Peacoat comeback

The peacoat, about which much was blathered at the end of last year, is coming back. And, tinkering aside — marginally softer shoulders, slightly wider sleeves, squared-off pocket flaps — it’ll be the same double-breasted, fatly collared, five-button-fronted garment as before.

But then there is cloth. Last year, the peacoat was made with what came to be known as Space Invader twill, made on the looms of the one-man-mill of north-east London. It was a very fine cloth — as might be expected by something hand-woven from the freshly shorn yarn of rare and heritage breeds of British sheep. This time, however, something a little thicker was called for. And, for that, a two-man-mill — father and son in County Donegal — had the answer: a characteristically flecked Donegal wool-tweed, somewhat sturdier and denser than Space Invader twill, but a similarly textured two-colour weave.

With cloth being cut at time of typing, the peacoat will make its comeback on 1 October.