Jackets or The Return of Tweed

• Last winter, before the launch of Team TATI, and at a time when the shop was a little more focused on ephemera such as Brooks saddles and cotton handlebar tape, you couldn't but help noticed the tweediness of the apparel. Tweed caps by Shaun Deller. Tweed knickerbockers. Tweed knee socks. Tweed messenger bags. But there was a tweed overload, and after the move to Barack Obama's old office, all of the tweed clothes were hermetically sealed away in a box for future generations of retro styled cyclists. But then something happened.

  A friend pointed, some weeks ago, to Rapha's new $750 tweed softshell jacket -- not so much as something to sell at the shop, but rather something to wear around town. I protested that in fact, my entire wardrobe is worth less than $750 and as much as I admire Rapha's sense of style, it just isn't me. But it did get me thinking: where on earth did Rapha find this tweed softshell fabric, and might there be more of it? And if so, might it be possible to make a beautiful and technical cyclist jacket that would cost less than $750?

  After a few weeks of digging and calling and begging and cajoling, I've found the source of this fabric. There are in fact at least two manufactures of tweed softshell: one in Switzerland and another in Japan. And there are at least a half dozen colors and styles available. And although it is very expensive fabric, it is absolutely possible to make a perfectly fine jacket for a fraction of the Rapha's cost.

  So in a couple of months or more, a limited run of these jackets will arrive at the shop. They will have to all be one color. They will be embroidered with the TATI logo on the breast and either shoulder or back. Should they be brown or tan or grey? Should they have some subtle reflective piping? Back pockets? Side pockets? A poppable collar? A rain flap? Please let me know.

  In the meanwhile, I'll dig up all of last year's tweed apparel and put it out. I'll also ask Shaun Deller to please make some coordinating caps.