Lafayette 148 has introduced L148 Outdoor, a capsule collection of Made in Italy waterproof outerwear for spring selling.
The collection of versatile classics features a trench, an elongated anorak and a car coat. Each unlined piece has thermo-sealed taped seams providing water resistance.
“Outerwear is part of the brand DNA. The company has a history of designing beautiful, versatile outerwear well before my time here, a category the customer has come to rely on Lafayette 148,” said Emily Smith, creative director. “But that doesn’t mean we get comfortable in our best practices. My approach to design is 360. We look to the past for inspiration and knowledge, to the present for the immediate needs of our customer and to the future for ingenuity and progress.”
She said the way they decided which three pieces to focus on was based on the customer’s needs. “The customer is evolving and growing as we continue to push on design and innovation. This doesn’t mean that what we’re providing her with, what we’re offering, shouldn’t be focused and be an essential to her wardrobe. We developed the first key three styles for launch, giving extreme attention to a level of enhanced execution. Confident we, with great credit to the artisans in Italy, achieved what we set out to do: timeless design and masterful construction.”
Related Galleries
The outerwear retails between $2,298 and $3,298. The garments carry the Lafayette 148 New York label, and are being carried at Lafayette 148’s freestanding stores and e-commerce, along with Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. The outerwear is manufactured in Tuscany, where their partners’ multigenerational expertise and commitment to sustainable practice helped craft each piece.
Lafayette 148 is using Italian structured cotton that has a flourine-free water-repellent finish. The super-light double-face fabric is created through bonding two layers of compact cotton, creating a natural barrier against the elements. It also uses Italian tech cotton with is 64 percent cotton and 36 percent Polyamide flourine-free water-repellent finish. This fabric features a technical weave construction that combines high-density cotton warp yarns and Nylon super-matte weft yarns.
Thermo sealing and thermo welding techniques are also used in several outerwear pieces. In thermo sealed, for example, the tape is applied along the seam by a combination of pressure and heat, creating a water-proof seal to prevent rain from entering the holes left by the traditional stitching. For thermo welded, traditional stitching is replaced entirely and the edges of fabric are welded together by precise heat and pressure applied to the tape along the seams. This allows the garment to be manufactured with the minimum thickness. The garments are left unlined to expose the craftsmanship of the contrast tape.
Proportions feature Italian bridle and Nappa trims, along with soft ruching on the sleeves and the signature Lafayette 148 copper cuoio tone.
Smith explained that the Lafayette 148 woman relies on them for strong outerwear, particularly in the fall and especially in the Northern market. They are opening a store in Toronto this year and anticipate “entering the market strong.”
For fall, Smith said they will be adding new styles to the L148 Outdoor capsule, as well as developing heirloom outerwear pieces. “Outerwear has to be both designed for aesthetic and functionality,” she said. “We’ve already taking wait list requests for a long hair Italian shearling. In true Lafayette 148 style, the coat is reversible.”
FOR MORE STORIES: