Among the brands about which I had preconceptions , De Fursac was the most unfairly one. Indeed, its communication campaign with basketball players (and straight, very straight cuts) had made an impression. However, it is 5/6 years old! That’s an eternity in the world of men’s fashion.
Maxime (from Modissimo), decidedly ahead of the curve, had already noticed the brand's revival... in 2010 ! We owe this new image to Franck Durand (Atelier Franck Durand), in charge of the artistic direction of the lookbook and campaign images. Since then, still according to Modissimo, the brand has experienced a very good rise that was not necessarily achieved at BonneGueule.
It's a shame, because De Fursac demonstrates very good taste in the choice of materials . Let's see what it's worth on two suits tested by Geoffrey and myself.
A little history
De Fursac is a good old French brand over 35 years old (born in 1973, in... Saint-Pierre De Fursac, in the Creuse, created by Simon and Bertrand Laufer). The brand was previously called "Monsieur De Fursac".
And it was only towards the end of the 2000s that De Fursac negotiated its first exclusive fabrics with major Italian weavers, including the Cerruti spinning mill ( a very beautiful series of videos that you absolutely must see:
The brand will continue the evolution of its image with a new logo, completely redesigned points of sale, and of course modernized cuts (a straight cut for well-built people, and another more fitted, which I find very fair) . Today, the brand universe aims to be refined and minimalist, but still with an emphasis on materials (and materials, as far as the boutiques are concerned).
The cut of De Fursac suits
I'm wearing a De Fursac suit , National Standard shoes kindly
loaned by L’Exception, a Husbands shirt and tie.
Notice to those who are afraid of creases:
It's normal to see them here, since I'm on the move.
It is important to note, as I said above, that De Fursac offers two types of cuts for its suits: a classic cut and a fitted cut, called "Slim Fit". The classic cut is indeed... very classic. A barely pronounced curve and a fairly standard silhouette. Unless you're quite strong (or a little overweight), I don't particularly recommend this cut, because it's just as "normal" as you can get.
On the other hand, regarding the Slim Fit cut (the one you see in the photo), it's something completely different...
This is where the surprise comes when I try on the jacket: it's very well cut. The 48 is perfect and well fitted .
If I wanted to quibble, I could say that there is a microscopic excess volume at the level of the chest (it's almost nothing, you really have to be careful to notice it), but you would have to be very bad faith to denigrate the very successful bending of their suit... And the lapels are well placed on the chest, just as it should be.
The back is clean and neat, nothing to complain about (flat back, no clumps of material under the armpits or under the collar). The shoulders are also very clear.
As for the pants, they fit well. A real suit for young executives. I really liked the fact that the jacket is quite short, and I regularly wear it with jeans .
Last thing: don't forget that De Fursac also makes a size 44 in a jacket .
I think the photo speaks for itself... perfect bend.
This is noticeable by the slight folds of tension,
which run smoothly from each side of the central button.
The cut of the pants is exactly in the same vein as that of the jacket: quite fitted (leg opening: 18.5 cm). The pants are in the trend of the moment, that is to say short, with an visible cuff. I'm not particularly a fan of pants of this length because I find them impractical, especially when you sit down.
But let's point out that I have quite long legs, I'm a good 34 in jean length. For anyone who rides L32, or who is a fan of this very Italian cut, it will be perfect.
If you have nice shoes, they will show off well!
The cut of the pants is very tapered, which visually lengthens the silhouette. However, you will notice that at no time do the pants hug the leg. It is an ideal cut for standard body shapes.
The De Fursac material: here a wool and cashmere blend
The advantage of this flannel is that it very nicely highlights knitted ties with a particular texture. Note the thin reverse which I really appreciate.
This is where we have the biggest added value at De Fursac. The materials are very beautiful .
Not only are they very pretty, but they manage to bring an original side that remains very wearable and in good taste. Speckled grays mingle with pretty flannels with a unique look. The fabrics have a super quality appearance. I assure you that the choice of materials is excellent, it is also one of the specificities of the brand.
In addition, De Fursac is very close to the Cerruti spinning mill, and the latter develops a number of exclusive fabrics for them (the director of De Fursac is friends with Nino Cerruti).
On my suit, it is an exclusive wool fabric with 4% cashmere from the TG di Fabio factory. I love this type of flannel type fabric (as a reminder, a flannel is a fabric lightly brushed to form a down, which softens the surface):
It’s a very easy gray to wear!
