Origin: France
70s Vintage (mint condition)
Tag: Made in France
Fabric: Leather
Composition: Lambskin
Measurements (cm)
Chest: 55
Length: 77
Shoulder: 46
Sleeve: 65
SKU: 004776
This tailored blazer embodies meticulous craftsmanship and a carefully considered fabric choice, suggesting origins from a high-end designer label. The dark green base fabric, interwoven with fine pinstripes in brown and metallic silver, creates a refined yet contemporary aesthetic, seamlessly balancing heritage tailoring with modern sensibilities. The garment’s structured yet slightly relaxed fit speaks to a designer who appreciates classic menswear traditions but is unafraid to reinterpret them through an avant-garde lens. The pinstripe detailing, while referencing traditional business suiting, softens its formality by introducing a brushed wool-blend texture, making it as suitable for semi-formal occasions as it is for directional styling. This blazer follows a single-breasted structure, a staple within menswear, yet it subtly disrupts traditional tailoring through its oversized proportions and fabric treatment. The silhouette is elongated, extending just past the hips, nodding to late 1990s and early 2000s oversized tailoring trends. The lapels are cut in a striking peak style, adding an element of formality while asserting a bold presence. The pocket construction introduces a slight departure from strict business suiting conventions, incorporating two large patch pockets with visible topstitching. This detail aligns more closely with workwear-inspired tailoring, lending a relaxed sophistication that makes the blazer adaptable for both structured and deconstructed styling. The fabric composition further elevates the garment. The exterior material is a wool-blend twill with a subtly brushed finish, lending it a matte, textured surface that diffuses light rather than reflecting it. The pinstripes, alternating between warm brown and metallic silver, introduce an element of quiet opulence, reminiscent of early 20th-century striped business suits that incorporated fine lustrous threads for depth and dimension. The interior is fully lined in a deep green satin-finish material, likely a viscose or acetate blend, chosen for its breathability and smooth wearability. This lining complements the outer fabric while reinforcing the garment’s durability. The inner welt pocket construction, secured with a button closure, emphasizes the attention to detail present throughout the piece. The weave of the fabric exhibits characteristics associated with traditional flannel or covert twill, both of which were historically used for military and equestrian tailoring due to their durability and resistance to fraying. The structural integrity of the twill weave, combined with a soft hand from the slight fulling or brushing process, creates a perfect balance between rigid tailoring and tactile richness. Comparatively, this textile aligns with historical woolens produced in the West of England or French Drap de Luxe, both known for their fine finishing techniques that enhance durability while maintaining an elegant drape. Examining contemporary textile mills, the fabric used in this blazer can be compared to those produced by Vitale Barberis Canonico in Italy, renowned for its finely woven striped woolens with subtle surface finishing. Fox Brothers in the UK, a historic mill specializing in flannel and twill-woven woolens, produces similarly dense, well-structured fabrics. Dormeuil, a French mill, is known for its luxury wool compositions that integrate refined stripe detailing and soft finishing, often catering to high-end tailoring houses. Loro Piana specializes in high-end wool-silk blends, incorporating decorative metallic threads into their weaves for an elevated touch. The combination of a soft hand, brushed texture, and fine pinstriping situates this fabric within the realm of expertly crafted luxury textiles. The blazer’s structural elements are executed with precision, reinforcing its high-end tailoring pedigree. The shoulders exhibit a lightly structured form, relying on minimal padding to maintain a strong yet unrigid frame. The set-in sleeves follow a natural shoulder line, meticulously sewn to ensure the proper pitch and drape of the garment. Darting along the front panels provides gentle shaping, accentuating the waist without an aggressive taper, while the back features a center vent to facilitate movement. The lapels are reinforced with a floating canvas interlining, allowing them to hold their shape over time while maintaining a soft roll. The buttonholes, stitched with clean precision, suggest hand-finishing or a highly skilled machine-sewn process, further confirming the garment’s refined construction. The pocket design contributes to the blazer’s fusion of formal and workwear influences. A single welt chest pocket adheres to classic tailoring conventions, while the larger patch pockets on the lower half introduce a utilitarian aesthetic, setting this piece apart from purely traditional suiting. This juxtaposition between structured tailoring and casual detailing enhances the blazer’s versatility, allowing it to transition across different dress codes with ease. The construction techniques highlight an advanced approach to garment finishing. The interior features neatly bound seams, reinforcing the lining’s attachment while preventing fraying. The fully lined body ensures smooth wearability, with the deep green satin providing a tonal complement to the exterior fabric. The hem is finished with a clean edge, likely executed through blind stitching or a carefully controlled topstitching method that maintains a seamless appearance. The fit follows a slightly boxy yet controlled silhouette, a hallmark of 1990s and early 2000s suiting that sought to deconstruct rigid tailoring. Despite the relaxed waist, the multiple-panel construction ensures that shaping is subtly maintained, avoiding the excessive draping associated with oversized tailoring. The two-piece sleeve pattern enhances movement, ensuring the garment conforms naturally to the body’s contours without excess bulk. Collar and sleeve detailing are executed with sharp precision. The wide notch lapels are cut to accentuate the jacket’s commanding presence, reinforced with proper interlining to ensure they retain their crisp fold. The buttons, likely horn or a tonal resin composite, blend harmoniously with the dark green base, further reinforcing the garment’s cohesive design language. The sleeve buttons, likely non-functional, remain in keeping with traditional tailoring, ensuring the overall aesthetic remains polished. The artistic influence behind this blazer likely stems from a fusion of classic British tailoring and Japanese deconstructionist aesthetics. While the pinstripe motif is rooted in historical business attire, its reinterpretation through the brushed wool fabric challenges conventional power dressing narratives. The incorporation of metallic thread suggests an appreciation for textile innovation, an element often explored by designers such as Haider Ackermann and Rick Owens, who frequently manipulate texture and surface detailing to elevate traditional menswear codes.
