What is a loden coat?

A loden coat is a long overcoat traditionally made from tightly woven and felted wool known as loden. Due to its specific finishing process, the fabric becomes naturally wind-resistant, water-repellent thanks to lanolin, and exceptionally durable. The cut is generous, allowing freedom of movement around the shoulders and back, often featuring a back pleat or cape-like shoulder construction. It is a coat born from function, not fashion, and that is precisely what gives the loden coat its understated, almost academic presence.

Origins and history of the loden coat

The loden coat originates from the Alpine regions of Austria and Southern Germany. Shepherds, hunters and landowners relied on this heavy wool coat to withstand rain, wind and cold. Later, it was adopted by the European hunting aristocracy and estate owners as part of their countryside attire during hunting weekends and outdoor gatherings.

From practical garment to discreet luxury

While other coats evolved towards decorative or fashionable expressions, the loden coat stayed true to its roots. Even when refined by noble tailoring houses, it retained its core values: function, material and silence. No shine, no theatrical details – just a coat made to work.

Fabrics – What makes loden wool unique?

Authentic loden fabric is made from pure new wool (Schurwolle). After weaving, the fabric is heavily fulled and compacted, creating a dense structure that repels rain and holds warmth without restricting breathability.

Key characteristics of true loden:

Weight: 700–900 grams per metre
Naturally wind-resistant and water-repellent due to lanolin
Hardly creases, even with intensive use
Natural elasticity, heavy but not stiff
Designed to age gracefully rather than wear out

Modern technical fabrics may imitate performance values but rarely match the natural drape, weight and quiet elegance of genuine loden.

How to recognise authentic loden

Matte finish, with no artificial sheen
Heavy in the hand, with a felt-like density
Firm grip, not sleek or synthetic to the touch
Develops patina over time, gaining depth rather than damage

Construction and bespoke interpretations

Traditional elements of a loden coat include:

A straight cut, often below the knee
A high collar that can be worn up against the wind
A back pleat or cape shoulder for movement
Large flapped pockets designed for utility
Sturdy horn, leather or metal buttons

Within bespoke tailoring, a loden coat becomes an entirely different garment. The pattern is adapted to the behaviour of the heavy cloth, ensuring the coat does not wear bulky but instead falls with controlled volume and presence.

Comparison of Coat Materials
Material	Character	Use
Loden	Functional, matte, heavy	Countryside, rain, walking, understated style
Tweed	Textured, visually lively	Country style, more expression
Formal overcoat	Elegant, lighter, with sheen	City wear, over tailoring or eveningwear

A loden coat is not a substitute for a classic overcoat – it is a deliberate alternative for those who prefer character over polish.

Care and longevity

Thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, loden naturally repels dirt and moisture. A loden coat is not washed but maintained by brushing and airing. With use, it develops a patina – not wear, but personality.

The loden coat within bespoke tailoring

In bespoke tailoring, working with loden is a craft in itself. The fabric demands strength and precision. The collar height, shoulder balance and movement pleat require careful drafting. When cut and tailored with intention, a loden coat does not feel heavy – it feels inevitable, as if it belongs to the wearer.

A coat that is meant to be made – and worn

A loden coat is not a seasonal trend. It is a conscious decision. It belongs to those who value garments with use, weight and dignity. Choosing a loden coat in bespoke tailoring means embracing both heritage and movement – not preserving tradition, but wearing it.

For those who wish to explore more on cloth selection and material expertise:
https://www.deoost.com/fabrics-cloth-suiting-shirting-english-italian-bespoke-tailor-suits-jackets

And for our philosophy on bespoke outerwear:
https://www.deoost.com/bespoke-overcoat-tailored-coat

Below you’ll find an overview of photos of this bespoke garment. The images showcase various details such as fabric, fit, finish, and construction – giving a clear impression of the suit in real life, both in full view and close-up.

Discover more coats

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Below you’ll find links to related blog posts about fabrics, styles, uses, and the thinking behind our tailoring. These articles offer further context, help you visualise your own suit, and showcase the possibilities within our bespoke process.

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A Three-Piece Bespoke Suit for the Wiener Ball in Vienna

White-Tie Outfit for a Freemason Debuting at the Wiener Ball

For a Thai gentleman making his debut at the Wiener Ball in Vienna, we created a fully bespoke three-piece suit made to measure. A commission that demanded precision at every level, because the Wiener Ball is not just any gala evening. It is one of the most formal and most iconic balls in the world, where the dress code is taken seriously and every detail counts.

Bespoke jacket: more details than you thought possible

Do you dress yourself, or do you buy clothes?

In our atelier we regularly receive requests to copy items. These are often garments that people have owned for years and that are no longer available in stores. You notice that a lot of quality clothing that used to be readily available in retail simply no longer exists. This is because quality products require a great deal of time, money and expertise.

