Uniqlo has started rolling out its new-season menswear for autumn, and although the collection includes plenty of familiar returning styles, its latest Balmacaan Overcoat is worth a closer look.
Priced at £109.90, the understated coat has a roomy, relaxed fit, a below-the-knee length and a simple button-front design.
It comes in black and grey, but it’s the latter that caught my attention because it looks remarkably similar to a far more expensive coat currently listed at Mr Porter.
That would be the ATON Balmacaan Linen and Wool-Blend Twill Coat, originally priced at £1,710.
It’s currently reduced to £855, but even at the sale price, we're talking about a very different end of the menswear market.
ATON is a Japanese label known for pared-back clothing and premium fabrics, and its Balmacaan follows that formula closely.
The grey mélange finish, long straight silhouette, uncomplicated collar and deliberately roomy proportions give it a minimalist look that isn't a million miles away from what Uniqlo is offering here.
Of course, there’s no suggestion that Uniqlo has copied ATON – the Balmacaan is a traditional overcoat style.
But visually, there is enough crossover that the Uniqlo version could appeal to anyone who likes the look of the designer coat without the four-figure price tag.
Similar looks, very different fabrics
Uniqlo uses a shell consisting of 33% wool, 40% recycled polyester, 17% polyester and 10% polyamide, with a polyester lining.
The brand describes the fabric as having “moderate fullness”, while the cut is roomy and relaxed.
Made in Japan, ATON’s version is considerably more luxurious, using a 55% linen and 45% wool twill, along with buffalo-horn buttons and a cotton lining.
Mr Porter describes it as lightweight, loose-fitting, and specially designed to resist wrinkling.
So, unsurprisingly, the £109.90 Uniqlo coat isn't secretly giving you £1,700 worth of materials and construction.
What it does offer is a remarkably similar overall aesthetic: long, loose, grey and deliberately uncomplicated.
Uniqlo has also made this latest version longer than its previous Balmacaan, with the new model explicitly designed to fall below the knee.
That extra length arguably strengthens the designer comparison and gives the coat a more contemporary silhouette.
The Balmacaan Overcoat is available now at Uniqlo UK for £109.90 in grey and black, in sizes XS to 3XL.
