A duo of Pike Brothers Henleys
Why this brand?
I have to give Caesar what is Caesar's, and thank almost everyone around me for discovering Pike Brothers: between seeing them at Pitti Uomo this winter, the various reviews I've read on forums, the fact that a few readers are already raving about it... All I needed was for me to meet Antony, now an advisor at our boutique on rue Madame, and for him to highly recommend it to me so that I could say to myself "well, I'll get something from them".
The “oatmeal” color, literally “oats” in French, which is basically a sort of mottled ecru.
I've heard great things about the whole brand and its very workwear-oriented wardrobe: checked shirts, overshirts, vests, big boots and sturdy pants... Don't hesitate to take a look.
Small clarification because it's a bit messy when you look on their site: the brand is originally from London (founded in 1930 apparently), but is now a German company. The production seems to be mainly European, more precisely in Portugal for these henleys.
Why this piece?
I intend to gradually fill my wardrobe with beautiful henleys and those from Pike Brothers seemed perfectly suited to me.
I have some pretty specific criteria for a henley. And these henleys just happen to meet them.
The indigo color, also mottled (otherwise we'd get bored!), has pretty dark brown buttons. Probably coconut at first glance.
- A well-fitted cut. This is a piece that I can't stand to have floating, that I wear in a way that highlights the body. No gaping sleeves, then.
- The lengths that fit me. I'm 5'7", and since brands often make them "a little longer" to serve as many customers as possible, I've had to return a henley many times because of this. These henleys seem quite short, and that's perfect for me.
- A not too clumsy placket. The design of the button placket is an important point. I like it not too thick, but not too thin either so that it always looks more like a henley than a "buttoned tee". Note that the other colors of the brand have more contrasting plackets, and this contrast is not always successful in my opinion.
- A material that isn't boring . Most henleys are designed as plain t-shirts, in smooth cotton jersey. And while I find that certain colors like khaki are enough on their own to give a piece charm, on blue or white I need at least a little mottled effect, if I don't have a particular knitting stitch.
I already have an olive green henley, so I naturally turned to an ecru and an indigo. I have more trouble with the slightly strong colors on this piece, I find that they poorly reflect the "heritage" spirit of the henley. To know how to wear it, I suggest you reread this article by Jordan.
Saharan Bastong
Really cool, and I can already see lots of outfit possibilities. The safari jacket fits well in several styles.
Why this brand?
Bastong is a Korean brand that I discovered in 2015, when I started working at BonneGueule. At the time, we distributed it in multi-brand in the very first BonneGueule boutique. They make lots of beautiful things, but it's their outerwear that always shines with its flair: it always catches the eye and yet is never ostentatious.
It's classic inspired by military and workwear, with an exacerbated sense of detail and Japanese materials.
It ranges from the workwear jacket to the safari jacket, including the trench coat and the pea coat. They also work very well with waxed cottons, so if like me you have always hesitated to buy a Barbour, put off by the slightly "old" side of the brand and the overall look of the pieces, then Bastong can be a very interesting option.
But why don't we talk about it more often? Well the problem is that it's EXPENSIVE: around €450 for mid-season outerwear when you do the conversion. And to get it delivered in France, it seems to be an obstacle course.
The most successful thing about this piece for me is simply the proportions: collar, belt, chest pockets, lower pockets... Everything is perfectly coherent.
Why this piece?
The elbow patches and the color break up the somewhat "precious" side that a belted safari jacket can have.
The work of shape, size and inclination of the pockets is perfect. I find it harmonious.
The choice of material: this tone-on-tone chevron in olive green perfectly illustrates the spirit of the brand: on one side, it is a chevron that creates a vertical stripe, which gives the "elegant" side associated with the classic wardrobe.
On the other hand, it also brings a texture, a grain that combined with this military olive green gives a slightly more "adventurous" side. I was not surprised to read that it was a Japanese material, obviously.
And finally the manufacturing quality. Having already seen Bastong a few times in real life, it is extremely well finished: stitching to perfection, interiors lined with beautiful materials, small chambrays in the pockets, zips and refined metalwork... Their Korean workshop works damn well!
The brand has an eye for detail, to say the least.
To be honest, the potential customs fees will deter me from purchasing it, so this piece is selected more for eye candy than anything else.
