Clothing That Demands to Be Talked About

To simply call it a "fashion brand" might be an understatement for Nigel Cabourn's collections, as they diverge from conventional concepts. While the fashion world constantly pursues the cutting edge with new ideas and rapid change, Nigel Cabourn's items are rooted in solid stories based on historical facts. The designer, Nigel Cabourn, is also a vintage collector, with a collection amassed over 30 years, now exceeding 4,000 pieces.


In today's era of mass production and mass consumption, are there truly any other garments that "demand to be talked about" like these? Nigel Cabourn's new signature shirt will be available for pre-sale starting November 3rd (Thursday) at Nigel Cabourn stores and the online shop "rumors." What is the appeal of this new piece, created without regard for the cost involved in its completion?

A Project Far Removed from the Quick Delivery Trend

──It was originally scheduled for release in Spring/Summer 2012, but why the decision for an early sale?

The fabric used in this product, like many others, was developed by Nigel Cabourn. This particular fabric is a special project where we started from the yarn stage, meaning from the design and selection of short fibers. It's a project that stands in stark contrast to the trend of quick delivery, which has become commonplace in the fashion industry.


While color variations are common across brands for shirts, this product might appear to be a simple, solid-colored shirt at first glance. However, made with a special fabric and crafted using a unique method, it has become an established staple series that is highly favored by many customers. As it uses a standard fabric, it is suitable for any season.

Using this fabric, we created a special model in addition to our standard solid series. This was originally made for the 2012 Spring/Summer exhibition, which started at Pitti Uomo in June and concluded in Tokyo, so it was scheduled to be in stores from January 2012. However, immediately after its presentation at the exhibition, we received strong requests from buyers and customers who wanted to see it "as soon as possible." Thus, although the quantity is very limited, this pre-sale has been realized.

Developing Yarn Requires Deep Knowledge of the Material and Imagination

──What distinguishes this shirt from the countless similar ones available?

One key difference is the exceptional quality of the material. Regarding the yarn, the warp uses ecru combed yarn. Combed yarn is made by twisting together long, continuous strands created by removing fine impurities and short fibers through a combing process applied to cotton short fibers of various lengths, from about 2-3 millimeters to over ten millimeters. The longer the staple fiber, the less hairy, more supple, softer to the touch, stronger, and glossier the combed yarn becomes. Since it involves removing material to use only the high-quality parts, the cost is naturally higher, but this results in a unique and superior yarn.

For the weft, we use a thick yarn developed by blending two types of extra-long staple cotton: Supima cotton and Sun-Fukin cotton. Developing yarn involves selecting fibers down to the millimeter while imagining the finished shirt; this requires deep knowledge of the material itself and considerable imagination.

A Silhouette That Remains Unchanged After Three or Five Years

──Why go to the trouble of creating a basic item from scratch, even down to the yarn?

Honestly, it was a process spanning years (laughs). Of course, there were countless failures. But we wanted to offer something with absolute value, even if it meant incurring that much cost. Conversely, there's no point in making something that's readily available everywhere. As I mentioned earlier, the quantity is very limited, but this shirt actually takes four months to produce, starting from the yarn stage.


However, our goal is for customers to have a shirt with the same silhouette three or five years from now as it is today. Even if worn in a way that would make other shirts look tattered like rags after five years, we pursue durability – maintaining its current shape and texture through the quality of the fabric and the sewing craftsmanship.

Inspired by a 1940s British Officer's Uniform

──What was the design's source of inspiration?

Nigel Cabourn does not follow the typical fashion designer's approach of drawing lines at a desk based on their own sensibility. Instead, he bases his designs on vintage garments that have been refined through the passage of time, adventures, or battlefields, undergoing numerous twists and turns and continuous improvements down to the millimeter. While typical fashion designers first decide on a seasonal theme and then align designs accordingly, his method might seem slightly unconventional. This approach applies not only to design details but also to the fabrics.


The details are based on a British officer's uniform from the 1940s. The longer length and significantly curved hem are a direct reproduction of the era's design, conceived to prevent the shirt from coming untucked when worn inside trousers, reflecting the officers' custom of keeping their shirts tucked in. The placket ends at the fifth button, directly above where the trousers would sit, and the left front continues with a wide curve down to the hem.

Original vintage garments were made from much thicker, stiffer fabric. The placket area, where the front buttons are lined up, involves multiple layers of fabric, making it quite bulky. This design was intended to prevent bulkiness in that area when tucked in and to allow for freedom of movement by increasing the overlap. While today many prefer to wear shirts untucked, even in that case, this shirt offers a silhouette with a distinct individuality compared to others.

A Dressy Finish with a Shaped Waist

Actually, the collar is button-down. Normally, the buttonholes go through the collar fabric, but on this shirt, the collar fabric is doubled, and the buttons are hidden within. This is not an original detail but an arrangement by the brand. The roots of the button-down shirt lie in polo. Originating as a sports shirt from America, it's an item with a casual character. As this shirt is British-based, we've adopted only the functional aspect of the button-down for a dressier finish. Darts are incorporated at the sides, creating a subtly shaped waist.

──Currently, it seems suitable for coordinating with autumn and winter collections. What kind of style is the brand proposing this season?

This season's theme is "In collaboration." The inspiration comes from a photograph of soldiers talking beside an airplane at a British Air Force airfield. Coincidentally, collaboration proposals came in one after another from Eddie Bauer and Yuketen in the US, and Brady in the UK, resulting in a rather unique collection that literally embodies "In collaboration."

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