Raincoat, vest, rain apron: our new exclusive collaboration with Norwegian Rain

I love Norwegian Rain , I love their vision of outerwear and I wanted to explore new playgrounds for them:

• Working with a technical fabric in natural fibers , Ventile, something they had never done;
• Think about outerwear adapted to a wide range of temperatures , rain and summer heat;
• And obviously while keeping their sense of cut, elegance and functionality!

The goal: to have a modular, functional outerwear system adapted to summer conditions (rain + temperatures).

To achieve this, Norwegian Rain has imagined a system of three pieces that interact with each other, to be worn together or separately, in order to adjust the level of waterproofing and breathability.

We must therefore resolve this delicate equation of having a very breathable, durable fabric that protects from the rain.

And the best answer is one of my favorite outerwear fabrics, Ventile …

As soon as we imagined a collaboration with Norwegian Rain, it was clear that I absolutely wanted it to be in Ventile , because the technicality of this fabric and its “natural” appearance would go perfectly with the Norwegian Rain tab.

This changes from what the brand usually does, which designs its outerwear in fabric with a waterproof membrane.

But T-Michael was delighted because being a tailor, he likes fabrics with natural fibers, like Ventile, 100% cotton.

So this is the very first time that Norwegian Rain has worked on Ventile and I am extremely proud that it is for a collaboration with BonneGueule.

Although few brands dare to work with it because of the price, for my part I love Ventile, I have been wearing it for almost 10 years now, and it is by far the outerwear material that I have worn the most , in any season and throughout the year.

I have also written a lot about the properties of this fabric on the occasion of the release of our first Ventile garment, reread the article, it is very complete on its interest and its history .

So it’s a subject that I know well!

It is a fabric:

• With a PFC free water-repellent treatment (without PFC), easy to renew thanks to washing with Nikwax products .
• GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified , a label certifying the recycled nature of the material but which also certifies compliance with environmental and social criteria such as control of the management of water, waste and energy used.

The result: an exceptionally breathable outerwear fabric , to the point of having breathability that completely surpasses all waterproof and breathable membranes.

And for that, nothing better than a video of Ventile in action, by the CEO of Ventile himself, who gave me a demonstration before my eyes:

You see water in the container, with the Ventile preventing the water from sinking to the bottom. It will send air over it thanks to the pump and you therefore see all the bubbles which rise to the surface, which show the great breathability of the Ventile .

This is an unattainable result with a classic membrane , where the bubbles would be much smaller and much fewer in number.

It is this property that makes Ventile so popular with polar explorers, who need to have a windproof, but extremely breathable fabric, because you do not want moisture to accumulate in your clothes. when it's -20°c.

And on an urban garment, this breathability is of great benefit and makes it much more suitable for summer temperatures than any membrane, especially when spring and summer arrive, it is warmer, or you take public transport.

Normally, on Norwegian Rain outerwear, if you look closely, you have three layers:

• The outer fabric, the one that is visible,
• The membrane, glued (we say laminated) to the outer fabric,
• And the lining.

This type of fabric called “3 layers” is very suitable for cool and cold temperatures, but when temperatures rise, Ventile is necessarily more suitable since you only have one thickness of fabric (natural material) and without a membrane . It’s a “1-layer” technical fabric in a way!

As it is cotton, it is also a fabric that will patina , where certain places will lighten with daily friction, exactly like raw jeans or chinos. This is what will give a unique appearance to your garment over the years, bringing out the natural character of the cotton fiber.

This is a patina that is impossible to obtain with any synthetic technical fabric.

The other notable difference in this collaboration is a system with 3 complementary pieces that Norwegian Rain does not currently offer. And more precisely this configuration with a vest that can be worn over or under the raincoat, as we will talk about below.

The issue of waterproofing is important for a brand like Norwegian Rain.

In terms of waterproofing, after almost a decade of wearing Ventile, I can guarantee you: Ventile is sufficient in 95% of cases . It is much more breathable than a membrane even if it is less waterproof, but for most of the downpours you are going to encounter in France, it is totally sufficient.

Remember: what you lose in waterproofing, you gain x10 in breathability compared to a classic membrane!

And there’s a tip: the hood has two layers of Ventile ! And there, I guarantee you, your head will stay dry.

Just for your information, some outdoor brands that use Ventile consider a garment to be completely waterproof if it has two layers of Ventile. The hood of our collaboration is therefore concerned!

On the other hand, if you are in a summer situation and you very often face prolonged showers, I prefer to recommend clothing with a waterproof membrane, like our Lofoten parka.

