This is a jacket that I have designed about seven years ago for my beloved Fourface collection, ended too early.
It’s an interesting item for a numbers of reason. First, the design is an homage of an historic military parka and this is his pure soul that the wearer can feel it.
Second the roots of this jacket are very important. It is the rare Wehrmacht WWII winter parka, sought after in the Battle of Bulge and made in plain color or with the WH splinter camouflage design.
I use to call also "The Kubelwagen Jacket" because a jacket like this was often worn by driver of the German Jeep so called "Kubelwagen", below a Kubelwagen in the desert theater as driven by a patrol of German Afrika Korps.
This is a rare piece of kit that German Army have worn in several campaign, it is perfect engineered as any part of the German soldier in the WWII (German soldier of land, sky and sea was the most advanced soldier in the world during the WWII) splinter camo was perfectly developed for the European theaters, it has a reversible side where you can use also in white color, so the perfect combination for winter campaign especially after the Normandy battle.
I have bring my inspiration after study very well the original piece.
As usually, and who know me know very well my modus operandi: I don’t stole ideas, I don’t copy, I don’t make replicas.
I study, I learn: and, after, I design.
The result of my research is a sum of elements to improve the appearance of the original jacket in the modern urban contest, as usually I intend fashion as something that you have (must) to use everyday, that you have to wear without any kind of problem and often in heavy duty situation.
I think that what is important is that a garment have all the things you need in your daily usage: from the best material, to best sewing and the best design.
Starting form a cotton/nylon with waxed coating and a woven piquet made by an Italian top level manufacturer of fabrics I have put together a number of elements from my archive, even from real pieces, and also from bibliography.
I have bring the double-sided-protective closure and the pocket design of the original coats and use it for my homage startpoint. Instead to have only two pocket I apply two more pockets on the arms, inspired by DDR tank crew jacket of the late 80’s and the fur neck was bring form a US NAVY Deck Jacket, as the material, that is the same of the Navy Deck Jacket.
The lining is detachable, and a profile with a reflective trim was added to have more high visibility function when you are walking in the street: just turn the cuff and you are signaled when the light of a vehicle is coming on.
Every garment of the ANORAKS limited Edition line X Fourface collection was provided with a fly carrying a description of the original piece that was homaged and some bibliographic reference to understand the item.
The line was not really understand in the market those days. I think the problems comes from the low knowledge sales forces and the lack of faith and patience of the manufacturer that was searching for easy money and stop the line after a couple of season, they really didn’t not trust me and understand my work.
My opinion is that you can’t make easy money with those piece of history. You just have to respect. And first of all respect the person who buy it and understand the heavy work that there’s behind.
Also in my honest opinion, I have always put my customer in mind, and have respect their request, when they were searching for an authentic line of military inspired clothes: I made it! This is how I like to work.
However, I think if clothes like this and other pieces of the Anoraks limited (we were made a total of eight pieces scheduled, like the below pictured "Fallschirmjager Coat" and the "Japanese Coast Guard Deck Jacket") will be right now offered they will have more success.
(archive pictures from my bibliography are © of Mr. Werner Palinckx and Schiffer books)
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