Gabardine fabric: history and details of our new collection

The Zero jacket made from Gabardine fabric

In the last article, we talked about seersucker fabric. Today, we want to present to you, the gabardine or gabardina, as we call it in Italian. It is the fabric par excellence for mid-season. Together with the Solaro or the wool-silk, they make outfits fresh with their warm colors. We must not be caught unprepared, also because, with this fabric synonymous with sun and days in the open air, we have created a new capsule collection: the Zero.

• What is gabardine fabric?
• Zero capsule collection by Eduardo De Simone
• How and when to wear gabardine fabric?
• Inspiration: from Victo Laszlo to Marcello Mastroianni

What is gabardine fabric?

The name "gabardine" derives from the work cloaks worn by French artisans during the Renaissance period. It was a long and loose coat, often lined with fur during the winter season. Gabardine was originally only in wool, then later it was also made in cotton and mixed fibers. It is a combed fabric with a diagonal, oblique weave. For this, it is very compact and worsted. Over the centuries, gabardine has been embellished, becoming in fact a component of elegant and unique outfits. In the tailoring industry, it has won the first position, but its indissoluble marriage has been for over a century with the production of trench coats.

Zero Capsule Collection by Eduardo De Simone

The new capsule collection by Eduardo de Simone is represented by the "Zero" model, a green unlined cotton gabardine jacket. In detail, it is:

- single-breasted jacket

- three-button roll two

- armhole “a camicia”

- patch pockets

As always, painstaking attention to detail emerges, typical of handmade clothing made in Napoli.

How and when to wear gabardine fabric?

A gabardine jacket, like the Zero model, fully expresses an informal style suitable for a not too official business meeting or an afternoon walk on the weekend with friends. It is important to keep in mind what is the right occasion to wear a particular item of clothing, otherwise, you make mistakes  and look inappropriate. As for the combination of a cotton gabardine jacket, we can imagine it with a classic white shirt or a polo shirt. For the pants, always remember to pay attention to the weight and therefore as well as the jacket, they must be in light fabric, in colors such as beige, gray, or powder blue.

Inspiration: from Victor Laszlo to Marcello Mastroianni

Gabardine also has its roots in the iconic world of cinema and the stars of the big screen. In particular, we were pleased to find the presence of a double-breasted cotton gabardine in the timeless film "Casablanca" (1942) directed by Michael Curtiz. The jacket is worn by the character Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) husband of Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) who arrived in Casablanca to escape the Gestapo and accidentally end up in the famous "Rick's Café Américain" whose owner is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) ex-lover of Ilsa in Paris. We will not tell you the rest if you do not know the story, but please make up for this serious lack! In addition to Victor Laszlo, we cannot fail to refer to Marcello Mastroianni and his cream-coloured single-breasted suits. Much imitated yet rather unrepeatable.