November 2015, after 2 years entirely devoted to development, VEST PARIS presents FURTIV at the Milipol exhibition.
In 2015, a civilian bulletproof jacket was therefore born in the French capital, a temple of luxury and design. A jacket that meets the aesthetic codes of French luxury recognized throughout the world.
This day is the culmination of excellent work carried out by the teams of VEST PARIS and those of PROTECOP, the French leader in the internal security of States.
A new vision of bulletproof technology has just emerged.
With FURTIV, VEST PARIS is shaking up the rules, bringing a different look at how to wear bulletproof protection by making it accessible to all, easy to wear and, above all, aesthetic.
Why did VEST PARIS create FURTIV?
“We created this collection for those who no longer want to wear bulletproof vests because it's restrictive and not discreet. We wanted to make it easier to wear ballistic protection, to make it as ordinary as wearing a classic jacket. The creation of FURTIV also means making it accessible to all citizens to wear ballistic protection without changing their clothing habits.” explains Nicolas, creator and designer of FURTIV.
Originally, FURTIV was created for people who were used to wearing bulletproof vests. People who need it in their job or whose exposed lives force them to protect themselves from this type of aggression.
But for several years, the French security context has opened the spectrum to a new category of users.
Now, the “average” citizen has a real interest in using this protection. There are many reasons, but the one that comes up the most is the feeling of insecurity and violence, which has become a daily reality in France and Europe.
Wearing protection to defend oneself is gradually becoming more democratic and FURTIV appears to be one of the answers among citizens.
The findings of VEST PARIS
First of all, we wanted to solve the constraint of wearing a bulletproof vest by putting our finger on it. For beginners, a bulletproof vest can be put on by the head with 2 plates on the face and back that are joined together with a velcro.
Here are the reasons why our users no longer want or can't wear such vests?
- A vest is an additional item in your locker room; it takes up space on you and you have to find it once you take it off
- It can be seen, it is not discreet and therefore there is no longer the effect of surprise
- It is unsightly
- It is heavy, uncomfortable, bulky
- Wearing it for a long time is tiring and not breathable.
- Removing it by the head when there is no longer any risk is a tedious and unnatural gesture.
How did VEST PARIS create FURTIV?
Such a jacket took a long time to develop. More than 2 years, dozens of prototypes, 3 teams of model makers, 4 design workshops in France and Italy to finally achieve perfect comfort and meet ballistic certification requirements.
And above all exceptional ballistics. We found it at PROTECOP, one of the leaders in internal security. Its hybrid bulletproof solution, light, thin and flexible, is also worn by several elite units around the world.
The creation of FURTIV is the result of the joint work of dozens of experts in Design, ballistics and users who are used to wearing bulletproof vests. VEST PARIS was able to bring together and make all these experts from very different backgrounds work together around an avant-garde project.
The short story in the big
At the beginning, we didn't know anything about the bulletproof universe. We've even discovered a fairly hermetic field that the fashion world has never ventured into. It was a clash of cultures.
So we had to upgrade ourselves, operate our network and contact several bulletproof specialists to present the project to them. For many months we found the door closed and received no response despite our reminders.
In order not to waste time, we started developing our first jacket designs by replacing ballistics with carpet. And yes! The D system! The 2 materials were similar in their stiffness and thickness.
And then after several months, thanks to numerous reminders, suppliers of bulletproof plates began to respond to us. During the first meetings, we felt a certain distrust. The project seemed unusual, complex to set up and above all, we seemed like UFOs in this universe of optimal security.
Several ballistic solutions were presented to us and finally the French company PROTECOP, one of the world leaders in internal security and law enforcement, became our partner.
Several challenges to take up for VEST PARIS
If we were sure of our doing the design part, most of the work would focus on 3 essential points: successfully opening the jacket's face with 360° protection, maintaining optimal comfort for the jacket and, above all, meeting the certification requirements so that the jacket could be marketed.
Because as soon as personal security is concerned, the legal and regulatory constraints are very strict. You don't play with people's lives.
These three challenges will require long months of development because we did not want to compromise on any point of the specifications. Wearing a jacket should be a pleasure, opening it from the front should be simple and safe should be total.
Frontal opening: the ultimate challenge
To succeed at FURTIV, the first objective of the VEST PARIS teams and those of PROTECOP was to transform a bulletproof vest into a practical object to wear on a daily basis.
That's why we integrated it into a jacket, to simplify the lives of our users, to give them a new experience with an object that is restrictive by nature.
We wanted to make it aesthetic, practical, easy to use and offer a real feeling of freedom: you can wear it and take it off whenever you want.
Even if the bet was successful in the end, the challenge of integrating ballistics into a jacket is a puzzle. It requires a great deal of attention to detail. The challenge of opening the front was fundamental because it was necessary to maintain the same level of ballistic safety and certification on the abdomen and chest as a vest that goes through the head.
This development was complex to solve but we succeeded by working on the principle of the overoverlap of the 2 front plates.
360° NIJ certified bulletproof on the body
To be sold to civilians, we are obliged to use level 3A and 3A+ ballistics because it is the only authorized one.
This ballistics level protects handguns such as the 44 Magnum, the 9mm, the 357 SIG, and the 7.62 Tokarev + 12 mm for the 3A+ level. This is already a very high level of protection.