Unfortunately we must conclude that we live in a zeitgeist where it is no longer about dressing people but simply about selling textiles with a whole lot of marketing. The result: poorly made and fitting clothing at a far too high price.

In this video you see how it can also be done, after years of wearing a jacket, we copy it (simply) so that the favourite garment can often be realised with improvements, gained through the progressive insight that comes from years of wearing it.

Peaky Blinders bespoke suit style: fabrics, fit & styling

Baste Fitting: The core of a tailor made suit

Introduction

In a world where “tailor made” increasingly means: “we take your measurements and modify a standard pattern,” the baste fit has almost disappeared.

Too expensive. Too time-consuming. “No longer necessary with modern techniques.”

But for anyone who truly understands what bespoke tailoring means, the baste fit is not optional. It is the moment when a suit transforms from a collection of patterns and cloth into a garment built around your unique body.

In this article, I take you through my own baste fitting — not as an expert, but as a client with a challenging body: a stomach, uneven shoulders, and a specific arm rotation.
Amy, our tailor, explains what she sees, why she corrects, and how she makes my body perform at its best inside a suit.

How Do You Keep Your Shirt Tucked In?

Nothing is more frustrating than a shirt that keeps coming out of your trousers. Whether you are sitting, walking, or standing up, a messy shirt is something you want to avoid.

In this short blog and video, we explain how to keep your shirt neatly tucked in without sacrificing comfort.

Super 150s Fabric Explained

Super 150s: The Story Behind the Fabric

Why a Super 150s suit is not what you think - and how to make the right choice for your professional life

Laurens-Jan's Choice: Two Suits, Two Worlds

Laurens-Jan works at Optiver, one of the world's leading high-frequency trading and market making firms. In his role, everything revolves around client contact - meetings with institutional investors, dinners with traders, moments when millions of euros in decisions are made about futures and options.

In that world, trust is everything. And trust begins in those first three seconds when you enter a room.

"My clients work with the most sophisticated financial instruments. They expect precision, reliability, professionalism at the highest level. If I didn't look like I understand that, why would they trust me with their portfolio?"
But here comes the challenge: in the world of equities and futures trading, everything happens fast. Meetings follow one another. You jump from office to restaurant to client dinner. Your suit must perform without you constantly thinking about it. It must be ready for action, always.
"I can't think every morning about whether my suit is going to hold up today. It just has to work. Think of it like silverware - it should be of such quality that you simply use it, without worry, and it remains perfect for years."
That's why he didn't choose one suit, but two very different Super 150s suits. Luxury that is reliable. Softness and durability. The best of both worlds.

The Type of Shoulder on Your Suit Jacket: Rope Shoulder, Spalla Camicia and the Classic Style

The shoulder line of a suit or jacket is one of the most defining elements of its appearance and fit. A subtle difference in construction can make a jacket look structured and formal or relaxed and natural. That’s why choosing a shoulder style is essential for anyone investing in a bespoke suit.

In bespoke tailoring, everything revolves around the balance between comfort, style, and the desired look. The way a shoulder is constructed influences not only the appearance of a suit but also how it feels and how it accentuates the wearer’s body shape. In this article, we discuss three commonly used shoulder styles: the Classic Shoulder, the Rope Shoulder, and the Spalla Camicia. We explain how they are constructed, what kind of look they create, and which styles or body types they suit best.

Do you dare to look really refined during a summer wedding? Then dress in a off-white double-breasted wool, linen & silk suit

Off-White and Lightweight: A Bespoke Suit for a Summer Beach Wedding

An off-white suit may appear simple at first glance, yet wearing it well, especially at a summer beach wedding, requires the right balance of fabric, construction and proportion.

This bespoke double-breasted suit was designed to be light, functional and refined, perfectly suited to the warm, bright and breezy conditions of a summer wedding by the sea.

At De Oost Bespoke Tailoring, we do not see a summer suit as seasonal clothing but as a thoughtful balance between coolness, comfort, mobility and aesthetics. Every detail serves a purpose.

Bespoke Tweed Jacket: Stylish and Functional for Everyday Use

Tweed, Technique and Textiles: A Bespoke Jacket Drawn From Three Tailoring Traditions

When people think of a tweed jacket, they often think of England. But this bespoke piece is not a reproduction of a British classic. It is the result of a deliberate translation of tradition into a contemporary, wearable solution — shaped through the Bespoke Tailoring method we use at De Oost.

Combining English fabrics, Italian techniques and influences from around the world is not a style statement, but a natural outcome of our core principle: creating the best possible garment for the specific client in front of us. Every choice has a purpose. Every technique has a reason.

Listening Before Measuring: Why Our Intake Form Is the First Step Toward Dressing Consciously

The Loden Coat – A Timeless Garment of Heritage, Function and Character

What is a loden coat?

