Ferla / No-286
I don’t intend on writing a presentation on every jacket in my path, like I do with the suits.
That being said, I find quite a few of the jackets I acquire to be too amazing not to. Whether it be the fabric or a new model there’s more often than not something I feel like sharing. This jacket, being a new jacket model in my line-up I thought deserved a presentation. Furthermore, the Ferla fabric it is made from also seemed to deserve a little time in the spotlight.
Specs
Fabric: Ferla
290g
Wool 37%, Nylon 25%, Silk 19%, Linen 19%
Ring Jacket Jacket Model No-286
Plain Weave
Half Lined
3 roll 2 Buttoning
Patch Pockets
Lapel Width: 9,5cm
Working Buttons
No-286 Jacket
Among the RTW jackets Ring Jacket offers, this is yet another one with fairly wide lapels.
My attraction to wider lapels will be explained in an upcoming post, but I am definitely not alone in having this preference.
I’m curious because I’ve heard people referring to this jacket model as a more modern look than let’s say the model No-269, but I am of the opposite impression. I’ll use the No-269 jacket model for comparison, seeing as they both sport a 9,5cm lapel.
As most jacket models you’ll find in the Ring Jacket catalogue the No-286 model is also inspired by Neapolitan tailoring; A soft shoulder finished with quite a nice amount of shirring and 3-roll-2 buttoning.
The cut on the model No-286 is not as forgiving as the No-269. The reason I tend to stay with the latter model is that it’s a little more roomy, making it a good base model to taper down from. On the other hand, on the No-286, the armholes are cut higher, which of course is preferable.
But in the case of this model, the chest is also narrower, which in combination with the higher armholes makes it somewhat restrictive on my body. Thus, whether this model fits on me in my size comes down to slight differences from jacket to jacket and which fabric is used.
Model No-286 has notched lapels with a slightly lower gorge line. In addition, the lapels has a slightly more diamond shaped look as opposed to the V-shape of the No-269.
Yet the belly runs wider and has a slight curve to it, again as opposed to the No-269 which is fairly straight.
The lapels on this model I really like. The cut can be a little more tricky, but once it fits it fits amazingly.
It’s quite likely I will be using this jacket for future casual suits, mostly for variation, but also because it has a relaxed feel to it.
Ferla fabric
I never really was a big fan of nylon and synthetic fibers. Of course, the renowned mills and merchants know what they are doing and I will admit that I took Ferlas reputation for making great jacket fabrics into consideration on this one. Just to point out, I’m not of the opinion that the synthetics are all bad, I just prefer the natural fibers.
With this fabric the colour scheme and texture was completely different than anything I’d worn and seen before. It took me a while to decide on whether to buy this or not, but now I am very happy I did. it’s a great addition.
In the case of Nylon it seemingly has cooling properties and adds some stretch. But in a cloth like this which is quite dense, I can’t see the properties adding anything in terms of overall wearability on the hottest days. It doesn’t wear warm as such, but more so than the lighter wool/silk/linen mixes I have.
The texture has a bouclé type of feel to it which is quite interesting. I always associated bouclé with women’s wear and especially jackets. So, if we’re being conservative, it’s a nice way to push the limits a little. That being said, the bouclé texture is not done overtly visible and looks balanced.
Conclusion
As I mentioned earlier, I really like this model. It has the casual vibe, the wide lapels and a beautiful shoulder. It serves a different purpose than the No-269 model in my opinion. While the No-269 model can be used for both formal and casual depending on the fabric, pockets and stitch details, in my opinion the No-286 model is best suited for the latter.
Conversely, If you want some of the same properties as the No-286, but a jacket for formal wear I like the No-254 model for the task.
The fabric is as amusing as it is wonderful. Completely different than what I regularly wear but I am very much pleased with it. Ferla is definitely a recommendation if you want great fabrics for jackets. Although I am not a one brand guy (albeit my recent apparent loyalty to Ring Jacket might suggest otherwise), until now I’ve mostly been turning to Carlo Barbera for jacket fabrics. Of course with the occasional reach out to Drago and others. But I might have a deeper look in the Ferla books from now on.
