By Jonathan Sigmon
Over a decade of working in the rag trade, I’ve amassed a wardrobe of perhaps 25+ custom trousers. Many were tests to determine whether we liked a fabric well enough to show clients, so there were a few experimental misses here and there, but overall most are quite wearable and in my semi-regular rotation. That said, I get the vast majority of wear out of 4-5 favorites, and this Summer I've been wearing what is certainly my favorite to-date.
At the risk of adding another borderline unnecessary solid grey, early in the Spring I commissioned a trouser from an 8oz high-twist open-weave wool from Drapers, one of our favorite Italian fabric suppliers. It’s essentially a fresco (although that term is trademarked), and you can read a little more about fresco here. It's lightweight but with a nice drape, has that dry hand typical of a high-twist wool, and is quite breathable thanks to its open weave. Due to the thicker yarn it still has enough body to hold its shape well in the heat and humidity, and it has a depth of texture uncommon in these types of fabrics. It's simply the best version of its kind – a high-performing warm-weather staple that makes for a very satisfying wear.
As I’m wearing more separates than full suits these days, I tend to wear this same trouser 2-3 times per week. Part of that may be the styling – I made them flat-front and with a slightly lower rise than my standard, so they never feel the least bit fussy and they’re easy to wear with anything from an indigo tee to a nice blazer. I have other Summer pants in lighter-weight wools, finer and smoother weaves, and more interesting colors and patterns, but these days what I want to put on each morning is the perfect utilitarian pant that is easy to wear, keeps me cool, and still looks good at the end of the day, and this fits that bill.
My flat-front medium grey pair next to a light beige pleated model of the same fabric.