The design and high quality of LEJ’s new outerwear

December 29, 2025

1

The model LEJ has expanded fairly previously yr, including attention-grabbing outerwear and general designs which are a little bit extra subtle, a little bit extra refined. And in consequence, maybe extra suited to the PS reader.

Luke Walker, the founder, is an skilled designer who has labored for each style manufacturers (eg Lanvin) and extra basic ones (eg Dunhill). That mixture along with him being an actual product individual – obsessive about garment engineering and nice supplies – has at all times made him somebody I’ve admired. He additionally simply has nice type.

Nevertheless, the LEJ vary hasn’t at all times felt prefer it’s for me. The aesthetic appeared extra suited to André or Manish, who wrote on PS about their favorite LEJ items a couple of years in the past.

On reflection that was in all probability unfair, and I used to be being a little bit lazy. The LEJ merchandise are all very effectively made, actually good worth, and I targeted an excessive amount of on the quick-release jackets and quick trousers, on the expense of easier chores and nice blousons.

Not having a bodily retailer didn’t assist, at all times making me a little bit uncertain concerning the barely playful particulars. However I lastly corrected that earlier this month, visiting Luke’s studio in Dalston and attempting on every part he had. I beloved the tailoring and the knits, and am completely satisfied to reply questions on both. However it was the outerwear that actually obtained me excited.

One of many causes I’ve at all times loved speaking to Luke is that he has a really thought of view on every part he designs. It’s not nearly recreating one thing from the previous, or about what’s going to promote essentially the most. That is perhaps a bit extra commonplace at a style firm, however classic-menswear manufacturers, in my expertise, tend to:

simply reproduce an archive piece
not see the necessity for any design view, or
not have expertise both technique to design one thing effectively

Take the leather-based jacket of Luke’s proven above. The form was impressed by outdated Ivy observe jackets, which have a really clear entrance and panels which are minimize on the bias, making a quite simple however purposeful design. The again, in the meantime, is taken from a Swiss ski jacket, which had a number of quantity and a very tight cinch on the waist to maintain all the warmth in.

“These are very purposeful, mid-century designs,” says Luke, “however they create a silhouette I actually love – an outdated Hollywood one in a approach, with that huge spherical again, nipped waist and tight booty under. Or just like the dock employee’s, the Carhartt silhouette, with the roomy jacket and close-fitting denims. Or a Wyoming cowboy in his waisted denim jacket.”

The extra examples Luke provides, the extra you see the hyperlinks between these completely different references – and also you see why the jacket has been constructed on this specific approach, engineered from elements.

In addition they make it easier to perceive the product. You see why the again is huge and the sleeves huge. They’re a part of a cohesive, full design. Even essentially the most quirky element right here – the strings that tighten the waist on the again – make extra sense if you see it within the context of that Swiss jacket that wanted to be tightened in another way for every particular person.

Curiously, Luke at all times has a approach he likes to put on these items – as you’d anticipate, given the design concerned – however he shies away from saying how something ought to be worn. “My nephew has this denim shirt I gave him and he by no means washes it,” he says. “He wears a T-shirt beneath and washes that as an alternative, as a result of he loves that sharp, flat indigo the denim begins with.

“That’s the exact opposite of me. I like garments which are thrashed, nothing is extra stunning to me than an outdated piece of clothes. However it appears to be like nice on him and that’s his approach.”

With the leather-based jacket, the corollary is maybe somebody loosening these ties on the again, so it’s not fairly as cinched. “Or, the alternative – somebody shopping for a dimension up and cinching it in much more, to magnify the impact,” says Luke.

The second motive I like speaking to Luke is that we at all times get into supplies – notably, the very best materials for the look and performance of the garment.

Luke’s largest outerwear launch this winter, for instance, is a down-filled jacket with an outer shell in rip-stop nylon (above). “My default is pure fibres, and I like the outdated 60/40 supplies the classic down jackets have been product of,” he says. “However for this jacket I needed one thing huge and spherical, puffed with down. The cotton mixes don’t develop like that.”

There’s that design intention – one thing shorter and rounded that the majority puffas, actually sitting above the seat fairly than midway down it. After which there’s the purposeful facet – “That is my biking jacket, I take my daughter to high school on daily basis on my bike after which come into the showroom. It needed to be one thing I may put on all by the winter doing that.”

I particularly find it irresistible when Luke talks about private references like this, as a result of it brings the enjoyable, style facet of LEJ all the way down to earth, and I instantly see myself carrying it.

The down jacket actually is nice – a barely extra exaggerated form than the blouson, however in two nice colors, with nice particulars just like the chevrons on the physique, veg-tanned leather-based behind the snaps, and in each circumstances reversible to a darker, extra under-the-radar color.

Maybe essentially the most basic of the brand new outerwear items, although, is the opposite new launch of the winter, the shearling jacket (above). That is based mostly on the form of a LEJ staple, the Plage Coat, which having tried on once more I actually should get a model of (in all probability black or brown) this summer season.

What the shearling jacket most clearly illustrates for me is the standard of supplies Luke makes use of – and the worth for cash in them. It is a beautiful smooth merino shearling, though the standard truly comes by most on the within, which is unlined and simply has the smooth nappa leather-based. It’s a beautiful piece, and from any designer model could be way more.

“It’s a little bit like an Arnys garment,” says Luke. “It gives the look of being easy and easy, all concerning the supplies. However truly it’s laborious being that easy – tons has to enter it. As a result of this doesn’t have a belt like the opposite Plages we introduced the physique in a bit, however solely a contact as a result of we nonetheless needed the impression of a clear, straight silhouette.

“And we modified a number of issues by sampling, like initially there was shearling on the within of the collar and leather-based on the surface, but it surely appeared too Tyrolean.”

Prime of my hit record is the LEJ leather-based jacket, as a result of it’s at all times been one thing I’ve needed however discovered laborious to put on. This looks like the right mixture of high quality and distinctive however delicate type. (My classic one is lately, sadly, too small.)

However each the shearling and down jacket are in all probability the very best examples I’ve seen, and if I don’t get both this yr, I’ll actually have them on my want record for subsequent. Any time I see Luke going ahead, I’ll additionally speak to him about all of the design and materials choices concerned. For a product nerd like me, it actually brings them alive.

Luke’s studio is open by appointment any time, by the way in which, and he has extra public open days pretty repeatedly – the subsequent one is Jan 30-31. I’d say the open days are simpler, however a personal appointment provides you extra time. They’re additionally higher for out-of-towners who can’t essentially make a selected date.

lej.london

Items proven and costs: