At one of our regular meetings to find new or re-discovered garments to present to our audience, Krishan suggested the safari jacket. A garment favoured by the military, early British settlers and of course hunters exploring the African bush, it was loved for its practicality. Made mostly from cotton, but sometimes from linen or even poplin, they were almost always unlined and machine-made.
The safari jacket was a popular item in Hollywood films and I remember making them for Stewart Granger, a famous star, for his film King Solomon’s Mines. Latterly Roger Moore wore versions as James Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Moonraker (1979) and Octopussy (1983).
It occurred to us that worsted Cheviot would make a wonderful Safari Suit. Richard cut his interpretation of the safari jacket as a suit, bringing a fresh look to a classic garment, very different to the colonialist look sported by Teddy Roosevelt.
Our brown Glen check worsted Cheviot is worn here by a very well-known and respected fashion journalist, Aleks Cvetkovic. Thank you Aleks for your time and for sporting the outfit so well.
The safari coat was originally conceived in the early twentieth century as a practical garment to be worn by soldiers in warm climates, or by adventurers exploring the African bush. Its popularity grew even more when Roger Moore wore versions as James Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Moonraker (1979) and Octopussy (1983). Done well, the safari coat can be a practical and valuable addition to any wardrobe, being sporty, durable and endowed with spacious storage in the form of the roomy ‘bellows’ pockets that give it its military slant.
Typically made of lightweight cotton, linen or poplin, safari coats normally come in a neutral shade such as stone, fawn or beige. Civilians, however, particularly fashion-conscious ones, tend not to mind being visible. Our suit is made in a Worsted Cheviot, which may be seen as an unusual choice as it is a medium-weight year-round cloth, however, the porous nature of the cloth makes it excellent for travel, beautiful to cut in clean, crisp lines and therefore superb in taking on any shape.
Our coat is single-breasted with a four-button fastening and square front to invoke an almost military feel. It has two patch pockets with a flap-and-button, and two smaller out breast patch pockets with flaps. The half-belt at the back makes the garment more informal than a traditional full-belted jacket, yet the combination of the belt and the darts give the jacket a tremendously flattering shape. There is a narrow sleeve and an overall slim silhouette through. The trousers feature a two-inch soft waistband with two deep pleats, with the legs cut generously through with a two-inch turn-up.
It’s a long way from the colonialist look sported by Teddy Roosevelt back in 1909 – and these days bellows pockets are more likely to contain an iPhone rather than a compass – but the adventuresome spirit of the safari coat still endures in this good looking suit, practical and ideal for business wear or less formal wear and perfect for travel and business meetings.