The overall execution suggests alignment with fashion houses known for their innovative approach to menswear, such as Dries Van Noten, Lemaire, Yohji Yamamoto, or even early Helmut Lang and Raf Simons. These designers are known for blending structured tailoring with unconventional textiles and pattern manipulations, creating garments that challenge the rigid confines of classic menswear. The presence of a Made in France tag reinforces the likelihood that the blazer was crafted within the realm of Parisian ateliers or a luxury brand that values heritage craftsmanship. Labels such as Lanvin or Hermès share an affinity for understated yet exceptionally constructed suiting, where fabric choice and finishing are paramount to the garment’s identity. Historically, the proportions and design elements of this blazer indicate a production date from the late 1990s to early 2000s, an era characterized by the shift away from rigid power suiting towards softer, more fluid constructions. Designers during this period experimented with looser silhouettes while maintaining the authoritative presence of structured suiting, marking a pivotal moment in contemporary menswear. The garment retains strong fashion relevance today, particularly within the context of the resurgence of relaxed tailoring. Contemporary designers are revisiting elongated, soft-shouldered suiting, favoring versatility and nonchalant elegance. This blazer aligns seamlessly with that movement, making it a desirable piece within both modern wardrobes and luxury resale markets. In final assessment, this blazer exemplifies a masterful balance of refined craftsmanship, innovative textile selection, and intelligent tailoring. From its structured lapels to its fully lined interiors, every detail reflects technical excellence. The wool-blend fabric, with its metallic pinstripe accents, elevates it beyond standard suiting, lending it a textural depth that enhances its visual and tactile appeal. This is a garment that straddles the line between classic tailoring and contemporary avant-garde fashion, ensuring its lasting significance both as a collector’s piece and as a staple for those who appreciate directional suiting. The craftsmanship, fabric innovation, and versatile design position this blazer as a rare yet essential wardrobe investment, effortlessly bridging the past and present of luxury tailoring.
With a silhouette that reflects a late 20th-century approach to structured yet fluid tailoring, the garment exhibits a synthesis of Neapolitan and Parisian school influences. The broad lapels, soft shoulders, and defined chest emphasize an elegant, commanding presence, reminiscent of the hand-finished precision found in Cifonelli’s Parisian atelier. Their distinctive shoulder work and sculpted lapel roll align with the precise tailoring seen in this blazer, indicating a deliberate approach to form while maintaining movement and ease. From an English perspective, Anderson & Sheppard’s signature soft drape cut, which enhances comfort without sacrificing structure, is apparent in the blazer’s natural sleeve pitch and relaxed construction. Chittleborough & Morgan, known for their sharply defined chest and structured waist suppression, offer a similar aesthetic, especially in their approach to robust, architectural pinstripe patterns. The refined wool twill fabric with a soft, almost brushed hand aligns with Henry Poole’s commitment to luxurious woolens sourced from the finest mills, evoking their lineage in crafting bespoke garments for aristocracy. Caraceni, as the premier name in Italian bespoke tailoring, brings an uncompromising approach to structure and craftsmanship, evident in the blazer’s crisp lapel edges and hand-stitched detailing. Sartoria Ciardi and Orazio Luciano both specialize in a softer, more expressive Neapolitan cut, which resonates with the blazer’s natural shoulder line and gently rolling lapel. Raffaele Caruso and Sartorio Napoli bridge classicism with modern tailoring, evident in their lightweight, soft-finished jackets that emphasize movement without sacrificing form. The balance of strength and fluidity in this garment mirrors their design philosophy. De Petrillo, with their meticulous approach to hand-stitched lapel construction and subtly structured canvassing, embodies the refined Italian tailoring traditions seen in this piece. Huntsman Savile Row’s signature structured drape and elongated proportions find parallels in the blazer’s stately presence, while Ede & Ravenscroft’s historic expertise in judicial and ceremonial tailoring is reflected in the disciplined, precise execution of the pinstripe pattern alignment. Maurice Sedwell’s emphasis on clean, architectural lines and the interplay of structure and softness align with the blazer’s sharp yet approachable silhouette. Rubinacci, a name synonymous with Neapolitan elegance, evokes the lightness and understated luxury of the garment’s brushed wool fabrication. Boglioli’s pioneering work in deconstructed tailoring echoes the relaxed sophistication inherent in this piece, where the fabric’s natural drape is celebrated rather than overly manipulated. Canali, known for its balance of classic menswear principles with contemporary styling, embodies the refined yet effortless nature of this jacket. Constructed in a brushed wool twill, the fabric choice reinforces a textural richness that enhances both drape and comfort. This mid-weight composition suggests a transitional season application, offering warmth while remaining breathable. The stripe pattern, slightly softened by the brushed finish, adds a discreet depth to the textile, reminiscent of vintage English suiting fabrics. The detailing, including precise lapel shaping, clean buttonholes, and subtle reinforcement of pocket edges, speaks to a high level of tailoring expertise. The artistic and historical context of this garment aligns with the late 1970s to early 1980s, a period that saw a resurgence of structured, authoritative tailoring, particularly in France and Italy. The influence of power dressing, blended with an appreciation for softer, more natural cuts, defined this era of menswear. The psychology behind the design suggests a wearer who values heritage craftsmanship but seeks comfort and adaptability, making it as relevant in a contemporary wardrobe as it was in its original context. This blazer’s alignment with the selected brands is evident in its fusion of Italian fluidity, English structure, and Parisian refinement. It represents a garment that could seamlessly exist within the collections of these tailoring houses, emphasizing its enduring relevance and sophistication.