Origins and history of the loden coat

From practical garment to discreet luxury

Formal freedom for the contemporary gentleman

Three dinner jackets, one pair of trousers, and the alchemy of quiet elegance

Some clients have taste, others have vision. When both come together, something rare is possible: clothing that is not only correct, but layered, personal, and surprisingly versatile.

View the galleries directly:

Black dinner jacket with peak lapels in barathea fabric
Red velvet dinner jacket with shawl collar
Off-white dinner jacket with black shawl collar in twill fabric

That’s how the conversation started with a calm gentleman, tall and lean, the owner of a biotech investment fund. Not a man of spectacle, but of precision. Not searching for a garment, but for certainty — something that simply feels right, for himself and for the occasion.

We didn’t create just a tuxedo, we created possibilities. Three dinner jackets paired with one classic black trouser, made for fundraisers, formal dinners and receptions. Traditional moments, with room for a modern interpretation of style. A quiet version of formal freedom.

Blazer Jacket Wool Cashmere Snowflake Huddersfield Fine Worsteds

Custom-Made Wool-Cashmere Blazer with Purple Check

A well-tailored blazer combines style, comfort, and character. This handcrafted blazer is made from a wool-cashmere fabric with a subtle grey-toned check pattern, enhanced by a refined purple overcheck. The fabric originates from Italy and offers both a luxurious appearance and surprising versatility: suitable for formal appointments, business settings, and stylish weekend combinations.

A Jacket with a Story — Fabric Design by Aziz Bekkaoui for a Royal Occasion

For a special occasion, we were commissioned to create a bespoke jacket that goes beyond mere aesthetics. The wearer will don this garment during an official visit by H.M. King Willem-Alexander 🇳🇱, and requested a design that is at once personal, representative, and symbolic.

Fabric as the Starting Point

The fabric is an exclusive design by Dutch designer Aziz Bekkaoui. Bekkaoui is renowned for his layered, culturally resonant designs in which identity, elegance, and social commentary converge. This particular fabric carries that signature: a visually powerful statement, with enough subtlety to allow for refined bespoke tailoring.

Wedding Suit Blue Contrast Linen Waistcoat

A Summer Wedding Suit in Balance: Bespoke Blue Wool and Linen

This bespoke three-piece wedding suit was created using a combination that feels both classic and refreshing. The jacket and trousers are made with a lightweight blue wool from the Crispaire collection by Holland & Sherry, while the waistcoat – and the matching bow tie – are crafted from a tan herringbone linen by Huddersfield Fine Worsteds. Together, they form a harmonious ensemble that looks elegant without being stiff, and is perfectly suited for a summer wedding.

Wedding Suit Blue Contrast

A Three-Piece Summer Wedding Suit: Clean, Breathable, and Versatile

For this client, we developed a three-piece wedding suit that radiates calmness, clarity, and structure. The suit is made from a Blue Contrast Solid fabric from the Crispaire collection by Holland & Sherry, woven from 100% wool with a weight of 280 grams. Due to the open weave structure, the fabric is particularly well-suited for warmer weather: lightweight, breathable, and crease-resistant. Ideal for a summer wedding — and still wearable for years to come in business or formal settings.

A heavy country tweed jacket with personal accents

Heavy tweed for the outdoors

For this bespoke combination, we selected a light brown tweed with a windowpane pattern, woven from 100% wool in a robust 500 grams per meter quality.

The fabric originates from England and comes from the Allsport II collection by Huddersfield Fine Worsteds. This collection is specifically designed for countrywear and is known for its durability, structure, and traditional colour palette.

Challenges in Working with Checked Fabrics

Working with a checked fabric, such as a camel-colored worsted flannel with a check pattern, demands craftsmanship and extra attention from the tailor. Carefully aligning the checks across seams and transitions is essential for a harmonious and professional final result.

Precise Pattern Placement and Cutting

To ensure the checks align perfectly, the pattern pieces must be placed with extreme precision on the fabric. This often means laying the fabric out single-layered rather than folded, giving the tailor full control over the placement of the pattern on the cloth.

The Philosophy of the Suit – Self-Knowledge in Cloth and Cut

More than appearance — an inner practice

Bespoke tailoring is not just an external phenomenon. Those who truly engage in the process quickly sense that it touches something deeper. Not the image you project, but how you inhabit your body and sense your own identity. Many spiritual and philosophical traditions touch exactly on this point. In this article, we explore how those teachings resonate with the world of tailoring.

The buttons on the sleeve of a jacket

The buttons on a jacket sleeve are more than mere decoration; they tell a story of style, craftsmanship, and tradition.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive guide to the different aspects of sleeve buttons – including their origins, variations, and what they reveal about a jacket’s quality.

