Define the essence of the contemporary urban man…
He has a busy life and flits from business meeting to dinner party, from an interview to a gallery opening.
He seeks a comfortable yet elegant and practical outer garment, a luxurious leather jacket that would be as suited to the office as to an exclusive cocktail party. A companion to his everyday life that combines a chic silhouette with a host of intelligent details.
Barnabé Hardy is a contemporary urban man, and he naturally came up with the concept of this range of jackets that answer his own personal needs. You are probably already familiar with Barnabé's work: this menswear specialist worked for many years alongside Nicolas Ghesquière, first at Callaghan and then at Balenciaga, where he created the men's range which he designed for eight years. His other achievements include the sweatshirt range Minets par Barnabé and the fashion direction of Mixte 100%Homme.
This first collection uses codes from the luxury wardrobe and connects them with the requirements of everyday life. Each one of the nine designs has its particular details: origami-style folds, a visible belt across the back, adjustable straps… The leather is worked in three dimensions and covers studs and cords. The square is the motif of choice, evident in the padded backs and linings, in the perforations of the butter-soft leather. A flash of electric blue underlines the lining of each design.
Short jacket or parka, each version features a myriad of ideas suited to life in the urban jungle. Double cuffs use leather and ribbing, collars are adjustable, pockets are zipped and adapted to an Iphone and a card wallet. The attention to cut, line and detail (pleats, unzippable gusset-style pockets) allow an elegant, streamlined silhouette and a remarkable ease of movement all too often absent from designer shapes. This is comfort without volume.
These sharp essentials by Barnabé Hardy are destined to become modern classics. Nathalie Fraser