The VEST PARIS teams wanted the ballistics integrated into FURTIV not to hinder the mobility of its user and to protect his vital organs in 360°: face, back and flanks.
It was a real work of art between our Design department and our partner Protecop, whose instructions, opinions and feedback were scrupulously followed.
The coming and going lasted several months and everything worked to the millimeter to ensure that the jacket was as comfortable as it was protective.
We had to respect heights, surfaces, overlaps and shapes so that vital organs like the chest, abdomen and back were fully protected.
VEST PARIS signs the FURTIV design
The reason why this project was a success is because the idea originally came from a fashion brand, INVENTIVE CITI (now VEST PARIS) and not the other way around.
It was primarily the promise of elegance, comfort and practicality that took the lead and then, bulletproof was added. If we had not been able to integrate bulletproof protection into a jacket without affecting its aesthetics and comfort, we would have stopped the development of this project.
The ultimate goal was to push the customer experience to an unprecedented level.
Wearing FURTIV is a pleasure
Wearing a bulletproof vest is so uncomfortable and restrictive that our mission was to make it a piece of clothing that offers both pleasure and a sense of security.
To achieve this result, the work of the modellers and our designers was long and meticulous. A real Swiss watchmaker's work carried out in haute couture workshops in France and Italy for nearly 2 years.
The search for general balance in clothing was a priority objective because rigid ballistic plates are intruders in a jacket. She should not lean forward, backward, or sideways.
This long development process has been rewarded by the success of our jackets with our users and praised at the Milipol, Shot Show in Las Vegas and Platinium in Monaco.
We have succeeded in transforming the unpleasant experience of wearing a bulletproof shield into an unforgettable experience that can be repeated at will.
FURTIV, an easy to wear jacket
If the first advantage of FURTIV is to protect you, this jacket is also a piece of clothing that can be worn every day.
First of all, thanks to its design. Its elegance, its discretion and its lines make it (almost) a normal piece of clothing. The teams at Inventive Citi and now those at VEST PARIS have created a collection with simple and effective lines to be worn in all circumstances. Going to work, going out, traveling, FURTIV is designed to adapt to all these situations.
FURTIV is also a “practical” jacket because you wear it like a regular jacket. It eliminates all the constraints of wearing a bulletproof vest. It is easier to wear, it is more discreet, it is lighter, it is not bulky, it is not bulky and FURTIV is above all very comfortable for a bulletproof.
Another advantage is that it passes through airport gates.
PROTECOP, ideal partner of VEST PARIS
The French Industrial Group was created in 1982 in Eure.
Today considered as an international reference in the field of internal security, Protecop designs, manufactures and markets personal protective equipment both for maintaining order and for ballistic protection intended for first responders of the Armed Forces or private security companies.
In fact, VEST PARIS and PROTECOP, with their 40 years of experience, were intended to work together on such an innovative project.
PROTECOP, a unique ballistic expertise
In constant evolution, Protecop designs and manufactures all the bulletproof vests it sells: covers, bulletproof or blade proof flexible packs and rigid plates.
Protecop is constantly evolving its solutions. Holder of numerous ballistic patents, this flagship company of the French industry uses the most innovative materials on the market as well as the most advanced technologies to offer the most efficient solutions in terms of protection and weight.
All Protecop ballistic solutions are validated in independent and approved laboratories to guarantee a response adapted to each of its customers worldwide.
The perfect traceability of materials and solutions meets the most advanced security criteria.
These are the technologies that have been integrated into FURTIV jackets for nearly 10 years and that allow our users to enjoy a unique experience.
FURTIV, market recognition
This revolutionary jacket was first approved by our partner PROTECOP, who rarely trusts us.
And for good reason, by adding its name to the project, PROTECOP became a co-guarantor of the lives of those whom FURTIV jackets will protect.
Making such a commitment is not only a recognition, it is an endorsement.
FURTIV was then endorsed by the specialized arms and security market at the numerous fairs at which the jackets were exhibited. Milipol in Paris, National Security in London, Shot Show in Las Vegas or, to a lesser extent, at the Platinium exhibition in Monaco.
Each release is a success with security specialists who see this concept as a breath of fresh air in the middle of a universe that is sometimes considered too “static and rigid” in their eyes.
Numerous internal security and close protection services that need invisible and practical bulletproof barriers have been praising these jackets since their creation.
Finally, it is the welcome of the users themselves, looking for a more practical, more aesthetic and more comfortable solution than an ordinary bulletproof vest. For 10 years, customer feedback has confirmed to us the purpose of the FURTIV collection.
Because we never reveal any information about our customers, we won't quote anyone. But those who chose FURTIV not only promoted their jacket to their network but often recommended a new jacket for their personal use.
FURTIV, a showcase of French know-how
The FURTIV bulletproof concept is the showcase of what is best in France: luxury, technology and armaments.
This completely new combination exists in other sectors such as the automotive industry for example. Range Rover, Bentley, BMW and Mercedes all build bulletproof armoured cars.
For users, this association of 100% French talents is clearly a reassuring message of quality.
With VEST PARIS and PROTECOP, they are sure to benefit from the expertise, unique know-how and creative spirit that France is famous for all over the world.
FURTIV was also chosen to represent France at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in 2020.