Finishes
Concerning the finishes, they are completely standard in this price range: a semi-canvassed jacket, plastic buttons sewn on the stand, and clean buttonholes (closed at the sleeves).
On this side, not much new to report, the cut and the material are much more interesting than the finishes. But the manufacturing remains acceptable at this price level.
Small detail that I like though: the buttons on the sleeves overlap slightly (a fairly typical trait of Italian style).
Test of Geoffrey's De Fursac suit (slim fit, wool and silk blend)
I also opted for a slim fit cut, that said, in a fairly original material. I'll tell you more right away.
Like Benoît, I first notice that the jackets are very well cut, with lapels relatively well placed on a standard body shape:
I would like to emphasize here the quality of the in-house alterations service , to whom I asked to change the pants from 46 to 48. On serious brands like De Fursac, you can in fact enlarge or narrow the waist or the bend of the suit of more or less one size (there is a little fabric left for this purpose).
In short, nothing new under the sun, but the alterations were very well done, whether at the waist or the hems. The latter are reinforced with a strip of very clean fabric around the ankle, to prevent the zips of the ankle boots from unstitching the hem as you wear it (nothing more unpleasant when you almost only wear ankle boots or high sneakers ).
Let's come back to the cut after alterations: the overall silhouette is harmonious, I just tend to fill out the thighs too much (not attributable to the brand).
De Fursac suit, Maison Standards shirt ,
Natural Born Elegance bow tie, and Tabuba ankle boots .
I opted for a 70% wool/30% silk suit, which has pretty blue highlights. Silk gives a matte side to the material, but the color remains deep. Another originality very popular at the moment, the fabric is speckled with small white particles trapped in the material. It’s definitely a rendering that I really like.
The shoulder is very natural (= little padding). Everything is cut very cleanly. Note in particular the shoulder head: the biceps does not dig into, or dent, the shoulder head. This is what you need to achieve when you choose a suit. And it is imperative:
The buttonholes are nice. A flame test (burning the replacement button with a flame) reveals that it is not horn. But it really was an illusion, and yet I see a lot of buttons... Note that the plastic on the buttons is not always a problem: in my case, it allows you to have slightly translucent buttons, a little as if it were very dark amber.
The interior is well finished. It's neat. One more good point:
I chose to wear this suit with two materials that contrast a lot with the wool/silk cloth: an Oxford shirt, and a wool/cashmere bow tie. In the end, we have materials that go well together through their colors, but which clash thanks to the famous contrasts of materials (which we repeat to you throughout our articles).
You have understood, the renderings are opposite: the wool/silk has a dry finish, the Oxford has a rough side, and the wool/cashmere knot provides a much softer side, visually speaking. We also have an opposition between plain, speckled, and patterned surfaces. Consider buying clothes with different textures, if your wardrobe is so far filled with plain clothes and simpler looks.
Don't be afraid to deviate from your usual habits from time to time when choosing subjects.
Especially since, paradoxically, beginners risk more on improbable colors (which even I would never buy), than on textures that are out of the ordinary (yet very easy to wear, the proof in pictures).
In short, same opinion as Benoît: standard finishes, but very good cut and total cracking of the material: it is of quality, and the visual rendering is exceptional (you really have to see it in real life!).
Conclusion
De Fursac is exactly the kind of brand that we don't talk about too much on the blog. However, for those who have a budget around €600 (or less if you have the patience to wait for sales or private sales, very well stocked at De Fursac), it is a very good choice in terms of costume . For example, the first price of a 100% wool suit is 585 euros, which is really interesting.
Remember to ask for the Slim Fit cut! The advantage is that the brand is well distributed outside of Paris , so you can easily find it if you live in the region.
I strongly invite you to look at the rest of the collection, which is very tasteful and easy to wear. We particularly noticed some very beautiful coats, just as well positioned as the suits. And well-positioned shirts, but nothing more. Once again, the price/quality ratio is not surprising, except for the materials selected (note, however, that De Fursac is generous with sales).
Last thing: don't forget to register in the De Fursac customer file in order to be notified of private sales at -40% which arrive during the year (you are notified by SMS if you wish).
Thanks to Jacques Shu (press manager of De Fursac) and Stéphanie Ferey (marketing director) for their sympathy and for this test.
