Disclaimer: La Comédie Humaine is a brand that we follow closely, and that we really appreciate (we even did a collaboration with them a year ago).
Little by little, the artistic direction of the brand is maturing, and for this winter, the collection presents a number of interesting pieces, particularly on outerwear, which reserves its share of unexpected and surprising pieces.
Presentation of the FW 14/15 La Comédie Humaine collection
The influences of La Comédie Humaine
True to form, La Comédie Humaine drew its inspiration from Balzac's work. This time, it is around the novel The Unknown Masterpiece that the collection is structured, very logically, with a plethora of bright colors .
Indeed, red, orange, or even green, are all colors that we will find "to warm up the winter" , dixit Vincent. For those who skipped French classes and the study of Balzac, this short story tells the story of a painter dissatisfied with his work. Vincent, the co-founder of the brand, therefore wondered how to translate this painter's universe into his clothes.
Another inspiration is developed implicitly in many pieces: the triangle . This refers to officer details, very present in the codes of the time.
This look brings together two major inspirations from this collection: the use of bright colors, and the presence of the triangle. There are also my two favorite pieces: the denim effect jacket and the double collar parka.
That the most elegant among us do not let themselves be impressed by this casual look, La Comédie Humaine has remained faithful to its taste for more dressy pieces . Thus, the Rastignac shirt - their great classic, with three interchangeable collars - is still present in the assortment offered by the brand.
Moreover, the brand once again offers "a casual suit" (short semi-canvassed jacket and well-fitted pants) with a very pretty material, and a real buttonhole, among other things.
The speckled effect of the wool/silk fabric used provides relief and texture.
The suit was made so that the jacket could be worn as a blazer with a short enough length, while still only giving it one button. As I said, it’s a more casual suit than formal.
The brand's DNA is distilled into these pieces , notably through a tone-on-tone edging, which crosses the pocket to create a triangle.
The triangle formed on the pocket is visible on the left. By the way, if the jacket and red pants assembled together are a little complicated to wear, each piece taken separately is a good way to add color to a winter outfit.
More classic models are also present, respecting more the codes of the sartorial world.
Another blue parka that I love, worn nicely with a suit! Note from Rafik: the idea of offsetting the elegance of the suit with Dr Martens derbies is excellent!
There's no denying that everything is well cut and in keeping with the times: it's fitted, adjusted, and has very clean shoulders. In the little bonuses, we will note a liner showing a period map of Paris , unfortunately invisible in the photo.
New this year, there are sweatshirts at La Comédie Humaine! These pieces were until now absent from the La Comédie Humaine wardrobe.
“I was initially hesitant about sweatshirts, but I saw that they were super practical and so comfortable,” Vincent tells us. I couldn't have said it better.
Still on the resolutely casual side, we finally find a few t-shirts, the patterns of which were drawn by a graphic designer with a ballpoint pen, as well as a denim shirt that is still just as well cut.
With a denim shirt , especially if it is dark, wearing colored pants enhances the outfit.
La Comédie Humaine FW 14/15: a collection full of strong pieces
The large pieces in this collection are very interesting, and we feel that the brand has really taken a step forward in this regard.
Due to the theme of the collection, there is a relevant use of color . It’s a real colorful and warm winter collection. The antique materials were chosen with great taste , it remains original but easy to wear.
A beautiful light gray coat , easy to wear, but with a “creative” side supported by its triangular closure. It's a well-fitted piece, especially at the top of the hips. If you are slim, you should definitely try it.
The coat flap once again recalls the triangle.
If you ever want to be able to wear it with a jacket underneath, take the time to call their customer service (see below) to choose the size. The pattern is well done, because if I make a real 48, the 50 suits me too. This is the mark of a well thought out cut !
I am opening a digression, because having seen it with my own eyes, when the pattern of a piece is perfect, even the size above suits you well with certain very “tailored” brands. But it's still quite rare...
Now let's move on to my favorite piece from the collection:
A big favorite for me, this khaki parka with double collar , warm and masculine.
It's a color that is underestimated , but which looks very good on wool. This is an ingenious and elegant way to give a nod to olive-colored military parkas.
If you are very cold, it is not one collar that will protect you from the cold, but two generous collars lined with sheepskin.
As someone who loves large collars (even if Long, our videographer, never fails to point out to me every time that “it looks like Bane in Batman” ), I am well served here, with this imposing double sheepskin collar, very warm. I like the possibilities offered by these two collars : you can wear them down, up, only one up, etc.
There is also a chiller, this tab which keeps the collar closed.
Having tried it, it's a very warm parka , with good wadding padding. Despite the fact that it is an imposing and thick piece, they managed to keep their shoulders impeccable: a very good point.
Now let's move on to the leather jackets, the nice surprise of the collection. Indeed, the brand offers a model in two colors at a very competitive price.
One of the best value for money in the collection is the leather jacket, available in blue and cognac .
Please note: it has so-called raglan shoulders, which means that you are not exactly the centimeter at the shoulder seam. You have much more flexibility for the cut at the shoulders . This is a choice to consider very seriously if you have slightly drooping shoulders.
The collar is removable, and a ribbed edge has been added to the bottom of the piece, for greater comfort and support.
The skins are very beautiful and we are clearly looking at luxury quality, it would cost double or triple anywhere else, especially when you know that it is made in Paris. It is because La Comédie Humaine only sells it in its own store that it can offer such quality at an unbeatable price, while cutting into the distributor margin.
To finish, let's look at two more affordable pieces: a shirt and pants.
The two lowered collars have an interesting look.
An original but easy-to-wear shirt , that’s what it looks like. The tiny spots echo the “painter” theme of the collection.
Besides, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that micro-patterns are an excellent way to get out of plain shirts, without overdoing it. I really encourage you to explore these kinds of pieces to add a little something extra to your outfits.
In addition to the micro-pattern, look towards so-called mottled materials which change from an eternal plain fabric.
The collection also includes pretty winter pants, in heathered wool.
When we get closer, we see tiny “grains” of color on these wool pants, which gives an original and elegant appearance .
I like these red pants , because if I advised not to hesitate to wear colorful chinos in summer, it is more complicated to find pants of this type in winter. And that’s why I’m delighted to see some in this collection.
The pocket has a small buttoned tab, to prevent your wallet from slipping out of your pocket unexpectedly. In this case, it is not very complicated to understand that this color must be calmed down with more sober colors , such as shades of gray or navy blue.
Conclusion: a balanced and colorful collection
In conclusion, this is a very good winter 2014/15 vintage for La Comédie Humaine.
The colors are well balanced, there are sober colors and others more subtly worked that I really appreciated.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the outerwear, consistent in designs, but with plenty of choice.
Last information, and not the least: the brand wants to be more accessible in terms of price , and it is getting closer and closer to Sandro's prices (with much higher quality obviously) whereas before, it was more expensive ( from memory, a jacket cost at least €500, compared to €440 currently).
End bonus: La Comédie Humaine telephone assistance
Finally, let's end with this service that La Comédie Humaine has set up: telephone assistance to help you choose your size or give you assembly suggestions.
I haven't tested it, but Vincent, one of the co-founders, told me he is very demanding about the quality of the advice, because he is well aware that some men need answers when purchasing high-end clothing. Do not hesitate to give us feedback.
