The parts are either purchased or made available free of charge by the brand, which in this case does not in any way affect the judgment we make on them.
This independence is really very important to us, like a totem.
And who can imagine influencing Nicolò, David or Jordan?
Christophe, editor-in-chief.
Here are our other tests:
- Costume Workshop Measurement
- Bluchers Carmina
- Claudio Mariani tailor-made pants
- Poszetka suit
- Henley Seagale
I discovered Shuren Projects at the beginning of 2019 when I was interested in the noragi jacket. I was then seduced, ready to take out my bank card, but the brand did not have stock on this piece at that precise moment.
The brand came back onto my radar one summer evening while browsing a fashion forum when a user mentioned the release of new models as well as discounts on old references.
That's when I broke down. I liked the idea of acquiring noragi, a still niche piece suitable for summer.
As such, our friend Boras had the opportunity to talk about the brand last year .
So I bought this jacket as part of a group order with my colleagues Antoine and Loan who will talk about their noragi at the end of this article.
As usual at BonneGueule, this test is 100% independent.
The Shuren Project
Brand created in 2011 by five students, Shuren Projects is a Malaysian brand and promotes simple and refined fashion, enhanced by subtle details.
The brand is known for its pretty noragi jackets, available for less than €100.
Taken from the brand's spring/summer 2019 lookbook, with this bold noragi in mustard yellow linen, striped and with a contrasting collar.
But this is not a single product brand: you will also find loose pants, t-shirts and some well-designed shirts.
The clothes offered are light , made from flowing cottons or linen.
Be careful about length: by looking at the size guides, you will realize that most non-noragi clothing is quite short
I really like this white shirt with blue tartan inserts. Proportions, colors, pattern, the style is just right.
As the prices are indicated by default in Malaysian rupee, I invite you to change to the euro at the top right of their e-shop.
What is a noragi jacket?
I had the opportunity to talk about this piece in an episode of readers' letters .
Used by Japanese farmers, the noragi is a work jacket, traditionally made of cotton. It is characterized by a loose cut to facilitate manual work.
“Nora ” also means “ field ” and “ g i”, “ clothing, uniform ” in Japanese.
The patched noragi that you sometimes see come from noragi damaged by time and patched by farmers.
A noragi presented as part of the exhibition " Boro - Fabrics of life " which took place in 2015 in the United Kingdom. Photo by Brill / Ullstein Bild via Getty Images.
The noragi rarely leaves one indifferent : it is even a piece that can fascinate , as long as one takes a close interest in it. In our regions, it is rare: wearing one makes you stand out from the crowd and brings a rather unique touch of style.
In its contemporary version, it is very sober and therefore has the advantage of being easy to wear. It's quite easy to project yourself with it.
Our opinion on the Shuren Projects noragi
Here is the model I chose.
Most noragi offered commercially are rather dark in color: navy or black, sometimes striped.
For my part, I fell for this ecru model in 100% cotton, very successful and which has the particularity of being printed on the back:
"What's in there? Do you even care?"
Looking closer, we notice that the material of the pockets and collar is smoother and contrasts with the more open and textured weave of the body of the jacket.
The contrast is also clearly visible, and very interesting in terms of style.
Still about the material: it has an appearance close to linen. Here is what Nicolò said upon seeing the room:
“ The feel is not dry enough and the folds are not round enough to be linen. But that’s a mistake .”
Made in Malaysia, the making of my noragi is very good and only suffers from one or two small threads sticking out.
Here we see the regular stitches.
The construction of the model ordered by Loan could be improved in places:
A few threads wandering around the inside of the jacket, and an approximate end of seam at the bottom, on the outside.
Another little aesthetic detail that I like: the bottom of the sleeves are beveled .
It's clearly visible here. We can also distinguish the weave of the fabric, irregular and airy.
As for the cut, it is relaxed, in keeping with the spirit of the piece.
In this regard, the brand provides a rather precise size guide. Feel free to convert the measurements given to centimeters.
You have all the cards in your hands to choose your size.
Note on delivery and returns
The brand's products are shipped from Malaysia with the carrier Fedex Express. Our order reached us in less than seven working days. Fast.
International delivery is free from 600MYR
If you only buy one noragi
Also, as the product comes from outside the European Union, customs fees may apply . Allow between 25 to 35% of the order total
As for returns, they are possible. The brand does not indicate anything at this level but it is most likely at the buyer's expense. To avoid paying tens of euros on an international return, use the “ refunded returns ” function offered by Paypal.
Paypal's handling of return costs is detailed here in this article .
My life with this noragi
Received during the summer, I had the opportunity to wear this jacket between five and ten times.
The first thing I noticed is that this piece is very interesting:
- By the particular style it gives to the wearer.
- By its bright and clearly visible color.
- By its large back print. Many are curious and want to see this print up close. I was even told once: “ be careful, you have a big label on your back! ”
In ecru, you will not go unnoticed. Note the pretty stopping point which reinforces the slit at the back.
Concerning its thermal range, this noragi is pleasant to wear in summer, outside of major heatwaves . Between 20 and 25° over a t-shirt is perfect.
When temperatures drop to around 15°, it is entirely possible to wear it over a sweatshirt or wool sweater
When it's really cold, its benefit is much more limited: it's a light piece of clothing that doesn't keep you particularly warm. Why not in a properly heated interior.
And if you were wondering if the garment is messy: I think it's okay, as long as you're a little careful with your spaghetti bolognese and don't lean against questionable walls.
No stains to report on my noragi. You will note the 3 thin bracelets on the wrist to accessorize the outfit.
I will update this part as this piece lives.
Let's talk style: how to wear a noragi?
The noragi is a garment that fits well into more casual outfits.
On the contrary, such a jacket has no place with a dress shirt, a tie or brogues.
So, choose t-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jeans, chinos and other sober sneakers.
Here are some suggested looks, the challenge here being to deal with a very light colored jacket.
Look 1: subtle simplicity
BonneGueule t-shirt, Officine Générale pants, Superga sneakers
Instinctively, I see the noragi with sober, plain pieces with a comfortable cut for a minimalist look.
The light wool flannel pants, high waisted with just the right amount of fullness and a pleat at the front, fits well into this register. I choose to wear the bottom rolled up and unaltered with a sewn hem for a more relaxed visual fit.
On top, I favor a light gray t-shirt to create contrast with the ecru of the jacket. This t-shirt is pocketless, in a clean look approach.
I would have liked to wear some recently ordered Buttero sneakers on my feet, which I unfortunately received two days after this shoot. Contrasting sole Superga's totally work here.
My ideal vision for this look included these pretty sneakers in quite a deep color.
Look 2: blue, white and... burgundy
BonneGueule t-shirt and sneakers, Norse Projects jeans
The idea here was to wear the noragi with denim. I choose my Norse Projects bleach jeans that I had the opportunity to present to you here and that I really like.
On his feet, simple white sneakers. It always works.
And on top, a burgundy t-shirt for a blue/white/burgundy triptych that is quite soft on the eye. Indeed, the blue is rather clear, luminous and the red is not bright.
If you choose to wear the jacket closed, I like the idea of letting the knot show by leaving a small space between the two sides.
Look 3: and with a shirt then?
Good Quality Shirt
For those wondering if a shirt would work: yes, it does. This is the same look as the previous one, with an ecru shirt. Yes, but the ecru tends towards gray, while the ecru of the jacket leans more towards yellow, which creates just the right amount of contrast.
This shirt also has the particularity of being in a slub Japanese cotton.
For the most curious among you, I had the opportunity to mention the shirt worn here in my nuggets .
So: go for casual shirts with a noragi. If you have one in a visual and textured Japanese material like here, it's even better.
Loan and Antoine's opinions on the noragi Shuren Projects
As indicated at the beginning of the article, two other members of the team acquired a Noragi from the brand at the same time as me. Here is their return:
Loan, right arm of the DAF
Hello everyone, I'm Loan, working in the financial department of BonneGueule and bargain hunter like David. So, when we noticed promotions on the Shuren Projects website, a common order was obvious.
It was a great opportunity to acquire a fairly strong piece in my wardrobe , which is still rather simple because I have only been interested in this environment for 1 year.
I then chose this gray/navy blue noragi model , 100% cotton and having a fairly marked roughness that I appreciated.
This noragi is light enough to be worn both when it's a little hot but also for layering when the thermometer drops a little.
As explained by David, the finishes of my model are imperfect on the inside and a seam is a little messed up at the bottom of the right side. Nothing serious: for the price paid (70€) it remains totally acceptable.
The color of this slightly bluish gray allows me to easily combine it with many outfits , here the BojnneGueule short-sleeved henley , Commune de Paris pants and Common Projects sneakers.
I appreciate the rendering of sand/blue colors as well as the combination of textures.
In conclusion, I am very happy with this purchase. A good quality product for the price and providing a good introduction to the noragi jacket.
Loan wears size S/M here.
Antoine, graphic designer
The strong points
- A good gateway to the noragi jacket thanks to accessible products (less than €100) and with a certain cachet
- Payment by Paypal, secure and allowing you to benefit from the “ refunded returns ” option
The weak spots
- Sometimes imperfect production
- Constraints due to shipping from Malaysia: shipping costs, customs, returns possible but complicated
- Stocks are limited, small brand requires
- (Also, be careful with the brand's other ready-to-wear clothing, which tends to be short)
