Why wide-leg trousers stop feeling right, and how Ravello fixes it
Trousers get tested standing up. Days are lived sitting down. Amy on the MELYRFLEX Ravello, a black wide-leg trouser with a waistband that holds without digging.
The question I'm asked most isn't a complaint. It's "We love your tops, but when are you going to bring out new trousers?", usually followed by a request for more colours and a longer leg.
This is my answer. The MELYRFLEX Ravello is a black wide-leg trouser with a waistband that holds without digging. It's for days spent in meetings, on trains and at a desk.
Why do trousers that look right stop feeling right?
Trousers get tested standing up. Days are lived sitting down.
You try a pair on, turn to the side, and they look fine. Then you sit through a long meeting and the waistband that looked so neat starts making itself known. By the journey home you're undoing a button under your coat.
That's a design fault, and Ravello was made to fix it. For a start, there's no button to undo. Ravello pulls on, with no zips, buttons or fastenings.
What is MELYRFLEX?
MELYRFLEX is the waistband inside every MELYR trouser. In Ravello it's made from performance fabric, the kind used in activewear, inside a soft modal and cotton outer. It holds with medium support. It moves when you sit and comes back when you stand.
It isn't shapewear, and it doesn't squeeze. Marie, writing about our earlier MELYRFLEX trouser, put it better than I can: "You would never know about the secret waistband."
Do they dig in when you sit down?
This is the test I care about most, so I was hardest on it. When the first sample arrived in January, my first note back to the factory was about the waistband: more compression, so it holds properly without pressing.
"These new trousers are wonderful. They manage to be stylish yet comfortable, while the MelyrFlex technology keeps everything smoothed and supported."
Andrea, on Ravello
Are they smart enough for work?
The outer is 47% LENZING™ Modal, 47% cotton and 6% elastane, with a slight sheen. It has the look of a smart trouser without the stiffness.
The front pleats are soft, and they sit one and a half centimetres lower than on the first sample. That was my second note. Nobody will ever spot it, but the leg falls better for it.
The woman wearing MELYRFLEX is usually the comfiest person in the meeting. She just doesn't mention it.
Which leg length do I need?
Ravello comes in two leg lengths, regular 30 inch and long 33 inch. The long leg exists because you asked for it, more than once. Some of you told us our earlier trousers came up short, and this is the answer to that.
Measure the inside leg of a pair you already like wearing, then check the size guide. If you're still unsure, email me and I'll tell you honestly.
What do I wear with them?
Most days, an Aimee. Its deep hip band sits over the MELYRFLEX waistband, so the top stays put, the trousers stay put, and you stop checking either.
A shirt or a fine knit works too. Wear trainers for the day and something smarter when you're going out.
Can I try them first?
Yes. Choose try before you buy at checkout, wear them at home with your own shoes, and pay only for what you keep. UK returns and exchanges are free.
Marc and I pack every order ourselves. If it looks like you've ordered the wrong size, we'll be in touch before it leaves. When you email, I'm the one who answers.
Your questions about Ravello
Does the waistband dig in?
It's designed not to. MELYRFLEX holds with medium support and moves when you sit.
Is there a zip or button?
No. Ravello pulls on, with no zips, buttons or fastenings.
What leg lengths are there?
Regular 30 inch and long 33 inch. Measure a pair you like and check the size guide.
What is it made from, and can I wash it?
The outer is 47% LENZING™ Modal, 47% cotton and 6% elastane, and the waistband is performance fabric. It's machine washable at 30°C.
Can I send them back?
Yes, UK returns and exchanges are free. You can also try before you buy.
Start with one pair. Wear them for a full working day and count how many times you think about the waistband.
Shop the MELYRFLEX Ravello. Free UK returns and exchanges, and try before you buy.
Ravello at a glance
- Colour: black
- Outer: 47% LENZING™ Modal, 47% cotton, 6% elastane, with a slight sheen
- Waistband: MELYRFLEX, performance fabric, medium support
- Shape: wide leg, soft front pleats, pull on with no fastenings
- Leg lengths: regular 30", long 33"
- Care: machine washable at 30°C
- Made in Turkey
- £95
Try before you buy. Free returns and exchanges.
