Neighborhood Fragment Design Chalk Down Jacket

Tokyo, Japan It is safe to say that besides all the trainers and T-shirts, I also have a soft spot for jackets. This winter was probably the best in regards to outerwear so far: Acronym GT-J11 (sample), Visvim Harris Tweed / Gore-Tex® Duffle, Burton [ak] 2L Gore-Tex® Half Life, iDiom Pinstripe 3L & Polka Dot Insulator, Neighborhood x Supreme... All of the above were perfectly suitable for the rather mild weather conditions in December and early January here in Berlin. Nobody had expected temperatures to drop below 5 °C. But they did eventually. Thankfully, right about that time, I was able to add yet another jacket to my collection - the Neighborhood Fragment Design Chalk Down jacket. Truely, a special piece. At first glance nothing might appear out of the ordinary - a black down jacket, with a shorter and slimmer cut and moderate shine on its outer shell. The material used on the shell, however, is what makes this jacket so interesting - Tyvek® by Dupont: "Made from very fine, high-density polyethylene fibers, Tyvek® offers all the best characteristics of paper, film and fabric in one material. This unique balance of properties, which cannot be found in any other material, makes Tyvek® lightweight yet strong; vapor-permeable, yet water-, chemical-, puncture-, tear- and abrasion-resistant." Tyvek® fabrics are mainly used on protective clothing, eg. for laboratories, and often these suits or overalls are discarded after useage. Assuming that this Neighborhood Fragment Design down jacket is not intended for a one-time only experience, very specific care instructions are set for this jacket. It is a 'nice-weather-only' jacket, one should avoid water, and one needs to be very careful not to put too much stress on the seams. One cannot wash it nor dry clean it. A nightmare one might say - too fragile, too delicate. And that is just why this jacket ranks in my alltime top 5. You need to care about and for this jacket. You cannot just put it on and walk out - you need to check the weather forecast for rain or snow. You have to stay away from cramped surroundings, and people smoking. You might want to avoid using a backpack, and you have to be careful with the zippers. While this jacket will protect you from wind and the cold you will have to protect this jacket, too, in a way. You will always be aware of it - and this aspect makes this particular jacket special to its wearer the second he takes it from the hanger. Besides the unusual attributes of the material used for constructing this jacket, it is also the slim cut that pushed this jacket's rating for me. Goose down jackets are commonly also referred to as "puffa" jackets as they puff up your silhouette to that of the Bibendum mascot. Thankfully, the Chalk Down does not. The padding is subtle, the cut fitted, more like a short parka. The Neighborhood Fragment Design Chalk Down jacket is an exceptional jacket. If you miss out this season, maybe you can pick up the next version that is currently under development. -- Text: Jörg Haas | All Photos: © Beinghunted. All rights reserved. Thank you, Hiroshi and Kojiro!
The Neighborhood Fragment Design Chalk Down jacket is available now. Find out about Tyvek® by Dupont on their website. Tyvek® by Dupont