Each piece from this collaboration is available in two colors:

• A sober and very timeless navy blue , to be worn in monochrome as well as with all the possible and imaginable colors of the color circle.
• An olive color that will really appeal to those who, like me, like military influences and want a lighter, summery color.

We start with the raincoat, which is the central part of this system.

It is a sober and elegant piece , with Norwegian Rain's sense of fit.

We immediately see that T-Michael has solid experience as a tailor, since this raincoat is cut more like an elegant coat than a very casual raincoat.

This is particularly visible at the shoulder level, which is drawn like a suit shoulder according to T-Michael.

The use of Ventile fabric in 100% cotton, combined with a meticulously crafted refined shape, anchors this piece in a casual chic register , as opposed to the majority of parkas and other raincoats whose synthetic and casual aspect stands out a lot.

So, this raincoat will complement a nice suit as well as a sweatshirt + jeans combo.

You have 5 pockets in total:

• 4 front pockets, zipped,
• And a large pocket on the back, very spacious. This pocket can be used in particular to store the hood and the Storm Flap, both removable. We are now going to talk about these two details!

Norwegian Rain's famous hood

The most important point of this raincoat is the famous hood that all owners of a Norwegian Rain piece love.

From the creation of the brand, T-Michael wanted to create an adjustable hood without using drawstrings, an accessory with too much outdoor connotation according to him. This is why you have multiple snap buttons that allow you to adjust the depth of the hood.

You also have a leather tightening tab at the top of the hood which allows you to adjust the depth of the hood, as well as a mini-visor at the end which effectively evacuates water, preventing it from running down your face. .

The icing on the cake: the hood of this raincoat is made up of two layers of Ventile , for greatly enhanced waterproofing in this area.

Yes, it’s there: the Storm Flap

And finally, the other distinctive element is the Storm Flap . Those who have followed us since the first collaboration remember it: it is a strip of fabric that you can wear in front of your face to protect you from the most violent and windy downpours. It is a completely removable piece , adjustable using snap buttons.

In addition to its very practical benefit which is to protect your face and throat, T-Michael and Alexander also like the Storm Flap for its visual addition to an outfit.

This is the great specificity of this collaboration: you can place a vest with the raincoat (or wear it alone, of course) to improve its waterproofing and windproof properties.

There are three possible uses with this vest:

• You wear it under the raincoat

In this case, it attaches inside using two buttons in the raincoat , which you close with the tightening tab at the back of the vest. The fastener is loose enough so you can easily access the vest pockets. To do if you want to maintain the clean visual appearance of the raincoat and reinforce its waterproofing.

• My favorite option: you wear the vest over the raincoat

It attaches with 3 buttons to the shoulders and in this configuration, the piece is more waterproof and has a richer, more sophisticated visual appearance. You also gain 4 new pockets with the addition of the vest.

• You wear the vest alone , without the raincoat

In the latter case, you have an extremely breathable utility garment due to the Ventile and its absence of sleeves. This is perfect if you want to add pockets to an outfit but it's too hot to wear outerwear.

About the pockets of this vest, they were designed very meticulously by T-Michael. Worked with pleats and gussets, these slightly puffy looking pockets have a lot of charm and a unique appearance that sets them apart from what you'll see elsewhere.

And if you feel like it, you can even combine a navy raincoat with a green vest. Or vice versa. :)

This is the last piece of this system, which will protect your legs from showers. Indeed, who has never complained about having pants soaked around the thighs during a downpour?

It's a piece that T-Michael really likes and about which he has real convictions , because he likes what it visually brings to an outfit, with a nod to the volumes that we see in outfits with Japan, country he adores.

Thanks to its “D-Ring” belting system (with two circular rings), this apron adjusts very easily to your size.

Compared to traditional rain pants, this apron is easier to use (no need to put it on and take it off) and offers unrivaled breathability thanks to its Ventile fabric.

Please note, there are very limited quantities on this apron!

Little bonus

Discover how T-Michael and Alexander wear the pieces from the collaboration, each with their own style.

It is therefore a real pleasure to collaborate again with Norwegian Rain , because in addition to working on a fabulous fabric with them, I am proud to present to you this modular and adaptable outerwear , with this perfect balance between functionality and urban design, as Norwegian Rain knows how to do so well.

These three pieces are available now on our e-shop and in stores. In store, you will find the raincoat and the vest. The apron is only in stock in our Parisian stores at the moment.

We remain available to answer all your questions about this collaboration!