Brokenwood Fashion

June 19, 2024 8:52 PM

We've been binging on the New Zealand series, The Brokenwood Mysteries. I'm fixated on one of Detective Mike Shepherd's blazers, shown here. At first I thought it might be Corduroy, but a closer inspection shows it to be a flatter fabric. What is it, and where do I find such a jacket in the U.S?
posted by dws to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

Your blazer link does not work.
posted by Thella at 9:06 PM on June 19

I think what you are looking for in general, is a woolen tweed jacket. In particular, Irish tweed.
posted by Thella at 9:15 PM on June 19

Response by poster: Drat. this jacket.
posted by dws at 9:18 PM on June 19

It's hard to say if that weave is corduroy, but if so it's probably a narrow wale cord. Fabric-wise, I'd say you're looking for brushed something. Brushed cashmere: 1, 2, 3, 4. Brushed wool: 1. Brushed wool & cashmere: 1. If you want to go with a cord, here actually is a cashmere corduroy jacket that looks pretty close.
posted by cocoagirl at 4:04 AM on June 20 [3 favorites]

I'd guess it's moleskin, a cotton fabric with a dense, short pile and no wales (unlike corduroy), but a bit of texture from the weave still visible (unlike velour). You usually see it below the waist, to the extent that someone saying "moleskins" is probably referring to trousers, but jackets aren't unheard of. Like corduroy, it's traditionally a working/outdoorsy fabric but these days it's kind of working/outdoorsy in the way Barbour jackets and Land Rovers are.
posted by pullayup at 6:25 AM on June 20 [1 favorite]

The highest resolution photo I can find is linked from Neill Rea's profile on his agent's page. Not sure if squarespace is a fan of hotlinking, but try this. It's not waled, and has a textured weave like pullayup suggests.
posted by zamboni at 7:16 AM on June 20 [2 favorites]

There is such a thing as no wale corduroy.

Uncut (no-wale) corduroy is a fabric that has a corded appearance, but without the velvety ridges of the cut floats. Very sturdy, it is used for sportswear.

Link
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:19 AM on June 20 [2 favorites]

Facebook page for show. Tania Klouwens, the costumer for seasons 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10, is on X (formerly Twitter).
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:52 PM on June 20 [1 favorite]

It looks like a nailhead tweed.
posted by Sar at 2:52 PM on June 20

Looking at the high-res photo zamboni posted, I would call this fabric a barleycorn tweed. I've poked around and it's surprisingly hard to find a US store with a blazer in this fabric - plenty of UK brands with options, though. I see a decent number of eBay listings for vintage blazers ... if you're confident in your jacket size that might be a decent option. I see a lot of tweed blazers in my local vintage/thrift stores as well, but the overwhelming majority are herringbone-patterned rather than the other, more unusual tweeds.
posted by sparkling at 8:01 AM on June 21 [3 favorites]

Best answer: ^"Brown & Black Barleycorn Tweed" stretch wool (75% Wool, 20% Nylon, 5% Lycra), eBay example (on a vintage Hugo Boss 3-button sport coat).
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:17 PM on June 21

Response by poster: Thanks all, this has been an education on Corduroy. Now I can stop annoying my wife by pausing the show to get a closer look. It looks very much like the actor rotates through at least one brown Barleycorn Tweed and one darker brown, narrow wale Corduroy blazer. (I think we spotted a continuity problem where he leaves the station wearing one and arrives wearing the other.)

Now to find one in the U.S. that fits men of Neill Rea's build.
posted by dws at 2:46 PM on June 22

Neill Rea's agency has his height as 175cm, and hosts a series "showreel" (right arrow option, beside his head shot). In the first clip, & later in the reel, he's wearing this blazer [sport coat/jacket]. FWIW, when certain garments, like outerwear, are in regular rotation in TV/film, Wardrobe often has several made (or, purchased with a decent shoulder fit, and much altered) specifically for the actor. In the US, finding a similar brand-new, well-fitting, off-the-rack blazer may be difficult.

As sparkling wrote, buying vintage (& perhaps tailoring afterward) may be the best option; that, or having one made for you. It's a fine blazer, and I hope you find one that suits. Also, thank you for putting Mr. Rea and Brokenwood on my radar!
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:36 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]