulation for 50 years.
- for the sleeves, we use Climashield, an insulation that comes straight from the outdoor world, very renowned for its ability to keep its shape after multiple cycles of compression and decompression, which is quite practical when you fold the sleeves. arm.
© Climashield
In terms of thickness, we are at 78g/m2 on these two insulators, which seems to us to be a great compromise between lightness and warmth.
But it is not finished…
And finally, to create the ultimate touch of warmth, we added a sherpa lining, this famous fabric with a sheepskin effect.
Due to its structure which reproduces the wool of a sheep, it traps a lot of air, and therefore, heat... Because, I remind you, air is an excellent insulator.
And this is how we create a parka as cozy as your favorite blanket!
Concretely, you can therefore wear this parka without any problem with a simple shirt, you will not be cold, thanks to this nylon-cotton/technical insulation/sheepskin fabric combination.
Now let’s move on to the finishes of this parka…
The cut: a long development process
Do you know what was the hardest to develop? The cup !
Although we have been developing outerwear for years, it took 4 prototypes to arrive at the final result, which is more than usual.
It took a lot of time to refine a fit that was roomy enough to:
- be comfortable over a large knit for example
- honoring the military origins of the parka, with a straight cut…
…without having an unsightly silhouette. This style/scale balance gave me the impression of being on a crest line but I am very happy with the result.
A modular collar
If there is a lot of wind and you want to be warm, nothing could be simpler: just undo the two snaps, and raise the collar and you will have a generous collar that will protect you from the strongest gusts.
A drawstring at the waist
It's a finish straight from the first parkas. Originally, it was used to cinch the parka to increase warmth and reduce wind resistance, but today, it is mainly there to play with your silhouette, with a more or less straight finish.
A warm and comfortable modular hood
First of all: yes, this hood is removable, so you can take it off or keep it on depending on the weather or your desires.
But above all, it is fully lined in sherpa fabric, the same as the lining which makes the hood very warm, and it has nothing to do with a simple cotton hood of a basic parka.
It also has faux fur that helps keep warm air in when you wear this hood on your back.
And here too, this faux fur is removable. MO-DU-LA-RI-TÉ we tell you!
Secure pockets
If we recap…
There you go, you now know everything about this parka. It's our ultimate women's piece (for now at least), and we wanted to do things in a big way by offering you a warm, comfortable, stylish and practical parka:
- Italian nylon cotton outer fabric, for style, breathability and drying speed, with a PFC free water-repellent treatment to protect you from light showers
- warm and cozy sherpa fabric lining
- two technical insulators in this parka: Climashield in the sleeves and Libeltex for the body
- a modular windproof collar
- a removable hood, lined in sherpa fabric, and with removable faux fur to keep warm
In short, we put all our passion for outerwear into this piece, and I hope that it will allow you, like our new men's parka, to have the best fall/winter of your life!
Sesto Parka ID Card
Main material :
- 64% cotton, 36% polyamide
- Origin of cotton: Brazil
- Spinning, weaving, dyeing: South Korea
- Finish: Italy
- Water-repellent fabric
- Water-repellent treatment (on the outer material) without PFC called “C0”, therefore without C6
Garment dyed material
Internal insulation: 100% polyester wadding
- Body: Libeltex® wadding
- Sleeves: Climashield® wadding
Lining inside the front pockets: 100% cotton Tonale Greigio CERVOTESSILE
Manufacturing: in Ukraine
Price: 490€
Size guide: take your usual size from BonneGueule . Our model Louise is 1m72 tall, weighs 57kg and wears a size M. To access our size guide, click here .
Availability: available now on our e-shop and in our stores .
How to transform this parka into a cocoon of warmth?