Many of you have told us about Bruce Field in the comments: “ What are their shirts worth ? », “ Is the quality/price ratio of their products correct ? ", " Does Bruce Willis wear Bruce Field shirts? ? ".
Faced with these insistent requests, we pushed our curiosity a little further. But I don't have the answer for those wondering about Mr. Willis' taste in shirts.
Why a test on this brand?
The perfect opportunity to find out more about Bruce Field: a ready-to-wear brand which claims to be the specialist in shirts made in France, at an unbeatable price (€70 per shirt made in France). , it's unheard of. But what do we find behind it?).
This locker room aims to address a whole category of senior executives. But recently, the brand has also offered a casual wardrobe to convince a younger audience to be tempted by a certain, shall we say, "accessible" vision of elegance.
The article will offer you a little history on the origin and intentions of the brand, without forgetting the test of a complete outfit including a complete suit and a shirt.
The history of the ready-to-wear brand Bruce Field
It was in 1978 that Richard Layani, then a young entrepreneur, decided to launch his ready-to-wear brand. It will be Bruce Field. Not much else is really known about the beginnings, other than that the name came to Richard because he thought it "sounded good internationally".
Note from Benoît: this was the time when French brands took English names, because they were more salesy: Howard's, Hartwood, Hartford, etc.
The shirt, a key piece in the men's wardrobe
Initially, Bruce Field wanted to represent the basis of any professional wardrobe , the ideal wardrobe for the office man who is starting his career. What's better than a business shirt to start? It is essential to be at least presentable in the office.
Bruce Field offers sober, solid colors , and several cuts are available to suit all body types. All shirts feature classic or French cuffs (cuffs designed to be worn with cufflinks).
In detail, here are the different cuts :
- Dan : extra-slim model and small collar (very fitted cut),
- Benton : slim model with classic collar (this is by far the best-selling model),
- Ben : slim model with two-button high collar,
- Boston : a classic straight cut.
The brand chooses its own fabrics itself and then supplies them to a manufacturing workshop in Indre, located near Châteauroux. Every day, more than 400 shirts are produced in this workshop ; one of the last in France to carry out all the operations necessary to make a shirt.
Note from Benoît: this is a frankly laudable initiative, because as Geoffrey wrote, made in France is far from being the easiest path for a clothing brand .
Bruce Field has produced a video for those who would like to know more about the workshop.
Men's locker room: from office man to elegant man
Gradually, Bruce Field's wardrobe expanded, from costumes to accessories. Early customers have also evolved with the brand. Whether students looking for their first suit or executives looking for renewal, the diversity in the choice of cut allows the brand to meet the slightest expectations of its customers.
The stated objective: to make a costume accessible with an attractive quality/price ratio. The suits cost between €290 and €390 for the most high-end ones. Here too, several cuts are also available to satisfy as many people as possible:
- Dax / David : fitted jacket and fitted pants,
- Daniel / David : same as the Dax cut, but the jacket has a finer and more modern lapel,
- Simon / David : fitted double-breasted jacket and fitted pants,
- Raymond : fitted jacket and tapered pants,
- Dario : fitted jacket (a bit less than the Raymond cut) and tapered pants.
Note from Benoît: I salute this point of the brand, it is to its credit to offer five different cuts for this price range.
Note also the presence of the so-called “ Prestige ” collection. A move upmarket which corresponds to semi-canvassed suits, with fabrics from houses you know well: Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Dormeuil or Reda ; whose prices defy all competition. The costumes are made by makers in France, Portugal or Italy.
Note from Benoît: something rare enough to be highlighted, the brand takes the trouble to specify that it is possible to mismatch suit and pants when ordering by contacting customer service. On the other hand, it is a shame that the place of manufacture of the costumes is not systematically indicated on the product pages.
Fabrics used by Bruce Field.
If the brand remains quite discreet, it is because it declares that it "dedicates a large part of its budget to the quality of the clothing rather than to marketing ."
It is partly in this way that the brand has been able to acquire and retain customers, aged on average 35-40 years old , who praise the good quality/price ratio and the made in France .
Bruce Field listens to his customers
In the price range at which Bruce Field is positioned (entry level), competition is tough. This is why the brand pays particular attention to feedback from their customers.
Although more than 70% of Bruce Field's wardrobe is timeless and sober , this does not exclude the integration of new, slightly more relaxed experiments, as is the case for these t-shirts with printed patterns that I found rather successful and quite surprising for a brand resolutely “business wear” oriented.
The t-shirt is made of cotton jersey with so-called "cashmere" patterns. The combination with a red jersey and a braided belt cleverly recalls the top and bottom. “Easy as ABC” as Rafik would say.
Of course, you have to start with small touches and there were a few failures (a few colors or a few cuts), but that is of no consequence.
