Sustainability might feel like the buzzword of the moment, but it has shaped French menswear brand De Bonne Facture since the beginning. It makes timeless, quietly stylish clothes from brilliant fabrics and each piece comes with a tag detailing the atelier in which it was made and the history behind it.
For designer Ms Déborah Neuberg, who cut her teeth at Hermès, this connection between wearer and maker is simply how she approaches design. “Essentially, it’s a variation on our styles with our signature aesthetic that is both elegant, natural and relaxed, but using only sustainable materials,” she says. Below, Ms Neuberg gives us a personal insight into the work that went into three pieces in the collection.
01. The impossibly soft sweater
Wool and Alpaca-Blend Sweater
“The yarn for this wool and alpaca sweater comes from a Peruvian mill that I love working with for its commitment to sustainability and because they work with small farmers and natural yarns that are undyed. The knitting is done at Maglificio di Traversi, a small family-owned atelier just south of Milan. The sweater has no seams. This wool is really nice because it’s both fuzzy and very warm, and the ecru is a beautiful and soft early-spring colour.”
02. The everyday twill trousers
Tapered Wool-Flannel Trousers
“These tapered easy trousers are one of our signature styles. They have an elasticated waist, which makes them comfortable and easy to wear. The fabric is organic Japanese cotton twill.”
03. The timeless wool jacket
Herringbone Wool Jacket
“The herringbone wool jacket is made from Pyrenean wool with a special colour combination of natural undyed yarns from regional breeds of sheep carefully selected for their natural colours. Its raglan sleeve makes for a soft shoulder and it has tabs at the back with horn buttons. It was made on the outskirts of Paris by a small family-owned maker.”