Wedding Suit Three Piece Worsted Flannel Jacket 300g Camel Check With Linen Waistcoat 375g Blue Herringbone Fox Brothers

Timeless Fabrics, Uniquely Combined

For those seeking a wedding suit with personality, comfort, and a touch of symbolism, this combination offers a remarkable ensemble. This three-piece wedding suit comprises a jacket and trousers made from 300g worsted flannel in a camel check, paired with a 375g blue herringbone linen waistcoat from the renowned Fox Brothers.

The worsted flannel is supple, soft, and extremely comfortable to wear. Many people unfamiliar with fabrics assume that flannel is always warm due to its brushed appearance. However, this is not necessarily true; warmth depends more on the weight and quality of the fabric. A 300-gram fabric is essentially a four-season fabric. Many choose a flannel variant for the lively character of the fabric. The camel check—a subtle plaid in warm sand and camel tones—adds character and a classic British look to the suit. This fabric choice ensures that the suit can be worn not only on the wedding day but also afterward in numerous combinations.

Handmade Women’s Skirt Suit in Navy Plum Gun Club Tweed

For a recent commission, we created a fully handmade women’s suit consisting of a jacket and skirt, crafted from a characterful tweed fabric from the Sherry Tweed collection by Holland & Sherry. The fabric, a Navy Plum Gun Club Fancy Tweed weighing 340 grams per metre, combines classic patterns with rich colour nuances and provides both the weight and structure required for a feminine silhouette with an elegant drape.

Double-Breasted Suit Brown Checked

A Double-Breasted Suit in Mid-Brown Glen Check – Stylish, Refined, and Worn with Confidence

A well-tailored suit is more than a piece of clothing: it’s an extension of the wearer’s personality. In this version, the classic double-breasted silhouette is combined with a richly detailed Mid Brown Glen Check. The result is a suit that stands out through stylish refinement rather than loud statements.

Wool Linen Silk - Caccioppoli Spring Summer 2025

Caccioppoli’s New Spring and Summer Fabrics – Light Elegance from Naples for Warm Days

For those who wish to dress with care and style even during spring and summer, the choice of fabric is crucial. In these seasons, the balance in the wardrobe shifts: breathability, lightness, and comfort become more important—without compromising on appearance or refinement. It is precisely in that space that the new spring and summer fabric collection from Caccioppoli Napoli truly excels.

Taupe Herringbone Wedding Suit with Lime Green Velvet Asymmetric Waistcoat

A subtle foundation, with room for a bold accent

For this client, we created a classic three-piece wedding suit based on a clear wish: something eye-catching, yet refined. While the initial idea leaned towards a fully bright-coloured suit, we ultimately arrived at a combination that was more personal, versatile, and balanced – with a calm foundation and a waistcoat as the colour accent.

Double-Breasted Suit White Barathea

Formal tailoring in its purest form

A white suit immediately evokes images of evening wear, summer formality, and a touch of Hollywood glamour. But when it comes to a bespoke 4x1 double-breasted suit in white barathea, we’re speaking about something very specific: a garment that balances classical ceremony with modern confidence.

Double-Breasted Suit Grey Striped

A Classic Double-Breasted Chalk Stripe Suit – Tailored for Character and Contrast

A double-breasted suit always radiates a certain authority, but the choice of fabric and detailing determines whether that expression becomes formal, bold, or refined. For this custom-made suit, we chose a timeless grey-black chalk stripe in 120s wool weighing 310 grams – a fabric from the Target collection by Holland & Sherry, known for its balance of refinement, durability, and comfort.

That’s why it’s a popular choice – whether for a bold double-breasted suit or a more understated version for an accountant.

Wedding Suit Sapphire Green Merino Wool with Sand Herringbone Tweed Waistcoat

A wedding suit no longer has to be limited to the wedding day itself. More and more grooms are choosing an ensemble that is not only festive but also suitablefor other occasions. This bespoke three-piece sapphire green wedding suit is a perfect example: classic, stylish, and surprisingly versatile.

Dark Blue Overcoat Wool Cashmere

For many men, an overcoat is the most visible garment during the autumn and winter months. It offers protection against cold and wind, but also speaks volumes about one’s personal style and appreciation for quality. This bespoke dark blue overcoat was designed for a client who values both functionality and elegance. Every element—from the fabric to the construction—was carefully chosen to create that balance.

Ladies Tweed Jacket Bespoke Made

Hunting and tweed have gone hand in hand for centuries, but a traditional tweed hunting jacket doesn’t always suit the needs of a modern huntress. This bespoke tweed jacket was a special gift from a father to his daughter, a highly experienced huntress who travels the world for the sport.

While her father had previously commissioned hunting garments from us, this was her first bespoke piece—one that needed to balance functionality, tradition, and contemporary style.