Tour Three Lookbook

It is no coincidence that within ten miles of our Manchester factory lie some of the finest producers of woollen cloth in the world. The north of England is justly recognised as one of the great producers of fabric and these manufacturers have centuries of experience in the industry.

From setting sail on the high seas to popping into your local – it’s fair to say that the humble Peacoat has had a storied pilgrimage en route to your wardrobe.

The cliché runs that the Inuit have more than 50 words for snow. If that’s true, then Manchester must have a similar number for rain. A city with such a reputation for precipitation is the ideal place to find a raincoat. The Private White V.C. Ventile® Mac is the perfect iteration of this garment, uniting style with practicality – and made in Manchester.

Every year for the past four years, I've developed a piece of outerwear with the lovely team at Private White V.C. in Manchester. The aim each time is to realise my version of a classic piece in the male wardrobe

At the mention of Riri, Mike Stoll, MD at Private White VC and veteran of the Manchester clothing industry, vanishes into his extensive archive and reappears - his arms laden with coats. Selecting one, Stoll explains: “I must have worn this jacket for about 14 years. It’s worn out but the zip is like new.” A demonstration reveals it still works perfectly.

A picture speaks a thousand words and in the background of our boardroom you will see a montage of photographs, pencil drawings, hand-written letters, and even a 50 year old school report addressed to our Managing Director, Michael (Graham) Stoll who is approaching his half-century at the factory.

This is the new Donegal Overcoat - the update on the raglan coat released last year.  The only change on that version is the colour and the weight of the cloth. We decided to go with a heavier tweed this year, to make it into a true Winter coat: it's now 800g rather than 620g.

Water proofing all boils down to one thing - fabric, and few do it better than an old faithful friend of ours; Ventile.