Sneak peek: Shearling coat @ Casa Del Shai

November 30th, 2006 at 07:29pm Ryan Darragh

So, I was hanging out in SL last night, grumping about the usual post-update foolishness…oh, great, I can’t TP.  Oh, no, the Christmas decorations I just tried to rez are lost in limbo somewhere!  Hmm, and Search appears to be borked, so I can’t find anything, and God only knows how out-of-date my landmarks are or, oh right, if TP will even get me there.  Well, now I’m definitely not doing anything like building or shopping where things could go awfully awry.  Now I’m alone, bored, and getting lonely…sigh.  So when my friend Andy sent me a TP invite with the hopeful encouragement “Grab it if you can,” I was thinking about bravely taking the plunge.  And then he said, “Oh, come on–Shai’s here too!”  Fortunately the TP worked and at least I had friends to hang out with.

Shai Delacroix is a madwoman.  She’s mad, I tell you, mad!  And her madness has infected me.  I don’t usually post reviews of items that last time I checked weren’t actually available in-store yet, but hey, rules were made to be broken.  Here’s what happened:  Shai said, “I’m working on this coat, and I’m not sure I’m completely happy with it yet.  Ryan, would you be a dear and try it on for me?”  Why, um, yes, and thank you!  And it turns out to be this beautiful shearling coat, a re-working of a women’s design she just released.  Frankly, I think the men’s coat is even better than the women’s version!  The upper coat is worn as a jacket, so you can layer it with a shirt.  (Or not–I’m wearing it with a simple tee, but don’t be afraid to show a little skin.)  The bottom of the coat is worn on the skirt layer, and it’s moddable so you can adjust for size and fit.  The transition between the two pieces is very cleverly camouflaged by the coat’s belt, and once you get the bottom piece properly sized, you really can’t tell it’s not a single garment.

All of Shai’s amazing design skills are on display here.  The detailing is all gorgeous–the big, shiny buttons, the seams between the leather pieces, the texture and shading on the leather itself, the fuzzy collar and cuffs.  We debated the possible merits of a prim collar, to make it stand out even more.  I have one coat (the beautiful Nomad Trencher from SiniStyle Design) that has a similar collar done as a prim attachment.  On that coat it works very well, but on this coat, which has a very different design, I honestly don’t think a prim collar would look any better–the collar artwork already has great relief and depth.  I think I helped to convince her that the coat is great as it is, and definitely ready for prime time. 

So, here’s the plan as I heard it:  Shai intends to have this coat out in her shop in the very near future.  (I checked first thing this morning, but didn’t see it yet.  For all I know, it’s there now!)  She has four colors in mind and is thinking about a coordinating shirt to go with the coat.  I will update this post with price, color availability and other details as I learn them.  And, you see, there’s a method to my madness–now that I’ve posted this, she has to release it!

This fabulous coat will be available at the all-new, completely redesigned Casa Del Shai (Deimos 231, 45, 40).  Head on over there now and look for it!

Update:  As Shai mentions in the comment she posted, it’s official!  The shearling coat is available for L$380 at Casa Del Shai in three colors:  Cinnamon, Forest Green, and Steel Blue.  The Taupe color you see on me in the pictures is reportedly in the works.

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: Yes | Friends List: Yes

Notes: On Ryan: Skin, ND Light (Toned) by Lost Thereian (Naughty Designs). Hair, "Deviance" (Spiced Bronze) by Lost Thereian (Naughty Designs). Pants, Flaunt Jeans by Shai Delacroix (Casa Del Shai). Glasses, "Rectech" by Cienna Rand (Primcrafters).

Entry Filed under: Casa Del Shai, Casual, Coats, New Items