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The Supermarine Anorak

The Supermarine Anorak

A magnetic pullover jacket made from Italian Supermarine Cotton. Highly weather resistant with 4Season side panels, sharp looks and a light, sturdy hand.

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Additional Information

Story
A light pullover jacket with an adjustable magnetic front piece. The Supermarine Anorak started out as an experiment, it's more of a fashion piece than we are used to making, but they looked so damn good we had to sew up a few more. We used a yarn-dyed Supermarine fabric from Italy for a sturdy handfeel, good looks and high weather resistance. 4Season side panels ensure movement and breathability as well as two-way side zips for extra ventilation. Partial front zip, front kangaroo pocket and rear zip carry pocket round it all out.
Fabric
The secret to the future, they say, is hidden in the past. Supermarine® Cotton is a 21st century edit to a nearly forgotten World War II fabric. You can think of it as the pinnacle of cotton technology, extremely breathable, highly water resistant and completely windproof. 100% Cotton fibers woven together in a complex weave that swells up and seals when exposed to water. The result is a beautiful cloth that we think is the best rainy day fabric around.

For decades it's been obscured from the public, kept alive mainly by demand from a few Air Force units, Antarctic explorers and funnily enough, bird watchers; all who have different understandings of its unique properties. Supermarine® Cotton stays comfortable under pressure and there is none of that sweaty/clammy feeling you get with GoreTex and other synthetic "waterproof-breathable" fabrics. It isn't technically "waterproof" by government standards but you can stay dry for hours in the rain wearing it. The dense weave combined with the premium fiber results in a fabric that is simultaneously tough and supple and it breaks in beautifully.

Historically this fabric is an updated version of a fabric the British invented in World War II to keep their pilots alive in the North Sea if they happened to get shot down. It was later used by the British Navy, in Antarctic exploration and by Edmond Hillary during the first ascent of Mount Everest. It was even used to make firehoses and eventually found its way into high-end hiking gear. Since it requires a very dense weave of the most expensive cotton fibers on the market, it never quite broke through into the mainstream and with the advent of GoreTex it faded from the general marketplace. Bird watchers still sought it out since it's significantly quieter than the loud synthetic fabrics that took over, while Antarctic teams prized it for its amazing windproof quality. The main customer of the past few decades however has been various Air Forces who understood just how superior a fabric it is, and are willing to pay for it.

We source this version of Supermarine® Cotton from Italy and it differs from the historical British version in two important ways, it is lighter and it is treated with a premium durable water resistance (DWR) that is not wax-based. The water resistance in the historical formulation comes from two factors, the denseness of the weave and the fact that cotton fibers swell up when exposed to moisture. Adding the DWR treatment into the mix results in a significantly superior rain repellant and breathable fabric that far outclasses both the synthetic "waterproof-breathable" fabrics of the world and the heavy, clammy Barbour-style waxed cotton. It looks better, wears better and is dramatically more comfortable.
Details
  • The Supermarine Anorak

  • Body made of 100% cotton, Side body made of 80% Nylon, 10% Polyester, 10% Elastane

  • Fully removable magnetic front piece

  • 4Season side body panels for freedom of movement

  • Tan jacket has army green contrasting side body

  • YKK Two way side vent zippers

  • Modified Pivot sleeve construction

  • Excella partial front zipper

  • Front kangaroo pocket

  • Back zippered carry pocket

  • Elastic cuffs

  • Fully finished with Supplex binding

  • Fits true to size, a cut designed to look good on a range of body types

  • Available in Tan and NavyGray

  • Spot clean or Dry clean only

  • Made in New York City
    • Sizing
    Fits true to size, a cut designed to look good on a range of body types.

    Size Chart (in inches)
    X-Small Small Medium Large X-Large
    Chest Size 34 36 38 40 43
    Body Length Front 26.5 27 27.5 28 28.5
    Sleeve (From Center Back) 33 33.5 34 35 36
    Colors
    NavyGray

    NavyGray

    Tan

    Tan