A leather duffle coat by INVERTERE, estimated from the 1990s.
A truly exceptional piece has arrived.
INVERTERE is a heritage outerwear brand established in 1904 in England by Harold Perkin and his two brothers.
The company holds the distinction of having developed the world's first reversible coat—an innovation ahead of its time. The name INVERTERE, derived from Latin meaning 'to turn around,' was chosen to capture the essence of their revolutionary reversible coats, designed for affluent automobile owners.
In 1948, the company was sold to Walter Sautel, a Yorkshire native, who expanded the product range and initiated exports to North America from new facilities.
When INVERTERE's factory closed in 1986, former technical director Harold Shaw established Westcountry Clothing Limited under contract with DAKS-Simpson, continuing the manufacture of INVERTERE coats.
Subsequently, the company was sold to Moorbrook Textiles in 1995, after which Moorbrook acquired the INVERTERE brand from DAKS-Simpson.
INVERTERE earned international recognition for its high quality and classic styling. The brand's timeless, quintessentially British design continues to be valued by customers worldwide.
While INVERTERE is most readily associated with the duffle coat, the brand is equally renowned for exceptional design across a broader range of pieces.
Though INVERTERE has since been revived and remains popular today, the brand experienced insolvency and disappeared from the market in its past. Those with an appreciation for authenticity would do well to experience the meticulously crafted pieces of the old INVERTERE—products from an era when uncompromising quality was the standard.
What we present here is a rarity within the INVERTERE collection: a duffle coat rendered in leather rather than wool.
Unlike the wool examples produced by Moorbrook around the same period, this coat strikes an altogether different character.
Though both fall within the duffle silhouette, the choice of material and design sensibility create distinctly different impressions.
The hem is fitted with three functional pockets on each side.
The details deserve attention: a large flap patch pocket, a button-closure pocket mounted above it, and a vertical hand warmer pocket positioned at the side—each speaks to thoughtful, purposeful design.
The pockets are proportioned to accommodate everyday items without burden.
The front closure employs a double-layered construction: a zip fastener combined with toggle buttons in a traditional fly configuration.
The zip slider is fitted with a riri branded mechanism.
A detachable hood is secured by zip fastener at the back neck. Lined in the same checked fabric as the coat's interior, it can be deployed or stowed according to preference.
This particular piece carries an original label—a characteristic of INVERTERE production from the 1990s, distinct from current iterations and increasingly scarce.
The vintage label, rendered in INVERTERE's characteristic palette of green, yellow, and red, is precisely the sort of detail that resonates with those who understand the language of vintage design.
The color reads as a radish brown—reminiscent of aged brick.
A fusion of deep brown with subtle undertones of red, it conveys a composed and refined impression; the sort of tone one reaches for as the seasons turn toward autumn and winter.
Labeled size XS
Corresponds approximately to Japanese sizes M through L.
Judging by the actual measurements, this represents a golden size for the Japanese physique, accommodating a range of body types.
While the piece shows the expected marks of wear—minor fraying and similar signs—there are no significant impairments to wearability. It remains entirely viable for regular use.
Vintage INVERTERE pieces rarely find their way to market. This is, quite simply, a piece of note.
It embodies something you will not encounter in current INVERTERE production—a voice that only the old pieces can speak.
An INVERTERE duffle coat in leather is not promised on any schedule. Should this be what you seek, we would urge you not to let this opportunity pass.
