I was surprised by the reactionour madras shirt last year. Although there was a good hand story therehand knittingI was a little afraid that the bold check and color would put people off.
The first batch sold out within a week, and we rushed to get another one at the end of the summer, which also sold out. A bit of unsustainable hype probably played a role – the first batch wasn’t great, as far as I’m concerned, which made them seem to sell out very quickly. Anyway, good reaction.
This is not always the case. Students have said that it can seem like everything is selling fast, that everything is a roaring success. However, to show that we are not overselling, some things do not have such a reaction.
Sleeveless sweatersfor example, they have been moving since they started but they have not seen any kind of rush. A few readers love them, and repeatedly request new colors, but they’re not for everyone.The Wool Walkerand it has sold consistently over the past few years, but not fast.
Perhaps the success of madras shows that there is a gap in the market for interesting yet wearable patterns; the kind of thing that your partner might be a little surprised about but also surprised by.
Few people are likely to check this out because the market feels very difficult at the moment. Everyone has a tendency to follow hard times. (And women’s clothing trends are very masculine – hence all the jeans, boat shoes and suede jackets in the women’s market.)
Whatever the reason, I’m glad to say we didrestored the original PS madrasin a larger volume than last year, and added two new colors – one brighter than the original, one stronger.
The first, above, is cream with brown, beige and blue overchecks, and a little green and a dash of yellow. To me it’s the brilliance of the two new colors, but maybe because of the overall pale color rather than the checks themselves.
It’s actually very easy to wear, since you can pick up the color of any of those checks from other things you’re wearing: blues or browns, green and khaki. A bit like we’ve all been told to pick a color from a tweed jacket when choosing a tie or handkerchief to go with it.
Here I am wearing an old Levi’s shirtour PS boat shoesand he went out.
This is easier with madras shirts because they are cut closer to the body than other shirts (egthe Oxfordsbefore shrinking, for those who know the range). It’s not how I wear my shirts during the week much, but it’s a comfortable option for the weekend.
Then, to keep everyone happy, a new blue madras is included. Both work equally well in any style, but I know readers like to see a variety of options.
Blue was designed to be very easy to wear – it’s the same color palette as your jeans, navy suits, and blue oxfords – but it’s light enough to go with all those jeans and navy chinos.
The background is pale grey/beige, with a different blue layered over it. I know not everyone will like the undershirt, but I like it as a good layering piece. More on the topictees under shirts here.
One last thing about madras shirts that is worth repeating: they require very little ironing. Like the button-down oxfords that Ivy students apparently preferred because they didn’t need to be ironed (or if you’re being realistic, they could get away with not being ironed) these hand-tied madras don’t wrinkle much, which is a nice bonus.
Most of the time I just wash them and hand wash them to dry and then they are fine.
I should also mention that all three madras patterns are available as fabric for people to buy their own and send to the shirt maker. It is a narrow width fabric with selvedge, so we sell the length by 2.7m.
The cloth:
- 100% cotton Madras,handwoven in Chennaiis the Original Madras Trading Company
- It is open and breathable, suitable for warm weather although summer is not high
- Softens with washing and wear
- Weight 150gsm
- Length sold as 2.7m, minimum width (95cm) with selvedge
- Slight differences in height and width are the result of hand stitching
- Occasional slubs in the clothare also a natural result of the process, not a fault
- A little color fades, but only after several washes. It’s like a simple denim shirt
- Slight shrinkage, 1-2%
Shirt summary:
- Handmade in Naples, Italy byLuca Avitabile’s workshop
- Collars and armholes are hand-stitched; hand sewn buttons and buttonholes
- Button-down collar designed to fold open from the neck, and around the lapel of the coat
- Regular dress shirt length, but can be worn tucked in or out
Care and fitness:
- Clean the machine and hang dry (or clean)
- Can be ironed as usual, but not required
- Comfortable fit, 2cm wider at the waist than other PS shirts but otherwise a similar fit
- Simon is wearing a size medium in the photos of the two new colourways, the first bespoke shirt (brown and orange check)