A unique piece. Worn as an intimate armor.
The collaboration between triple-starred chef Glenn Viel and the Lafont house gave birth to an extraordinary piece: a bespoke chef's jacket, meticulously designed down to the smallest detail, embroidered with personal symbols, imbued with meaning. Far more than workwear, it is the expression of a man, a chef, a father; worn as one would wear a tattoo. A look back at the creative process behind this exceptional jacket, and the birth of the Reflet jacket, its extension accessible to all passionate professionals.
When the intimate becomes uniform
It all started with the momentum of a conversation. Glenn Viel loves poetry, details that are not visible at first glance, things that make sense without needing to be explained. It was in this spirit that the idea of going further in customizing his chef's attire was born. His daughter Lilwenn, whose dream is to become a stylist, was brought into the adventure. It was her creative spirit, her fresh and affectionate perspective, that nourished the genesis of the project. Glenn recounts it himself in a video, with the quiet pride of fathers who see their children flourish. This family and intimate starting point gives this jacket a rare dimension in the world of professional clothing.
Translating a universe into clothing
At Lafont, the creation of a bespoke jacket for a Michelin-starred chef always begins with an immersion in their world. With Glenn Viel, the keywords that structured the team's work resonate like a portrait: life, poetry, demanding, discretion, depth, personality. A sensibility also found in the Japanese inspiration that guided some of the jacket's lines. Every detail of his outfit had to tell a story without shouting it.
Embroideries as a secret signature
The central challenge of this chef's jacket: the embroideries. Personal, intimate elements, chosen by Glenn himself, such as the birth dates of his children, made in tone-on-tone colors, almost invisible to those who don't know to look for them.
"A bit like a tattoo, which you get for yourself, not for others, and which you wear close to your heart. I wanted to have and feel with me all the things that are important to me." Glenn Viel
This is where the technical singularity of the jacket lies. The embroideries were not made on the finished garment; they were embroidered directly onto the fabric panels, before cutting and assembly. Each element positioned, tested, validated before the jacket took its final shape. A millimetric precision impossible to achieve otherwise.
The Glenn Viel jacket, a unique piece, full of meaning
Glenn Viel's custom jacket is designed to accompany him in both his spaces: in the kitchen, daily, in the heat and demands of service, and in representation, during moments when the chef embodies his establishment to the world. A piece that must be both functional and prestigious, discreet and assertive.
Tone-on-tone embroideries on the collar, spine, and inside the cuffs. Dates engraved in the fabric. An asymmetrical front and back panel, which provides a stylistic signature without ostentation. Glenn's jacket is made of layers: what you see, what you guess, what you might never see, and that's precisely what makes it exceptional.
Designed to adapt to daily use, it also reveals true modularity when worn with an apron, creating a playful and very distinctive layering effect.
The Reflet jacket: the Glenn Viel spirit for all chefs
Transforming a unique piece into an accessible product is a delicate exercise. The pattern of the Glenn Viel jacket became the foundation upon which Lafont then developed the Reflet jacket, its industrialized version. The same silhouette, the same identity, the same structural elegance with the necessary adaptations for mass production that retains the essence of the original piece.
What changes is the level of personalization, out of technical necessity. However, the Reflet jacket offers customizable embroidery options on the front panel and back yoke, so that each chef can inscribe their own story.
The REFLET jacket is available now
The Reflet jacket is available for pre-order, with shipping expected from July 15, 2026.
Its technical characteristics
The Reflet jacket is designed with a premium and responsible fabric: 40% recycled 37.5® polyester for moisture regulation and quick drying, 30% organic cotton for softness and breathability, 30% additional recycled polyester.
