On May 19, 1942, a bomb exploded. In the midst of a World War, Europe was torn apart. This was not an ordinary bomb. A literary bomb had just been dropped by Albert Camus: The Stranger had just been published. This novel details the – insipid ? - life of the narrator, who finds nothing more exciting than to kill to feel the weight of his existence. It is undoubtedly one of the most poignant novels of the 20th century because all the subtilties of human existence are addressed. Albert Camus received a Nobel Prize of Literature in 1957, more than 10 years after the publication of this book. There is no shortage of clichés about the writer, and what has always struck us is his impeccable sense of style. Camus had everything: a cigarette in his mouth and a raincoat on his back, Camus was straight out of a Hollywood movie. 

His influence goes beyond French borders. Today, a Japanese brand draws its inspiration from snaps of great figures of yesteryear.

Let's have a closer look. 

The japanese fascination

Clothing in Japan is quite eclectic, almost an obsession. No two styles are alike. But all have in common to have a distinctive sign. 

COHÉRENCE is inspired by portraits of legendary artists who have forged History. Their slogan is "the wardrobe of legends with the genius of today". The COHÉRENCE line conveys contemporary authenticity through unique textiles elaborated in Japan with techniques exclusively developed in the land of the Rising Sun. 

Kentaro Nakagomi is the creative director of COHÉRENCE. Fascinated by the Surrealist movements, by the New Wave, the founder tends to get closer to the Greatest men in History in their field: André Breton, Miles Davis, François Truffaut...artists who have left a mark on their time and their peers.

What makes COHÉRENCE overcoats so unique is certainly their manufacture. They are all produced in Japan, in an incredibly meticulous way for ready-to-wear! Indeed, Kentaro Nakagomi visited dozens of workshops before finding a true gem in Japan specialized in the production of coats for more than 50 years and able to meet a relatively demanding specification in terms of cutting and assembly.

The level of detail that goes into each piece is a very Japanese phenomenon. The brand does not deviate from this in any way, on the contrary, they elevate it to a maxim. For example, the armhole is narrow so to facilitate movement, all their overcoats have beautiful buttons made of real horn, a lining inspired by the horizontal stripes of Jean Cocteau's shirts, not to mention the profusion of pockets. There is no “faux-leather” buckle on a COHERENCE trench coat, as you would find in most trench coats. Instead, you will find a beautiful metal buckle with a matte finish.

The fabrics are also entirely made by the brand with their Japanese collaborators. We at Les Indispensables love knitwear, this is why we particularly like the "Tweed Chevron Jersey" which reminds us of the rustic uniqueness of Tweed but with a soft, lighter feel. 

The choice to focus on tops is also not insignificant. In an interview for Beige Habilleur, the first stockist in France, the creative director explains that in ready-to-wear there are few pieces that can achieve the degree of beauty that can be found in made-to-measure...except for outwear pieces. They don't have to fit perfectly to be elegant. Small deviations will have much less impact than a suit jacket for example. This makes the Trench Coat the ideal ready-to-wear piece to complete a wardrobe that is already geared towards tailoring. But not only.

the look

Length and comfort are two adjectives that best characterize the "AL II" raincoat. The large collar protects from the wind, the length of the piece elongates the silhouette.

All in all, COHÉRENCE clothing has a reassuring feel. They reassure by the quality of the materials chosen, by the techniques used and by the attention given to details as a guideline. 

The Fitting

COHÉRENCE sent us a size S which is perfectly suited to create a "regular fit" effect. The trench coat is worn here by Manon, who, at 1m75 fits very well.

With an atypical cream color, it goes perfectly with soft colors but also more saturated and contrasted. 

Wearing a trench coat is always a challenge: either too short, or too long, or too wide...At Les Indispensables, we can say that we are conquered by this piece, which would almost deserve a museum by itself. 

At Les Indispensables, we can safely say we are impressed by this classic piece of clothing, which would deserve a museum to itself. 

Texte : Marcos E.
Photos : Thomas M.