Moleskin: The Unsung Hero of Winter Fabrics

With its brushed surface and sturdy feel, moleskin has a clear place in a well composed fall & winter wardrobe. It should not be regarded as a competitor to brushed wools and flannel, because it has completely unique charateristics that rather complement flannel. It deserves a unique spot in the wardrobe.

Moleskin is a fabric that we, at BLUGIALLO started using a few years back and one that grows on us for each season. As with all of our fabrics, we only source the very best quality, and we’ve also found that they age very well, creating a unique patina with the wear of your moleskins.

Moleskin is a fabric made from densely woven cotton, initially looped, then sheared which creates a short soft pile on the upper side. It has a matte and brushed surface and a sturdy drape, yet with a soft touch. The fabric became very popular amongst British workers during the 19th century due to its insulating and windproof qualities of the fabric, but at the same time, it is highly breathable. It was commonly used in their workwear garments, most popular as a trouser.

Nowadays, it is slightly forgotten, but the quality makes it perfect in a BLUGIALLO context, since we love to work with natural, high quality materials and putting them into a more contemporary context. In the case of moleskin, the fabric is ideal for our casual, tailored trousers as well as chinos and even for tailoring shoulder pieces like a full suit, hybrid jacket or soft jacket. Simply put, it is very versatile and we love to work with moleskin fabrics to create truly unique pieces for our clients.

The moleskin is a bit like a sartorial shape-shifter. The more we use it for new, contemporary BLUGIALLO designs and products, the more we discover the benefits of the fabric. The most obvious use of moleskin however, is still for a tailored trouser or seasonal chinos (5 pocket design). As moleskin is made of specially treated cotton, it is one of the most common hypoallergenic materials as well as one of the most comfortable fabrics to wear directly on the skin. These characteristics together with the strucutured surface and sturdy drape, creates a perfect combination for a contemporary trouser.

In terms of styling, moleskin trousers are extremely versatile. Pair them with loafers, denim shirt and a tailored jacket for a range of everyday situations, or with a runner on foot, a cashmere rollneck and a tailored overcoat for the weekend. Moleskin trousers truly offer an opportunity to create a personal, expressive luxury look.

When talking about the drape when it comes to moleskin, you will never find an elegant and soft drape, as it is completely the opposite. It is rigid and sturdy. Therefore a moleskin jacket is perhaps something completely different from what you have in your wardrobe today (in a positive way).

We associate these characteristics with a more informal approach and casual looks. It can be easily used in outerwear pieces. A great example is our moleskin utility jackets, since the fabric is windproof, and our informal jackets are always completely unconstructed. It is quite hard to use moleskin as an indoor piece because of its heavy weight. For that reason, some people might find it too heavy and stiff as a traditional jacket. However, If you love moleskin and would like to have a tailored approach, there is always the possibility of creating unusual but exceptional pieces with it.

Creating an unconstructed, unlined jacket is a successful way of designing and wearing a moleskin blazer. The best approach is to talk to one of our style advisors directly or schedule a consultation with us, so we can learn more about your needs and preferences.