Written by Jack Collins

If you’ve been following the journey of the club cloth so far, you’ll be aware of the sheer level of excitement brought about by the cloth’s arrival mere hours prior to its debut at the Arterton Lounge in Prince’s Arcade. My good friend and fellow club member, Nick Hendry, recapped the evening’s events in the previous installment - and I’m certainly glad he did, as it allowed me to enjoy one (or five) delicious gin cocktails by the talented Savile Row Gin Company team. Upon reading Nick’s report of the evening, the element that resonated with me most was the energy and electricity; not just of the evening, but of the possibilities brought about by the arrival of the cloth.

Designing the Perfect Club Cloth: Balancing Uniqueness and Wearability

Having discovered the genesis of the literal fibers that go into creating the club cloth, we now come to the question of what the cloth should look like. A surprisingly difficult question to answer initially, as creating a cloth from scratch is the equivalent of presenting a painter with a blank canvas - the possibilities are endless. This is where the core element of collaboration comes into play, as Nancy discussed these possibilities with club founders, Dennise and Ksenia. Initially, the concept of creating a tartan was discussed. Denoting the wearer’s association with a house, family, or club, it’s easy to see how a specially woven tartan is an intriguing prospect. The problem with tartan is it’s going to be a particularly loud cloth. So the challenge is how to create a cloth that can be transformed into something truly unique, yet equally wearable without being just for odd occasions?

A varieties of tartans patterns in kilt, which is a symbol of one’s association with a specific clan. Wearing a particular tartan was seen as a way of showing loyalty to one's clan and heritage. Image source: https://kiltguide.com/

A Modern Take on a Classic Pattern

A boating stripe is a bold option, for sure. But it’s that boldness that makes it a perfect choice for the cloth. Sure, bold stripes exist in shirting, but we’re so used to seeing conservative (dare I say), boring stripes in other areas of tailoring.

Bold stripe is a wardrobe staple in shirting

As I chatted with Dennise, she talked about her bespoke stripe jacket from Sartoria Crimi; “I always love a boating stripe and I don't necessarily relate them with a boating stripes, so to speak. I see them as a casual sporty pattern.” As Dennise continued, the jacket in question is a double-breasted blazer in tones of maroon and beige, with an equal width to each colour’s stripe; “Maybe I think it's very ‘tennis’ in a way, which is perhaps something I would never have sought out if not for my tailor who recommended it to me.”

The said jacket at Pitti Uomo 101. Image source: The Rake

Personally, when I think of bold stripes, I make a strong connection to Henley Regatta. But, this is probably a biased view from a British mindset. As Dennise put it; “I think, having worn that particular boating stripe jacket for a very long time and then combined with the idea of other vintage or ivy styles in my head, I think it can be very modern.”

Spectators at Henley Royal Regatta. Image souce: https://beaumondetraveler.com/

Inspired by the Rich Hues of Club Collection

As the Sartorial Club has continued to grow, so has its range of carefully curated pieces available to members. It’s the elements of these exquisite pieces that directly informed Nancy’s choices when designing the cloth itself: deep, sumptuous plum tones that mirror the rich velvet bow tie and evening slippers made in collaboration with Cinabre and Bowhill & Elliott respectively, offset with the simple elegance of black and bordered with a fine silver stripe, reminiscent of the silver wire embroidery present on the slippers and as the base for your membership pin.

Three distinctly stylish tones that harmonise beautifully to create something quite special. Indeed, the beauty of seeing these colours combined in a cloth is that they aren’t simply “flat” colours. With the cloth coming so directly from nature, and being woven and finished in Scotland’s oldest mill, each individual stripe has life and energy to it - you could look at the depth of the plum for hours and still find new inspiration within.

Double-side bowtie, made by Cinabre. Part of the Club’s curated collection

Black velvet slippers with Club crest by Bowhill & Elliott. Using the same bunch of dense and dark hue velvelt as the bowtie, by Smith Woolen

An Invitation to Creat a Personal Statement

It’s also worth noting that this is the first time where purchasing something from the club doesn’t actually mean a finished product in hand. If anything, the cloth represents the start of several creative decisions to be made.

Indeed, these decisions can feel a little daunting at first, as is the case for Dennise; “It is frightening to come up with the club collection. It has always been and I suppose the butterfly feeling will never go away. We are not that certain all the time.”

It’s certainly easy for me to make light of this, as even though I’ve followed the cloth’s journey from source, these creative decisions about the final cloth were made before my reporting began. So it’s easy for me to say the cloth looks amazing when I haven’t had to design it from scratch, but in speaking with Nancy, Dennise, and Ksenia, I understand more about the trepidation that comes with creating something for a very well-informed audience. Because, ultimately, the club isn’t yet a cloth mill or merchant with the ability to make hundreds of designs at will - certainly a dream we all likely share, though! It’s about creating something truly special in a slow and conscious way that offers a particularly unique canvas on which to create beautiful garments.

Helping to create those beautiful garments is how uniquely versatile the cloth is, as it can be combined particularly nicely with other materials and colours. Perhaps you enjoy the robust depth of denim, or maybe it’s the allure of an elegant flannel, or the rugged nature of a hearty tweed - all perfect pairing partners for the club cloth. Naturally, the cloth lends itself to evening wear too, so whether you choose a traditional barathea or a more modern mohair blend, the cloth will look excellent come the cocktail hour.

Matthew Gonzales of MG Bespoke, cutting for very first jacket made of the Club cloth

Choosing Your Commission: Traditional, Dandy, or Modern?

With the creative juices flowing, the next question is a big one; what are you going to commission?

Traditionalists may want to seek out their vintage fashion illustrations and fully embrace the heritage of the boating stripe for a particularly elegant blazer, perhaps with piped edges for the full look.

Dandies may be intrigued by my thoughts for a unique take on a safari jacket - granted, not the best camouflage when exploring the jungle, but excellent fun when peacocking around Piccadilly.

As for modernists, I can see a lot of potential in how the cloth can be transformed into something striking but tasteful.

Bringing It to Life: A Chris Modoo & Matthew Gonzalez’s Collab

While I daydream about the many possibilities, it’s my great pleasure to pass the torch to the Sartorial Club’s (newly) official chairman, Mr. Chris Modoo.

With a positively encyclopedic knowledge of all that is sartorial, he’ll be working with the incredibly talented Anglo-American tailor, Matthew Gonzalez to create a jacket with the cloth. When finished, this jacket will tour the world so that members can experience, feel, wear, and style the cloth in its living form as a fully realised garment. Can you feel that energy still in the air? Time for cocktail no. 6.

(4) Designing the Stripes of Distinction