Let’s start at the beginning before we jump into technical details and super important stuff. Before there was a well thought out coat or a prototype or even a comprehensive idea, there was a sad little hyperactive dog – Bruce, who until a certain day had a lot of bruises on his body, but you already know the backbone of that story so we won’t go too deep into repeating it over and over again. One thing led to another, and when we set out to make the first prototypes – yes, there wasn’t just one, there were many – we knew from the start that we weren’t going to end the Bastards adventure with just one coat. It was clear right from the beginning that there would be many garments joining the family, and it was super important to us that we design each piece from the beginning as if we were designing Legos. That means we wanted to construct different pieces that you can then mix and match, whether that particular piece is the first or the last one we made – don’t worry, the end is not near.
Now that you know you can be the conductor of your dog’s wardrobe symphony, and as much as we care about the aesthetic aspect, the technical aspect will always come first with us; let’s go over some technical details and necessities that you need to know because they are, well, let’s just call it what it is – they are badass. The most important thing for us when choosing the material was firstly that it doesn’t tear, as we’ve had some pretty bad experiences in that area, and secondly that it has to be easy to clean. Dogs aren’t really what you would call clean mammals and no one has the time to clean their clothes after every single walk. So after trying a few materials, we decided to go with Polyurethane.
Polyurethane is different on the outside than it is on the inside, which was also a great achievement for us because we didn’t have to combine two materials, we could just use one that was a perfect match inside out. The outer layer has a smooth velvery quality to it, without having any sort of woolie fibers and is completely smooth, thus easy to clean.The material is water repellent and you can easily wipe it down with a damp cloth, but of course also throw it in the washing machine if you prefer so. The crucial point at which we decided on Polyurethane was probably when it withstood our violent process of testing different goods. What was that violent process? We’d rather not tell… let’s just say it wasn’t pretty as it’s our coat. The inner layer is as soft as fleece, without the dog or the coat becoming electrified. Overall, the coat is super thin and it acts more like a second skin than a coat. Yeah yeah we know… what a cliché to say, but it’s true and let’s add another one… if you don’t believe us, try it out for yourself or better yet, let your dog try it, because you would probably look a little pathetic in this clothing garment, although it is a fashion surplus, it is not made for humans… yet.
The Bastards coat was made primarily for greyhounds to support their above average speed, but is suitable for all furry besties, supporting their agility, retaining heat, not restricting, pulling or constricting them in their everyday activities, and for the cherry on top of this hyper-functional ice cream, it offers a sleek and minimalist fashion look. A few fragments of the Bastards coat, which must be given their own section of words are definite: The Bastards collar, which can be used as a secondary hood and a slight protection when the rain begins to fall. The “V-part” by the tail, also called the fishtail, which allows for functionality and stretches when your dog sits or lies down. It basically creates room for his hips. The Bastards method of closing the coat. It differs from the others in that it is attached to the narrowest part of the body, which provides flexibility, but won’t open on its own, which brings us to the last point: G-hook. Once you go G-hook, there is no going back. Literally… your dog is hooked until you decide you don’t want her or him to be hooked anymore. G-hook is a type of a clasp and we developed our very own. But more on that another time, because it definitely deserves its own blog post. All coats are made to measure and custom made, but don’t worry, your dog can gain or lose a few pounds and the coat will still fit. Now, quickly grab your measuring equipment and put your dog in some of our finest Bastards wear!
