Buying Travel Sportcoats - Canali, Zegna, etc ?

[bdoggiedog]

q: I want to buy a nice travel sportcoat. I tried one on yesterday by Canali that I liked , but I am not sure about the price. I am in NYC. natually my concern is buying one that looks bad, or sacrifices fashion for the wrinkle free look. suggestions ?

 

[bleachboy]

I have been through two navy Zegna sportcoats made of their "traveler" (now called "Traveler Micronsphere&quot material. Really great stuff. Highly recommended.

 

[bdoggiedog]

thanks! how long did they last ? were they made in Italy ? do you recall what you paid ?

 

[bleachboy]

Sure. Both did not "wear out". The first was purchased around 1998 at Rubenstein Bros. in New Orleans, and was a ventless three-button navy "traveller" blazer. One of the cooler features was that the wallet pocket had a small zipper instead of a button, but the coolest was the material -- you really could wad it up in a duffel bag and it would come out looking decent. Hang it in the bathroom while you took a shower, and it looked like new. It didn't wear out, I just lost weight.

So I got a second, made-to-measure (side vents, crimson lining, working cuff buttons) this time, in an absolutely gorgeous mid-weight navy herringbone "Traveller Micronsphere" blazer. It may seem amazing for a navy blazer, but I have honest-to-god had people complement me on the street on it. It's a beautiful fabric and it holds up like mad.

Zegna apparently has both a model and a line of fabrics named "Traveller". I travel a lot, so both times I have basically purchased a run-of-the-mill Traveller model. Both were slightly over $2,000.

Good luck!