Article: Wrinkle-resistant crêpe: why our suits are machine washable
Wrinkle-resistant crêpe: why our suits are machine washable
It's the question we are asked most often in the boutique, often in a low voice as if it were a minor detail: "Does it need ironing?"
It is not a minor detail. It is what determines whether a garment will be worn twice a week or three times a year.
What wrinkle-free crepe really is
Crepe is a fabric with a slightly grainy texture, obtained by twisting the yarns. This twist gives it two properties: it drapes straight without being stiff, and it returns to its shape after being folded.
At Imperial, most of the suits are cut from technical crepe in polyester or blends. The word "polyester" sometimes puts people off — wrongly. This isn't the polyester of the eighties: these fabrics breathe, they don't shine, and they have a drape that wool only achieves at a much higher price point.
What this changes in practice
Two hours in the car. You get out, and the trousers don't have creases behind the knees. This is the test our customers cite the most.
A day sitting at the office. The jacket keeps its shape, and the trousers don't crease at the crotch.
A suitcase. You unfold it, hang it on a hanger for an hour, and it's ready to wear. No iron needed.
Machine washing. Delicate cycle, gentle spin, air dry on a hanger. No dry cleaning, no twenty-euro bill for every stain.
The real calculation
A 400-euro wool suit that goes to the dry cleaner four times a year costs you 80 euros in annual maintenance. Over three years, the gap compared to a washable crepe is more than made up.
But that's not the main point. The real cost of a garment that is difficult to care for is that you don't wear it. It waits for the right occasion, the trip to the dry cleaner, the moment you have the time. A garment you can throw in the machine on a Sunday night can be worn on Tuesday.
How to identify them in our shop
We indicate it on every product page, under the composition and care section. When it says "machine washable," it really is — we don't just put that by default.
The families concerned: diagonal crepes, satin crepes, twill drapery, Milano stitch, and jersey. They cover the essentials of the Imperial wardrobe and a large part of the Please collection.
The few exceptions
Leather and eco-leather cannot be machine washed — a damp cloth is sufficient for routine care.
Knitwear with lurex thread and pieces with embroidery or sequins require a wool cycle and must be dried flat.
Wool fabrics, notably at Dixie, remain natural materials that must be treated as such.
Three steps to make everything last longer
Turn the garment inside out before washing: this protects the surface and the satin finishes.
Dry on a hanger, never in the tumble dryer. Crepe returns to its shape while drying, provided it is hung up.
Do not overload the machine. A suit needs room so it doesn't get twisted.
See the materials
There is no substitute for touching a fabric and crumpling it in your hand to see if it wrinkles. That is what we invite you to do in our boutique.
Imperial Gallery — 38 avenue Maréchal de Saxe, Lyon 6e. Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm.