Introducing: Everyday Denim

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Wednesday, October 4th 2017
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Today I’m very proud to launch a new collaboration, produced jointly by myself, Albiate and Luca Avitabile: ‘Everyday Denim’.

We picked the name because it is a shirt a man in a modern office can wear every day: an update on the classic blue dress shirt, that sits well with a blazer but equally a tweed jacket or a suede aviator.

The shirt is in the same pale-blue colour as a regular office shirt - to increase its versatility - but is rendered more casual by subtle denim texture and fading at the edges and seams.

And that fading only develops over time through wearing and washing.

This means that if you have the shirt made bespoke, it will have no fading at the start but gradually acquire a lived-in denim look over time - something that’s often difficult with most bespoke denim.

We therefore have two offers: ready-made shirts in various sizes, and the shirting itself, which can be bought and given to a shirtmaker.

The story of Everyday Denim goes back a year.

In mid-2016, I got into a conversation with Albini (owners of the Albiate brand) about why they had discontinued a version of their Victoria shirting, which I loved.

It turned out that they had had returns from customers, who complained that the shirts lost their colour over time. But that was the whole point of the shirting.

A core characteristic of denim is the way the indigo fades from the surface of the yarn over time, exposing the white core. It’s what makes a denim shirt look so casual and relaxed, and what designer brands spend millions replicating with washes.

Those Albiate customers couldn’t deal with the fact that the product they bought would be different to the one in a month’s time, after four or five washes.

But I think Permanent Style readers can. In fact, I think they will actively appreciate it.

We tried several different versions of that original denim, looking at different washes and strengths of colour.

The darker, more saturated ones would have shown more fading. But I settled on this classic light blue in order to achieve that everyday versatility.

I wear it with a smart jacket like my oatmeal cashmere from Elia, with flannels and brogues; but also with rough Armoury chinos, under a sweatshirt.

The model you can see pictured, on me and in the close-ups, has been washed six times.

It will fade a little more over time, but not much. The fading effect is deliberately subtle. (Like many things on Permanent Style, I guess).

As mentioned above, bespoke denim shirts are often tricky - because the thing that defines a denim shirt is the fading, and that is achieved in RTW shirts by industrial garment washing.

With Everyday Denim, you can buy the cloth (which is exclusive to us), give it to your shirtmaker, and then wear and wash it over time to achieve that fading effect.

We have 50 pieces of the denim, all 2 metres by 1.5 metres - enough to make a shirt for almost any size of man. (In terms of height alone, it should be fine unless you are 6'3'' or over.)

And for all those that can’t reach a shirtmaker, we have ready-made shirts across four sizes.

These broadly reflect the sizing of our Friday Polos, and are made in the same facility in Naples with the help of Luca Avitabile.

They therefore have all of Luca’s normal points of construction: hand-attached collar and sleeves, hand-sewn buttonholes and buttons.

The buttons are different though: here we went with flat, yellowed mother-of-pearl, which I think has a vintage look that suits the denim.

The shirts also have the button-down collar that I developed in recent years with Luca on my bespoke shirts.  

The aim of this collar is to curve subtly outwards when worn open, rolling around the collar of the jacket and framing the face. It is an effect I know readers have commented on in the past.

But when the shirt is buttoned up, the collar also has enough shape to curve around a tie knot, rather than sitting flat and lifeless.

It looks good both ways, and it’s lovely to be able to use something like this that has been developed for bespoke, on a ready-to-wear product.

The denim is a cotton twill, using 60/2 yarn in the warp and 120/2 in the weft.

That 2 refers to the ply of the yarn, which is significant with denim. Most brands use cheap, single-ply yarn - which to a certain extent is because they want a tougher, coarser feel to the cloth, but also means it doesn’t soften in the same way over time.

I’ve been pleased to find, by contrast, that the Everyday Denim softens beautifully, and is probably one of the most comfortable shirts I own as a result. 

There are 150 RTW shirts across four sizes. Hopefully that will last us a few weeks at least, but we’ll see.

The shirts are slightly more expensive than the Friday Polos, reflecting the exclusivity of the cloth, at £180 (ex-VAT). And the lengths of shirting are £55.

Sizing details below.

I do hope you like Everyday Denim. It’s been a long time coming.

Chest Waist Yoke Sleeve length Body length
Small 100cm 94 45 64 79
Medium 108 100 47 66 81
Large 116 108 49 68 83
Extra large 124 116 51 70 85
  • Neck sizes:
    Small: neck 37 (14,5 inches)
    Medium: neck 39 (15,5 inches)
    Large: neck 41 (16 inches)
    Extralarge: neck 43 (17 inches).

Ships from Naples. Details on the PS Shop.

Photography: Jamie Ferguson @jkf_man

Shot in the GJ Cleverley shop in the Royal Arcade, London. Many thanks to George Glasgow, Jr (above), Senior, John and everyone else for their hospitality.

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Andy

why no XS again Simon?

You should really start to look at producing XS across all your products!

Chancellor

Totally agree that it doesn’t make sense to do orders of sizes that few are buying, and the option for the cloth is a very good compromise.

For what it is worth for any future planning, I would buy an XS were it available. Very much appreciated adding the XS to the trenchcoats recently as that ended up a very good size for me.

Bob

For those of us that use Luca already as our shirtmaker, what is the easiest way to go about having him make a bespoke shirt with the fabric? Would the total price be different to his normal bespoke shirt costs? (I’ve never asked for a breakdown of costs from him so don’t know how your length cost compares)

Bob

And in terms of the practicalities? Just deal with Luca and he’ll deal with the getting the fabric? Buy the fabric from you but give his address for delivery? etc

Bob

So no option to buy it all from Luca and he & you deal with each other in terms of monies and stock?

Anonymous

Diito to Bob’s question.
Please do post your response to advise.
J

Adam Jones

Brilliant news… I had seen some others wearing Victoria cloth before and seen some photos online. Will Luca be taking bespoke orders on this cloth or would I need to purchase a length and hand it over to him?

Carl Richard Melin

That was my question as well. It would be great if it was an easy way in the check-out to get the shirting sent directly to Luca to save shipping cost.

Adam Jones

Noted.. this is the perfect cloth I was looking for though.. Luca showed me a few darker indigo samples, but as you say they fade a lot more, and are not as versatile. I see this as the autumn winter alternative to the lightweight cotton chambray (that I shamelessly copied from you)

Adam Jones

Has Luca confirmed the cost of using this cloth for a bespoke order?

Bob

When I asked he said €170

Anonymous

Which cotton chambray is that? I.e. what mill/book?

Adam Jones

No idea, I just told Luca what I wanted and he did it for me..

its the shirt in this article

https://www.permanentstyle.com/2016/02/which-office-are-you-or-a-sliding-scale-of-formality.html

Carl Richard Melin

Hi Simon,

This looks really great.

I am an old client of Luca and talked to him about this and he recommended that I order the cloth and had it sent to him for a bespoke shirt. (My pattern is a bit unususal). He said that the shirting could be sent straight to him. But I was a little confused about how to write this information in the Shop section. (I this is a too complicated question for the comment section, please e-mail me an response).

Burt

Could you please add the weight of the cloth too? E.g. I have a denim shirt made of cloth that weights 140 g or so. It cannot be worn in summer, can this? Thank you 🙂

R.

Hi Simon,
very nice denim. But the fir does not really “broadly reflect the sizing of our Friday Polos” – when the yoke measurement on size S is 5cm wider than it is on the Polos. Or will the upcoming, changed Polos that you mentioned also have significantly wider shoulders?

Anonymous

45cm shoulder seems very wide on a 37cm neck shirt, whereas the chest measurement indicates a relatively slim overall fit (as the Polos). Doesn’t matter for me though, I will have it made bespoke.

Alex

Love the look of this Simon. Sorry for such a banal Q but what’s the returns policy if the sizing isn’t right on delivery?

Omar Bin Asif

If I order a XL and that comes short, can’t that be returned?

Max

Hi Simon,
Could you please add the neck measurements as well?

DKP

Looks great. If I were to purchase the shirt, I’d like need to have the sleeves shortened and I’ve had terrible luck with getting such alterations done. Any recommendations for someone in London that would take on such a small job and do it properly?

Anonymous

Could you wear it with jeans as it is a very subtle denim look or would that turn quickly into a Canadian Cowboy?

Adam Jones

That’s exactly what I plan to do but with a jacket or some form of knitwear to break it up.

Lorenzo

Could you tell me the details of the beautiful blue jacket. I’m interested in the fabric, company, book and number if possible.
Thanks Lorenzo

Monty

Hi Simon

Can you please explain what is meant by the following? “ using 60/2 yarn in the warp and 120/2 in the weft.”

Thanks

David

Great collaboration Simon. I’ve ordered the large and will get the sleeves altered.
I love the cloth, colour and finish – all great choices.
With this and the trench, I think your rehabilitation after cardigangate is nearly complete.
Jason King would be proud of you.

Jakob

Would it be possible to see a photo of the collar worn with a tie?

Gonzague

What is the advantage of a hand attached collar in the case of a RtW shirt?

Daniel Perez

Hello Simon, thank you for sharing your ideas and favourite things with us!
This fabric is lovely. I’m buying a length.

Also, what fabric are your trousers made of, in the two first pictures.

Seems very unusual but interesting.

Chuck

Hi Simon,

I will like to see the Swatch sample before I make a purchase to avoid returns. Its that possible?

Thank you.

StuartR

Just ordered a length – apologies if you state in the ‘blog- but how long do you anticipate delivery taking?

Charliechan

Would you know the initial shrinkage of the cloth? So I can advise my shirtmaker how much extra to cut the length / sleeves. Thank you!

JayJay

Simon,

Do you have a swatch sample of the cloth for me to see before I can make an order?

Cheers

Anonymous

Hi Simon,

What is the point length and spread width on the collar? The shirt looks great!

Mac

Hi Simon

These button down collars that you’ve designed with Luca, do they look as good without a jacket when worn in their own?

anonymous

What to do if you are over 6’3″ (albeit, barely, I am 6’4″) – live with a slightly shorter shirt? I assume it would still be “tuckable”

François

Hi Simon,

Happy to buy a new product from your collaboration with Luca.

I noticed that this new product includes taxes. Is it a new policy for the products you sell?

Best regards,

François

Anonymous

Can’t believe the cloth is already sold out. Do you have plans for a restock, or other cloths, any time soon?

Carl Goldberg

Is this indigo? or just normal yarn dyed fabric
If you rub white paper against the fabric will the dye come off?

Bob

The overwhelming majority of indigo is synthetic and even those that are natural often use toxic substances in the dying/fixing process, exceptionally few still use natural indigo and the bateria based processes outside of Japan and India. (Mrs did her thesis on indigo dying)
Just wondered where you stood on topics like traditional/natural/artisan dying/textile production -v- industrialised/synthetic?

Bob

Its similar to sour dough bread where you need a culture which is taken from your previous batch. The skills in dying themselves are not difficult/that different but developing and maintaining a culture that sustains itself is difficult and transplanting a culture from one site to another is exceptionally hit and miss on if it takes in the mid-long term.
Anyway, enough off topic.

hugh

Cloth sold out already! Any chance for a 2nd run?

Marvin

Simon,

The cloth has sold out , are you likely to re-stock anytime soon.

Cheers
Marvin

Bob

Pitty, unfortunately Luca hadn’t confirmed his costs yet so missed out as whilst it looks great can’t write a blank check for a single shirt.
Hope it’ll be restocked in time for this season and maybe better coordinated with Luca for his customers.

Bob

Is it likely to be in time for this season factoring in the month or so for making the shirt?

Pitty missed out, was waiting for Luca to confirm costs as whilst its great theres only so much I can justify spending on a single shirt. Would be good if you could work a way of being more coordinated with Luca on the next batch.

Sam

Damb! I was planning to order this morning. I’d certainly be interested in a second batch of cloth if that’s a possibility Simon.

Andie

Simon,

The cloth sold out very quickly any chance Albini will produce some more.

Thanks.

Peter K

Lovely shirt Simon. You’ve “hit it out of the park” with this and the trench coat.

I note the neck size is 14.5 inches on the small which would be rather tight for me when done up. But that’s a moot point since the shirt is beyond my budget.

Even if I can’t buy these collaboration products keep them coming Simon. They are a great example of quality clothing and a standard to evaluate things I do purchase.

FugueGroso

Very nice blue jacket Simon !

Robin

Judging by the speed with which the cloth ran out ( and the shirts will sell out soon ) , my faith in humanity has been restored!

Please continue to do such offers , Simon.

There is a very, very strong return to solid values and virtue in society. We’ve had enough of brands, advertising , marketing and all the bullsh*t and the increasing popularity of this blog and the products you sell proves it !

Hristo

Simon, It seams you are ordering a lot of leather and suede jackets recently.
It looks wonderful. I am considering ordering a leather or suede jacket myself.
Maybe you could share your experience on care – what happens with rain, sweating ect? Do you do some special treatment of the jacket to prevent stains from rain or sweat?

Morten

Ordered yesterday and when I came home this afternoon is was in the mailbox here in Denmark. Fastastic delivery speed.

A few comments that might be usefull for others: i normally buy size 40/M and im 189 cm tall. Previously ive ordered the Friday polo (short and long) in size M and they are both a little to thight for me over the chest and under the arms (im a skinny guy). When I say the measurements for this shirt and compared it with the polos i decided to go for size L (dont use a tie). Im glad that i did. Body with is fine – its a bit long for me but works well when tucked in.

Looking foreward to use it.

Jannik

Dear Simon

The jacket you are wearing is looking very nice, but i can’t stop thinking the sleeves are to wide.
Is this something you have asked for?

Neil T

My first purchase Simon, but Morten’s comment has me worried. I’m a 42 ( 6′ and 180 lbs) and just ordered a size L.

Gary

Where is that beautiful suede jacket from? Not the zipper, the other one?

Steven

This looks lovely Simon but am I misunderstanding how the sleeve length is measured? The extra large has a sleeve of 70 cms, which is more than 20 cms shorter than the sleeve on a T&A standard RTW 43 cm neck?

AJ

Hi Simon, any chance of getting the fabric again in the future ? Missed it this time! Simone Abbarchi makes shirts for me. Thanks

Néstor

Great success, Simon, well done.

ps: Looking forward to receive my shirt next week.

BTW, any plans to restock the Friday polos in the sold out sizes?

JB

Really love the look of this one, unfortunately I’m too big to fit into the XL (I do wear XL in the polos, but those have some stretch.
If you do get a second run of cloth, would you consider opting in the buttons as well for a small surcharge?, or would those be exclusive to Luca? I quite like the look of them.

Adam Jones

I second that request..

Colin

My shirt arrived in the UK this morning. It looks fantastic, body and sleeves a good fit for RTW. The collar might be a bit snug but I am unlikely to wear with a tie. The roll on the collar is just lovely. The question is……do I wash before wearing to start the fading process or not? Decisions, decisons!

Timofey

Dear Simon, can you deliver this tessuto to D’avino which is my best shirt maker ever ?

Andy

Arrived today – its beautiful. Some details that may help others:
The fabric is a lighter weight than I was expecting – somehow the pictures make it look more denim like, more substantial. This is not a negative – just an observation.
The fit is midway between other RTW such as Eton normal and slim (in the large anyway).
The pictures don’t capture some of the really nice detailing around the sleeve buttons.
Did I mention that its beautiful?

David

Received shirt yesterday. All the different details highlighted throughout the comments are nicer in person, than in the pictures.

Emailed you (Simon) for an exchange (I bought a XL and need a L), just waiting for a response (I’m sure you are very busy).
Just some sizing info for others – I wear a XL in the Friday polo’s, as I’m in between a L and XL normally, and would rather my shirts a touch loose, rather than a touch tight – as is typical with other makers, button down shirt fit a little looser, and I definitely need to size down to a L in this. I’m not sure if it’s the material, or styling.

Since I’ve been a reader of the site I have purchased every collaboration that was made, and I have been thrilled with each and every item. They all seem to fill a void.

Thanks and keep up the good work!

Joel

Simon,

Have you thought about doing a pop up in Bicester Village? Your Permanent Style followers are probably guaranteed to visit you as much as they did when you were on Saville Row plus general footfall at Bicester, I would have thought would be great.

Adam Jones

Simon do you happen to know when is the remaining cloth going to be dispatched? I am still showing as just order confirmed

Adam Jones

Arrived this morning. Fantastic, not actually what I expected it’s closer to a cotton twill in feel and weight with look of a brushed cotton. It’s actually going to be much more versatile than most denim fabric. You only normally find a cloth like this in designer RTW at the moment. Think I may need a 2nd length when available. If successful maybe a few other shades can be introduced in the future?

Thanos

Hi Simon,
Do you expect to have L sizes again in the near future? I was too late this time and I am afraid to order an XL…
Thanks

Graeme

Hi Simon,
Do you have any indication of when customer’s can expect to receive their shirt lengths? I’m one of the lucky ones that snapped up a couple of lengths while they were in stock but haven’t heard anything regarding dispatch. Thanks.

StuartR

Mine arrived this morning. Looks great!

As a separate issue, what’s your opinion of other colours for denim shirting. I was against it but bought a grey selvedge denim shirt from Jeans-Shop New York and found it to be very flexible.

StuartR

I think why it works for me is that the fabric is quite pale; in fact a similar colour depth (and weight) to the PS denim.

With MOP buttons it becomes an interesting casual shirt rather than a piece of cowboy costume..

Graeme

No sooner do I post my comment and the shirting arrives… And just in time for my father’s birthday tomorrow! I’m stunned by the quality and handle of this denim, I’ve never felt anything quite like it. Congratulations (and thanks) on another successful collaboration and product.

Thanos

Hi again,
Thanks for the advice but I think that XL will be too big and I am not sure that my shirtmaker can make it fit. If someone returns a L one, please let me know and I will be more than happy to buy it

Martin

Simon, I received your shirt last week and am equally impressed by the cloth and make. It fits nicely in the body and the arms, but unfortunatly due to my broad and high shoulders there is an excess of cloth around the collar and tension if not worn completely buttoned up. I should have ordered the cloth, but was too curious about your collar. So I wanted to ask if I could return and exchange it for a lenght of cloth and a refund?

Ketan Sanghvi

Hi Simon. Can I please know more about the fabric construction – ends per inch (warp) & picks per inch (weft)?

Classique

Placket on oxford cloth or not!

I see you went for a placket on this less formal shirt. I`m in the process of getting a shirt made in plain lighter blue oxford cloth, without a placket, with a wide spread cutaway collar. I like the cloth but want to use it for suits and more casually. I feel a placket sometimes become too chunky on oxford cloth. Whats your general view on when to choose a placket or is it only personal preferences?

Adrian

Apologies if this has already been asked elsewhere, but would you advise against washing this in a normal washer at home? Assuming friendly/delicate settings, no harsh chemicals/detergents and then hang/air dry afterwards? Thanks – love the shirt, the fabric is delightfully soft and the collar is really great!

David

I finally have the XL and apart from the fact that the sleeves need shortening (no problem I’ve a local lady who is great at this) it fits fine.
That said, I’ve measured both the L and the XL against some Dunhill and Brioni flannel and denim shirts that I have and there is no doubt that your XL corresponds completely to their L. Hence the back and forth over this.
That withstanding, the shirt is beautiful. The cloth is off the richter scale and the collar roll is absolutely fabulous.
The next project should be a grey flannel in exactly the same style.

David

Received my L (instead of the original XL that I purchased), and like the previous poster fits absolutely perfect aside from needing a minor shortening of the sleeves.

Collar roll is spectacular, and the material is extremely comfortable. Definitely hit a home run with this.

I’m thinking of buying some of the cloth as well, and having another shirt made up without a button down collar – would you recommend this? Or is this too redundant?
This way I have a more casual button down, and then a slightly dressier with a standard collar of some sort.

Winot

Simon – I’d be grateful for your help. I ordered a length of cloth from the first run to be delivered to Luca. I received confirmation of the order (#1181_PS). However I have had no word from Luca that the cloth has arrived with him (I have emailed him twice). Could you look into this and confirm that it is with him?

Secondly, you mentioned that you would be refunding the shipping for those of us that sent it to Luca. How is that going to work?

Many thanks.

Christos

Hi Simon,
is it the darker side of the clothe, the “good” outer side?
Thanks 😉

Bernie

Hi Simon,

What is collar construction for these shirts?

Best,
Bernie

Bernie

Hi Simon,

If I get my dress shirts wash & pressed/ironed by the cleaners, how do I ensure that the fusing in the collar does not shrink? Also, will the everyday denim & PS oxford still fade if I don’t launder them at home and use a professional dry cleaner like Mulberrys?

Bernie

Hi Simon,

What are your thoughts on the use of darts in shirts? Is it something that is not required with bespoke shirts?

Bernie

Thanks Simon – I do have a hollow back so it may be needed.

anon

Hi Simon,

Any advice for those of us in between sizes? I wear a 15.75 inch neck size (approximately a 40), but the medium is 39, and the large is 41. Other than buy the cloth and have my own version made, any recommendation as to whether medium or large will work better?

anon

Simon,

Could you dress up a denim shirt like this with flannels with a tweed jacket, or some kind of middle-ground between dressy and casual that would be suitable for an office (but still more formal than chinos and a really casual sports jacket)?

Alex N.

Dear Simon,
Would it make sense to have the Everyday Denim and Lighter Denim collars changed when they have been worn out? Would the fading make it awkward looking?
Alex N.

Mbb355

Simon, can you please provide guidance on how to make shirt colors fade, like the color of the Everyday Denim shirt, while maintaining the shirt’s integrity? Is the best way to do so to wash on warm, then hang dry? I usually either dry clean my shirts or wash on cold, but I don’t think either method is conducive to fading. And of course I’m averse to putting nice shirts through the dryer. Thanks!

Peder

Hi Simon!
A somewhat late question. Finally, I have had the time to finish my Everyday Denim Shirt. It’s an extraordinary cloth with a very soft hand. Bravo!! I use to keep my shirts ironed and folded on shelves in my closet. Do you think there is a risk that the cloth would fade where the creases are? Even if the fading is something that comes with denim and is expected, the horisontal and vertical faded lines on the front of the shirt would only look odd and misplaced.
Keep up your good and inspirational writing!

Leroy D Thompson

Will this fabric be restocked?

Amit

Hello Simon. I’ve received a communication from the PS Support team on this one. I wanted to ask you can I wear this shirt in Indian Summers and we’re looking at 35-40 degrees celsius. Also I wear a Size S in PS Oxford shirt, shall I go for the same size on this one as well. Also in regards to caring for my PS Oxford’s, I’m either machine washing it in cold water or hand washing it and then hanging it to dry. Nothing fancy in washing and caring. I intend to do the same for the Everyday Denim shirts as well. Thanks!

Amit

Bought this shirt. Just completed the transaction. Thanks Simon

Amit

Blessed Christmas.

Enjoying Styling my #PermanentStylesEverydayDenimShirt 🇬🇧 Deadstock – https://youtube.com/shorts/5YOC7kzCAQQ?feature=share

Jack

Hi Simon, I am considering the denim fabric for a bespoke shirt between PS Everyday Denim and Thomas Mason’s denim (please find the photo attached below). Since I enjoy wearing other shirts fabrics from PS, my first choice would be PS’s, but I have noticed that PS denim is more expensive than Thomas Mason’s denim fabric. Therefore, I was wondering whether you could expand a bit further on the advantages of PS denim other than fading?

Many thanks,
Jack

Lindsay McKee

Would that denim cloth be as strong and durable as Oxford cloth…..or poplin for that matter?
Thanks
Lindsay

Mr.ps

Hi Simon, your shirt in the arcade photo fits flawlessly, how many fittings and adjustments did it take to get there with Luca? I have a large bespoke order with him and am nervous.

Gilles

A question to Simon or anybody else about fading color: I have made several shirts using what I believe is (almost) the same cloth as the Everyday Denim one: the Albiate Victoria FM304592 and FM304593 (one lighter than the other). Unfortunately, I can’t wear these shirts anymore, as the denim has faded at an extremely fast pace, becoming in some parts of the shirt almost white… I understand the charm of denim fading at the collar or cuffs, but in my case this was really excessive. Anybody else facing the same issue ?