From easygoing to polished. Enjoy the kind of styling that only makes sense in autumn and winter, with a wool coat.

The outerwear you choose becomes the centerpiece of your winter wardrobe. What to wear this year may well be the biggest question when thinking about winter clothes. Since the pandemic, people have gone out less and often chosen clothes for comfort over style. But over the past year or so, as everyday life has returned to something closer to what it was before, more people have been refreshing their wardrobes and choosing clothes with an eye toward going out—not just for ease and freedom of movement, but for how they look.

This year, ZUTTO has made a wool coat. It's a wardrobe staple for enjoying winter style, but a wool coat can also bring to mind a certain stiffness, heaviness, or difficulty moving—reasons some people may avoid them. What ZUTTO valued most in making this wool coat was that it could be worn without having to put up with any of that. We aimed to create a coat with all the polish you expect from wool, but without the stress of extra weight or restricted movement.

Let's start by hearing from the designer and digging deeper into the product.

When it comes to wool coats, staples like the "duffle coat" and "pea coat" also come to mind. Could you tell us why you chose this particular silhouette this time?

The "New England Lamb Split Raglan Coat" we made this time is based on the shape of a Chesterfield coat. I own a coat of this type myself, and I've found it so easy to wear and so useful that the project began from a desire to share the appeal of this silhouette with everyone.

The "duffle coat" and "pea coat" have a slightly cute side to them, but the Chesterfield coat feels like outerwear you can wear in a more sharp, sophisticated way. What was it about it that you liked?

Height 160cm・GREIGE

Sweater: 30G Long Sleeve Turtleneck (JOHN SMEDLEY)

Pants: Classic Knit Pants (SHOKAY)

Necklace: Pearl Necklace (Gisel B)

Bag: Tote Bag LEATHER OLD TOTE BAG SMALL (vasco)

Shoes: Side Lace-Up Boots C-2331 DBR (chausser)

Height 160cm・GREIGE

Sweater: Grassland Women's Sweater Sienna Brown (SHOKAY)

Skirt: Corduroy Tiered Skirt (Rockmount)

Bag: HALLIE Balloon Shoulder Bag (REN)

Boots: Side Gore Boots with Heel BS1673251 Brown (Blundstone)

Height 160cm・CHARCOAL

Dress: SUPER120S Wool Side-Gusset High-Neck Dress (ZUTTO)

Scarf: Wool Stole TRIBU (INOUI EDITIONS)

Bag: Shoulder Bag COLNE MINI (Brady)

Boots: Side Gore Boots (TUFFA)

Height 160cm・CHARCOAL

Top: Long Sleeve T-Shirt GARMENT DYE T-SHIRT (YONETOMI NEW BASIC)

Pants: [Special Order] Compact Gabardine Gurkha Wide Pants (HAVERSACK)

Necklace: Necklace (SOKO)

Shoes: MILITARY DERBY SHOE 1830 Black (SANDERS)

I think its strength lies in how easy it is to pair with pants or a long skirt while still looking polished, and how its unisex impression means it can be worn no matter the occasion. This time, we aimed to expand on the versatility this Chesterfield coat already has, to create a coat that even more people could wear and cherish for a long time.

What I actually felt when I tried it on was: it's light! It's so easy to wear! I had always assumed that a wool coat meant putting up with some degree of weight and stiffness, so I was surprised at how comfortable it was to wear.

That's exactly the impression we were aiming for! The reason it feels light and comfortable to wear, despite being a wool coat, comes down to the design around the shoulders and the choice of materials.

First, let's talk about the design around the shoulders.

This is what's called a split raglan sleeve—a construction that falls under the category of what's known as a modified sleeve. The front uses a standard set-in sleeve, while the back uses a raglan sleeve, creating a three-dimensional design. Because this dimensionality is built in from the start, it creates just the right amount of ease around the shoulders, so there's almost no feeling of restriction. And it's not just about function—we also placed great importance on how beautiful the silhouette looks from the side. Even when layering a lot underneath, the silhouette stays beautiful.

That gives it a soft, airy feel around the shoulders and upper arms when you put it on. That's the area that feels most restrictive and hard to move in when wearing a thick sweater, so it's a really nice touch. What about the material? It's very light and has a lovely puffy texture, doesn't it?

We were looking for melton fabric, and among the options, we chose "New England Lamb," a fabric that's light yet full of volume. New England Lamb uses only wool from lambs 8 to 12 months old that have undergone their second shearing. The reason for using the second shearing is that it contains fewer impurities than wool from the first shearing, resulting in a higher-quality raw material that brings out the wool's natural fullness, softness, and refined texture. This fabric is finished in a way that preserves that softness as much as possible, which is why it has such a plush, soft feel.

I always had the image that melton fabric equals heavy, so it's interesting that something like this can be light and soft too. Since it's so light, I got a little curious—would you say this fabric is on the thinner side?

No, actually, I'd say it's more on the thicker side. Because the raw material's natural fullness is preserved as is, we're able to keep it light even at this thickness. It still does its job of keeping you warm, so there's no need to worry on that front.

Another thing I wanted to mention after trying it on is the pockets. They're a good, solid size, making it easy to slip things in and out. In winter, I often keep gloves in my pockets along with my phone and wallet, so I really appreciated this generous size.

We made the pockets larger and designed them without flaps so that items can be taken in and out smoothly. The coat has a full lining made entirely of 100% cupra, and since the pockets are also lined with cupra, everything slides in and out easily—another point that makes it comfortable and stress-free to use.

What about the length? Two staff members tried it on paired with a skirt and with pants to compare.

One thing that matters when choosing a coat is its length. It's a major factor in how easy the coat is to style and the overall impression it gives. It's not uncommon for a coat to look great with pants but be difficult to pair with a skirt or dress, leading to it going unworn in the end.

For the New England Lamb Split Raglan Coat, we made the length slightly longer so that it's easy to style regardless of height. Two staff members, both under 160cm tall, tried it on with a skirt and with pants, so please take a look for reference.

Left: 152cm tall, Right: 156cm tall

On the staff member who is 156cm tall, the coat's length hides about half of the knees, while on the staff member who is 152cm tall, it covers the knees almost completely. Even when paired with a long dress, the coat doesn't hide the dress entirely, so it should look well-balanced regardless of the wearer's height.

A wool coat with a classic design that isn't swayed by trends is a piece that will serve you well for years to come once you have one. We'd especially recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to fuss over outerwear choices every year.

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