Recent Purchase - Woolrich Woolen Mills Raglan Chambray Shirt

It's all been quiet on the blog front recently, hasn't it? I've been buried under a seemingly neverending pile of work recently but this hasn't helped curb my spending habit one bit.

My most recent purchase is that wardrobe essential: a chambray shirt. A timeless American classic which was famously donned by Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke, the chambray shirt has its roots in workwear. In fact, it became so widely worn by American workers up and down the country that it even led to the coining of the term "blue collar". That's one for you, fact fans.

This chambray is from Woolrich Woolen Mills – a label which is as American as it gets when it comes to appearances yet, ironically enough, is designed by a man from Japan.


That man is no other than Daiki Suzuki, who you'll all no doubt be familiar with if you hold any interest in who designs your clothes or if, like me, you spend far too time reading about clothes while on the interest. Suzuki's story is an interesting one either way.

Suzuki moved to Boston in 1989 where he worked as a buyer for several of Japan's finest menswear stores. He oversaw the introduction of handmade moccasins, functional outerwear and Ivy League styling to the American market and in doing so marked himself out as one of the foremost experts on America's traditional outdoor and hunting wear. This soon led to Suzuki going from buyer to designer in 1991 and eight years later his first Engineered Garments line was produced, totally American in style yet exclusive for the Japanese market.

The success of the Engineered Garments label was immediate and well deserved. Suzuki then set about resurrecting Woolrich Woolen Mills, using both traditional manufacturing methods and original fabrics. The first WWM line was released in January 2006 to similarly successful acclaim.

This particular chambray shirt is from Suzuki's last season designing for the Woolrich Woolen Mills brand and has all the hallmarks you would expect from a Suzuki piece. Attention to detail is spot on with features such as reinforced elbow patches, shoulder lining and three button-fastening pockets all very nice touches. Deliberate made to be loose fitting, the shirt is at its best when worn with an under garment because of its curved hem.

A very nice shirt, indeed.