Working in the cutting room is a great barometer for seeing what makes our customers tick when it comes to their shirts. Whilst, the team continue to cut plenty of classics in Sea Island, Soyella and poplin, there has definitely been an increase in more creative orders and also, in less formal shirting; a couple of which are denim and chambray.
First up, we thought we would just provide a little precis as to what separates the twos cloths. Due to colour and yarn type, one would be justified in thinking that they are one and the same, but here, the appropriate adage is “same same but different!”
Whilst they are similar in appearance, look closely and you will note that their construction and handle differ, a result of their construction. Chambray consists of a plain weave, with single strands of dyed and white thread woven together. Denim in instead woven as a twill, with double the yarn used to obtain its diagonal pattern. Chambray tends to maintain a smoother, softer finish and more often than not, a lighter weight. However, advances in spinning and higher thread counts over the years, now means that there are plenty of sophisticated and more luxurious denims available too. One thing is for certain, both get better and softer with age, ensuring that they soon become perennial favourites.
In recent years, denim and chambray have been smartened up. No longer a casual mainstay to be worn with jeans or chinos, they now sit comfortably under a worsted navy blazer, or even, dare we say, a Prince of Wales check. We love the versatility of the two cloths, they look terrific paired with one of our madder or grenadine ties, or layered over a tee with sleeves rolled up. We will cut them, how you wear them is up to you!
We have cut three sample shirts from within our range of denim and chambray cloth samples. Each one is styled differently to provide a little scope. Unusually for Budd, we are very fond of the preppy, button down version, but the raglan sleeve is currently the hands down favourite with Darren, James and Christopher, who have embraced this new style with plenty of vigour since Darren first cut it at the end of last year.
