Circa 1920s, Adolphe Lafont blue moleskin double-breasted work jacket.
A particularly special arrival.
Adolphe Lafont stands among the most sought-after of French workwear brands.
The house was established in 1844 in Lyon, France by "Adolphe Lafont," the founding merchant. What began as a textile shop evolved when his son, "Adolphe Benoît Lafont," added a tailoring workshop in 1875. It was the younger Adolphe Lafont who then initiated the production of foundational workwear. The first pieces manufactured were carpenter trousers crafted from corduroy. He registered the trademark "Adolphe Lafont Lyon" in 1896 and continued outfitting generations of laborers until his passing in 1952. A house now spanning nearly two centuries.
From this venerable Adolphe Lafont, we present a signature piece of French workwear: the double-breasted blue moleskin work jacket.
Executed in moleskin, the quintessential French vintage fabric.
The name derives, it is said, from the fabric's resemblance to mole skin—and when held, one understands why. The touch reveals a smoothness one would not expect from cotton, coupled with considerable weight and substance.
This character emerges from the weave itself. Moleskin is woven in what is known as satin weave—a structure utilizing five or more yarns in both warp and weft directions. The floating points of yarn are minimal; only the warp or weft appears on the surface. The result is a dense, thick cloth with suppleness, smoothness, and pronounced luster. These qualities made moleskin the rational choice for workwear—garments intended to withstand rigorous, demanding labor.
This particular example presents ink blue moleskin, characteristic of French workwear tradition, with fading accumulated through years of use—the essence of vintage patina.
It functioned as genuine workwear when new, and its construction reflects this: the functionality remains uncompromised.
The defining feature, however, is unmistakable: the double-breasted front, with buttons arranged in two columns—a notably scarce detail. The visual presence of a double-breasted garment carries considerably more weight than its single-breasted counterpart, and therein lies its singular grace.
Whether worn fully buttoned or left entirely open, the double-breasted configuration maintains an effortless authority impossible to achieve otherwise—a luxury reserved for this silhouette alone.
Among French workwear, double-breasted jackets do exist in cotton, metis, and linen, yet versions in moleskin remain exceptionally elusive. The rarity compounded by the double-breasted front has only intensified: such pieces command increasingly selective availability and rising values.
The collar is characteristically French—large and rounded. The patch pockets, positioned relatively low, are another marker of this early era. While V-pockets are understood to indicate age, this configuration predates them. The sleeves and front facings are cut three-dimensionally, in the manner of tailored jackets rather than the coverall construction of later workwear—lending an understated refinement to what remains, formally, a work garment.
Internally, a particularly rare embroidered label—what collectors term the "large tag"—appears on this piece. Such labeling is recorded only on examples from approximately the 1930s and earlier, making it a much-sought detail.
An Adolphe Lafont holds distinguished standing within French workwear. Its value exceeds that of other labels, and the earlier the date, the more pronounced its scarcity.
Beyond mere rarity, this is a genuinely accomplished garment from a fashion perspective. We would encourage its authentic use rather than its sequestration.
No size tag is present, though proportions suggest an approximate M in contemporary Japanese sizing.
The actual measurements indicate a golden size that accommodates the typical Japanese frame comfortably. It can be worn with equal success fitted closely or with measured ease. Double-breasted jackets in smaller proportions are the norm; those that fit properly remain exceptional finds.
Fading, discoloration, light abrasion, and repair marks accumulate across the surface—evidence of its working life. Yet no substantial damage impedes its continued wear.
Adolphe Lafont occupies an essential position in any considered discussion of French workwear. Examples from early decades have become progressively scarce.
Such pieces transcend mere commerce. There is no certainty of future availability regardless of investment.
As both a functional garment and an object worthy of study and collection, it merits serious consideration. An Adolphe Lafont in double-breasted configuration, rendered in moleskin—the convergence of these qualities produces an encounter one rarely experiences, domestically or internationally. Should you have sought such a piece, this represents an opportunity unlikely to repeat.
