Disappearing in the 1960s, the design made a comeback in the broad’n’bold seventies, mainly courtesy of the
iconoclastic tailoring house Nutters of Savile Row. It has been 29 years since Nutter died, but Edward Sexton’s solo
status is as potent as ever. Amongst his mastery is a midnight blue wool greatcoat. Dramatic with its generous
stand-and-fall collar and full wrap, ‘S-shaped’ double-breasted closure and pleated and panelled back, it is
certainly an imposing coat. However, don’t be put off by its pomp; you don’t need to wear a tie with it; in fact, an
Edward Sexton rollneck or hidden
button-down shirt that has a substantial collar, percolates the sophisticated side of rock ‘n’ roll, which is no bad
thing right now.
Historically, the Ulster coat was worn by Victorians as a daytime overcoat. It was Rubinacci house,
however, that was the first to popularise - and elevate - its style in the 1930s. Seen on the backs of Italian
royals, actors and the upper echelons of society alike, the Ulster coat has stood the test of time thanks to its
timeless style, practicality and technical detailing. It is arguably considered the seminal tailored greatcoat - and
the perfect addition to any man’s winter repertoire.
“The Ulster coat is one of the most complex coat designs to make due to its technical
details, such as the martingala. It can sometimes take up to 10 hours to craft one complete coat,” explains Luca
Rubinacci, Creative Director of Rubinacci.
Steeped in the history of overcoat fanfare is the old-school herringbone pattern. Worn by Clark Cable and Ronald
Reagan, two alpha males of Hollywood and in Reagan’s case, the White House, the herringbone overcoat commands a
certain masculinity. The understated texture of herringbone means that it works marvellously when worn unbuttoned
and dressed down, with more casual trousers and dare I say it black sneakers. Recently welcomed into our e-commerce
fold, MP Massimo Piombo promotes an alternative vision of luxury; one that finds elegance in imperfection. Woven in
a wider than usual herringbone, the brand’s Douglas overcoat is a prime example of what Massimo likes to call the
“Piombo cocktail”, a blend not of traditional and contemporary, but of different styles and tastes. Featuring an
expanded and beautifully cut notch lapel, it is a nod to the ‘70s, whilst its exclusive virgin wool is something to
lust after.
Anchored in Naval heritage the peacoat is one of menswear’s principal essentials. Cut shorter to give greater freedom
of leg movement to sailors who first wore it, the peacoat does come in a broad range of guises; none more so than Cromford Leather’s navy
shearling sheepskin Newman peacoat. An exotic example, it traverses very easily between smart and casual
occasions.
If your wardrobe is yearning for a more traditional model of peacoat in the finest vintage cloth, then Italian
tailoring titans Rubinacci should be your port of call. Manchester-based outerwear specialist Private White V.C.
also offer splendid versions of the peacoat. This style has also enjoyed many cinematic outings in its time. There
was Robert Redford in Three Days of Condor, 1975 and Steve McQueen “The King of Cool” in The Sand
Pebbles, 1966. Although the coat is considered functional, many of Hollywood’s most stylish men have worn the
peacoat with real pizzazz and panache. Edward Sexton’s great peacoat will lend a splash of eccentricity that is
worthy of being cast in the movies. On the theme of avant-garde outerwear, Motoluxe’s midnight blue alpaca and Mohair
peacoat is an imperious and comforting alternative to the full-length teddy bear coat.
Biblical deluges can strike at any moment. Not that you can always predict this volatility, but it’s always handy to
have a few raincoats in your arsenal. It is arguably the leading proprietors in Europe’s three main hubs of
artisanal excellence who will protect you from the wet weather scenarios with their exquisite raincoats: Anderson & Sheppard from
London, Cifonelli from Paris and Rubinacci from Naples.
Every year you may have had the same idea about your stalwart winter coat. It acted as the smart top layer to your
suit on your commute. Even the sophisticated double-breasted options have so much more breadth in styling
possibilities, so now is the time to be more adventurous in the way you wear them, which might mean the addition of
a few more options into your wardrobe.
Please visit here to view the rest of
the coats onTheRake.com.
