The once-maligned fabric is this season's class act. Actually, maligned is a bit of a strong word. Corduroy emerged from its heyday in the 60s and 70s - when the likes of Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman were sporting knockout corduroy jackets and suits in films such as All The President's Men and The Graduate - only to enter the 80s as everyone's favourite fashion scapegoat (then again, the 80s can take a good long hard look at itself in the mirror if we're talking fashion faux pas). Overnight (at least in fashion terms), corduroy went from swarthy masculine to laugh-out-loud antiquated, but then that was the 80s - the era that spawned mullets, spandex, and shoulder pads!
The origins of the fabric are French - the etymology of the word is believed to come from late 18th century France, from the term 'corde du roi' meaning 'cloth of the King'. It was woven then as it is now (only by less industrial means): it's most unique feature are the raised ribs that run parallel to the selvedge of the typically cotton cloth. The ribs are formed by cutting the threads in one direction, resulting in the rows or what is better known as 'wales' in the fabric. The higher the number of wales, the smoother or less textural the cloth will be. Classic corduroy typically has about 14 wales per inch, whereas needlecord has much finer ribs and is around 18 cords per inch. We've used both forms this season.
Jackets
In the new Autumn 25 collection, our Sibley corduroy has been used to create two jacket styles - the Bradwell and the Shawcross. Sibley is a relatively narrow wale corduroy - so not super chunky wales but wide enough to create a textural effect. The Bradwell jacket is something of a hybrid, with a cropped finish and a camp collar lapel. With its origins in utilitarian workers jackets, it's a versatile modern silhouette that will give you loads of styling options this season, especially in this corduroy cloth. The Sibley options come in both black and beige. We've also created the jacket in our indigo-dyed Newson corduroy, which is a finer needlecord fabric with a smoother finish. The Shawcross jacket is made from the Sibley cordury and riffs on classic four-pocket field jackets. Featuring a cropped silhouette with a squared off hem, and four front bellows pockets, it is the perfect blend of workwear heritage and contemporary styling.
