This simple, sustainable blazer is here to save your summer
From L’Estrange London, the lightweight ’24 Blazer’ is as elegant as it is essential; and will see you through summer in style…
Words: Jonathan Wells
In association with:
This summer is shaping up to be a blazer; a real sun-soaked scorcher. Expect warmer weather; longer, more languid days and plenty of al fresco fun. And, whether you find yourself wandering around a garden party or meeting up with friends for a casual drink, expect one thread to string every event together: a finely-stitched jacket from L’Estrange London.
Because, while this may be a blazer of a summer, L’Estrange has given us the blazer of the summer. Upon launching its first smart jacket last year, the brand’s ‘24 Blazer’ sold out quicker than you can unpick a sewn-shut pocket. And why wouldn’t it? In general, blazers are beautiful things — as elegant as they is essential, and the perfect pieces to straddle dress codes from smart-casual to cocktail attire.
And the ’24’ design is the best of the blazery bunch. Customers cottoned on — and couldn’t get enough of it. But L’Estrange wanted to do better. So, after selling each and every blazer they’d made, the team quizzed and queried its loyal customer, asking; how can we improve our versatile summer staple? They took note, took stock and — just in time for summer — the brilliant blazer is back.
L’Estrange co-founder, William Green, models the ’24 Blazer’
So what’s new? The original ’24 Blazer’ was engineered to be as comfortable as it was versatile. To bring it to life, L’Estrange took a formal jacket and gave it a thoroughly summery spin; reconstructing the sharp silhouette by removing the bulky shoulder pads and stripping it of any unnecessary, unsightly lining. It gave us an easy-to-wear, go-to garment. And this latest iteration, seen here worn by L’Estrange co-founder William Green, takes things one sustainable step further.
Because sustainability has always been firmly woven into the fabric of the British brand. Since starting-up in 2013, L’Estrange has maintained a firm focus on the concept of ‘de-growth’. It’s a stylish stand taken against waste; one that persuades people to actually buy fewer clothes — but buy better.
So, rather than stuffing your wardrobe with fast fashion, the company encourages you to simplify your wardrobe into a modular clothing system, consisting of only eight eco-friendly pieces — including ‘The Tailored Tee’, ‘The All Day Shirt’ and ‘The Hood’.
It’s a system summed up by the brand’s motto: ‘With Less, Do More’. And this commendable sustainability extends across the entire L’Estrange range. The new-and-improved ’24 Blazer’, for example, is cut from an organic cotton — soft to the touch and with added stretch. And that’s only one of the jacket’s environmentally-friendly, effortlessly-stylish credentials.
Elsewhere on the updated design, you’ll find handy bluffed-on pockets, two buttons crafted from naturally-sourced, renewable ‘Corozo nut’ and practical internal welt pockets. But perhaps the most useful feature can be found around the cuffs. Detailed to allow easy adjustment, the ’24 Blazer’ is designed in such a way that you won’t need to re-tailor the shoulders if the sleeves need shortening.
It’s a smart move; another sensible, tangible touch that gives the ’24 Blazer’ more utility and flexibility than almost any other smart-casual jacket. And the colour options are as versatile as the style itself — with traditional tonal options including navy, black, grey and beige.
But the ’24 Blazer’ isn’t all L’Estrange has to offer. Among its eight essentials, the brand’s ‘24 Trouser’ design is just as useful; stepping up where other smart-casual strides have failed. These trousers have learnt similarly ergonomic lessons; and feature a hidden elastic waistband to eliminate the need for a belt, an easily foldable hem to make shortening a cinch, and the same soft organic cotton construction — breathable and lightweight — as the brand’s complementary, clean-cut blazer.
The trousers are also available in the same four shades as the blazer above (as well as an additional khaki colourway), offering customers an easy, breezy suiting solution for the summer.
So, whether you’re looking for a fresh office outfit for the warmer weather, or just want something a little smarter for summer weekends, buy the blazer, buy the trousers — or buy both. Thanks to the ethos, elegance and attention to detail of L’Estrange’s eight-piece system, you can’t go wrong with any combination.
Want more summer style tips? Here’s how Duke + Dexter captures the soul (and soles) of summer…
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