30 YEARS IN THE MAKING - THE EMINENCE JACKET

When I was 12 years old I adopted a sports jacket that was left behind after a birthday party my elder brother had hosted for twenty or so of his teenage friends. This jacket was the most sophisticated object I'd encountered. The athletic function and ease of movement made me feel so capable. The recreational style made me feel so grown-up. I imagined myself on the 1st tee of The Masters at Augusta, on a mediterranean marina, behind the wheel of a sportscar on Silverstone race track or at a rackets club, all while wearing this jacket.

Fast forward 28 years and this feeling informed my pursuit of the finest sports jacket attainable, on the market today - The Eminence jacket. I needed exceptional design (to be different, wthout being noticed purely for difference-sake), unparalleled materials, world-class assembly and something utterly beyond to make this jacket contend with the unattainable in an age of abundance. 

When I first encountered Filippo di Nardo's work, it was a pair of leather boxing gloves, with refined leather and exquisite detailing. I poured over every element of the glove, inside and out, while I chatted with the owner. Beyond the function of a boxing glove, this was art and it was luxury. It was then that I knew I had found my fifth element. 

Our Fifth Element

After a phone call with Filippo, I was on my way to Turin in Piedmont, Italy. On meeting Filippo at his studio, I found out that every pair of leather gloves are a one-off creation and made by his own hand. Filippo is a rarerity; a master craftsman of global distinction, who has focused exclusively on making gloves that have no equal. His approach to luxury is simple - products take time. They must be unique. There is no compromise. 

Inspired by what I'd encountered in Turin, I set about an uncompromising search for the finest material, without any financial considerations. Located in the Lombardy region of Italy, MecTex are renowned for making stretch fabrics for athletes, sportswear and luxury brands. Since the 1960's their accolades have tallied up to an unrivalled reputation for performance materials. The Eminence fabric has 1% carbon in the blend, a high-performance reinforcement. The fabric itself has a ripstop structure, which means it breathes and boasts incredible lightness. It is also weather-resistant, making the Eminence more versatile. We then finished the material with an anti-bacterial application to ensure odours are kept at bay.

British Design

I then flew back to Turin to show Filippo our considered British design and get his blessing for a collaboration - a celebration of artisanal skill, advanced Italian materials and British design.

One week after receiving Filippo's blessing, I landed in Kaunas, Lithuania, home to one of Europe's most innovative and advanced clothing manufacturers. We worked together over an 18-month period to refine exactly how we'd like the Eminence silhouette to shape up on sizes; Small-to-XXL and what precise features to include. 

Our signature brand colours inhabit the full-length, YKK customised zip, complete with a sports puller. Laser-cut ventilation eyelets under the arms, an elasticated half-cuff, nero collar and subtle branding all show our British design and world class assembly combined.

The first prototype was digital, using 3-D technology, which quickly informed us of the necessary refinements. Three iterations of product later, we were ready to show the world a jacket that had been 30 years in the making.

Unmatched products require time. They must be unique. There is no compromise. We give you the Eminence jacket.