To the proud owner of the 7/7 Jacket.

You've got your hands on the first collab Asphalte Men ever did, and it's a collector's item that deserves a bit of love. Here's how to give it.

This is hardly breaking news: we’re not all built the same.

Height, weight, shoulders, the way they slope, body shape. Not everyone’s cut like the Vitruvian Man. And yet, when you do ready-to-wear, you've got to work to a single pattern that dresses everybody out there.

We do everything we can to make our clothes work for as many people as possible, but bear in mind we can't promise made-to-measure. Especially on a suit jacket.

So if your new friend isn't exactly fitted when you first try it on, we'd encourage you to think about getting it altered. Most alteration specialists handle these kinds of jobs day in, day out, and they'll help you nail those final adjustments. For example:

• Sleeve length. You can have them lengthened (a little) or shortened as needed. The price? Rarely more than €40.
• Body length. If you reckon it sits too low over your backside, you can have the jacket shortened. It's a fairly simple job, but it'll set you back around thirty euros. A word of warning, though: Jordan put a lot of thought into the balance of the 7/7 Jacket, and you could throw it off by taking away 5 cm.
• The waist of the jacket. To bring in the sides or let it out a little, your tailor can sort it for a good twenty euros or so. No need for the best tailor in the country, but it's a job that calls for a bit of expertise. Keep an eye on how good your tailor is and don't be shy about asking for feedback before diving in headfirst.

The durability of your 7/7 Jacket depends on how you wear it (a little) and how you look after it (a lot). The golden rule here is to pop it on a hanger whenever you take it off your shoulders. To keep creases at bay and hold its shape, there's really no other way.

In summer, we'd suggest popping it under a garment cover to keep it safe while it hibernates.

If you stain it, act fast. A bit of lukewarm water and some gentle soap should see off most things if you're quick off the mark.

You probably already know this: a suit is far too delicate for a machine wash. When your 7/7 Jacket needs freshening up, we'd recommend dropping it off at your local dry cleaners. Ask for a dry clean to bring back its shine. It'll cost you around fifteen euros, but it's really worth it.

PS: to avoid the colours ageing differently over time, we'd strongly recommend taking the whole suit to your dry cleaner, keeping the jacket and trousers together.

One last bit of friendly advice: always check the condition of your clothes in the shop after the job's done. Walk out the door and you've "accepted" any damage done during cleaning, with repairs on you. Spot those snags while you're still in the shop and they're the dry cleaner's responsibility.

Since 1 January 2024, the AGEC law requires all textile brands to be transparent about what goes into their products so we can all have a much better idea of exactly what we're buying. We didn't wait for the legislation to do this, we actually lobbied for it, and we think it's an important step in the right direction to change the way our industry works. So here are a few extra details about your 7/7 Jacket:

• The fabric isn't recyclable. Unfortunately, the fabric blend of the 7/7 Jacket (50% wool and 50% cotton) means it can't be recycled through traditional channels. But there are other options. If your time together comes to an end, we'd always recommend repairing and/or handing it down to someone before recycling.
• It doesn't contain plastic microfibres. Unlike a lot of clothing that sheds microplastics in the wash, our 7/7 Jacket has been designed to minimise this environmental impact. Plastic microfibres are tiny particles that wreak havoc on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
• It doesn't contain hazardous substances. It respects strict European standards aimed at eliminating substances and chemical treatments that could be harmful to you, the environment, and the people who make it.
• It does contain recycled materials. The 7/7 Jacket is 50% organic cotton and 50% MWool® wool. That half of wool is fully regenerated by the Italian house Manteco from old wool items and/or pre-consumer textile offcuts.

And there you have it, the fate of your 7/7 Jacket is now in your hands. Follow these few pointers and it should stick with you for years without a grumble.

Until then, if you've got any feedback for us, good or bad, don't hesitate to send it to our team, who are on hand to give you the best service: support@asphalte.com or Instagram.

Thanks again for your trust and see you soon,

ASPHALTE