The jacket we’ve taken on for Batch No.3 is the Field Jacket.

A military jacket that has become an icon since it’s inception in 1941.

You’ve probably seen this style worn quite a bit. You might even own one.

You’re not alone.

Rambo wore one. So did John Lennon. Robert De Niro’s jacket in Taxi Driver became iconic.

In the 1960’s it was an essential jacket for America’s counter culture. Now you can even spot them on runways and red carpets.

It has not only survived wars, but fashion trends.

The reason? Versatility.

We’ve visited countless archives over the last year looking for Field Jackets that we would love to remake, but we always came across the same problem:

The jackets were too baggy and very loose-fitting.

They were a little on the heavy side.

And they had way too many details. It felt like using a JCB when all you needed was a spoon. But I can see why.

The way it would be used dictated its style.

Form always followed function.

But the conditions have changed. And so should the jacket.

Our lives are busy.

The weather globally is well, unpredictable.

The terrain is always changing.

We drive. Walk. We’re inside. On a train. Then quickly outside again. Walking. Taking the stairs. Working in an office. Cycling through the city. And then we’re home.

We need to carry our phone, wallet, notebook, pens, daily.

A versatile jacket needs to be light, considered, practical, slimmer, detailed, long-lasting.

We need a versatile jacket for what has become a very versatile lifestyle.

And we wanted to make something that could be worn all year round. We didn’t want your jacket to spend its time hung up in your wardrobe. It needs to be worn. Broken in. Loved.

There’s no point just replicating the past. This jacket is our own.

So we started stripping things away. Keeping only what was necessary.

After all, ‘The simpler you can design something the more classic it will become’, Paul Arden.

So we spent the last 9 months working on it. Making it our own. Wearing it in. Tweaking it. And we documented the whole journey on our website.

We call it Batch Notes.

We’ll continue updating it until the jacket launches on January 25th at 9 AM (GMT).

You can read Batch Notes here.