Another surprising initiative for such a discreet brand: Bruce Field has developed a blog, "Bruce Life", which defines itself as a "gentleman's lifestyle 2.0" site. Why not...
It's time to get an idea with the test!
Bruce Field brand test
I'll be honest with you, until now I've never had to wear a suit in my entire life. First, because the opportunity had never presented itself before (that's what studying journalism is).
This couldn't have come at a better time for me, as Bruce Field has some great deals for anyone looking to get their very first costume .
Note from Benoît: so that you have a fair idea of the cut, I asked Onur to ONLY alter the length of the pants. The goal is that you have a good idea of the fit of the jacket when you leave the store, without any alterations.
I don't have that look all the time, I'm normally a pretty cool person! As proof, I give you the references of my outfit: Bruce Field suit, BG-2.1 dobby shirt, BonneGueule shoes (special boutique edition). Note from Benoît: very correct cut for ready-to-wear in this price range.
The Dario cut suit in pure Vitale Barberis Canonico Super 150's wool
The suit I chose comes from the “Prestige” collection; it is therefore semi-canvassed and its fabric comes from a prestigious house that you know well: Vitale Barberis Canonico. It is the oldest spinning company in the world. If you want to be knowledgeable on the subject, I refer you to the excellent article by Hugo Jacomet on the Parisian Gentleman .
I'm not looking for revenge on anyone!
Its title is "Super 150's" . To put it simply, the higher the index, the finer the thread. I'll stop you right away, this does not constitute a guarantee of quality; it is nothing other than the measurement allowing you to get an idea of the thickness of the thread.
You will then tell me that the thinner it is, the more likely it is to wrinkle. That's true, but the Super 150's titration is perfect for everyday use. I will spare you the technical details, but to summarize, this titration ensures an excellent drape, a more expensive and more fragile flexible fabric.
You can call me "Mr. President."
As for the Dario cut, the jacket is fitted . A slightly fitted cut which allows a certain ease of movement.
From a distance, the suit retains its solid color , but when you get closer, you can discern very small stripes which blend together soberly.
The stripes are fine and discreet, there are no obvious contrasts, and that is more than enough.
The shoulders have quite a bit of padding, this is characteristic of French-style jackets.
The armhole is low, which means that the sleeves (wide) are a little long to be worn as an everyday blazer, you would immediately see that it is a mismatched suit jacket.
Speaking of the sleeves, I note the kissing buttons , a detail that has its own charm.
But the big surprise of the costume comes from its semi-interlining ! I didn't go so far as to cut the piece to decipher its pattern but it's immediately visible to the touch.
Above: The lapel of the collar follows the lines of the jacket neatly. Also note the backhand roll.
The half-moons are a small aesthetic and practical detail to reinforce the seams. On the other hand, at this price, we are looking at a pocket in the lining, and not in the wool fabric.
There are comfort slots, which provide greater comfort when sitting and putting your hands in your pockets. You can always pretend that you went to Pitti, that's already it. Another thing: the material being very fluid, it creates folds easily which are exaggerated in photos.
As for the pants, their cut is tapered : it's fitted and reduces a little towards the bottom.
The buttonholes are clean, not a thread protruding on the jacket or on the pants. On the other hand, the buttons are plastic. At this price, it's something normal.
For closure, there is a single button and a hook.
Concerning traditional finishes, there are reinforcement points on the pockets. The interior seams are neat. The zip is YKK. The pants fulfill their mission humbly.
In short, it is a suit that will suit those looking for a first business piece, even if Bruce Field offers other models with different colors and patterns.
Thin knitted tie
Red polka dots on a satin blue, the softness of silk, and a very good quality/price ratio, what more can you add to the ties? Offering a 100% silk tie for almost 29 euros is a small feat in itself!
Some images of this pretty tie!
The tie is available here for 29 euros.
The fancy patterned shirt
I chose a piece with unusual patterns, as if to salute the brand's openness in its desire to diversify its classic wardrobe with a few casual touches.
Seen from this minimalist angle (yes, Maxime is an artist who loves this style of photography), the shirt presents a beautiful pastel blue, but expect to be surprised when you see the patterns a little further down. (Hartford pants and Buttero x BonneGueule sneakers).
Big downside however: at Bruce Field, as incredible as it may seem, size S does not exist!
Note from Benoît: this is simply incomprehensible, I didn't believe Onur when he told me, but I checked and it is absolutely impossible to find S on the e-shop! I don't mind skipping the XS, but still, the brand would have everything to gain from offering the S! In 2015, with the plethora of options for men, it's a choice that I can't understand. Hopefully this will work out for the following seasons. This is all the more curious because Bruce Field offers suits in size 46!
But rest assured, there are four different cuts, which will certainly find the shirt on your shoulder. For my part, I wear the size M shirt in an “extra slim fit” cut.
The sleeves are a little long for me - I usually wear S - but the cut follows the shape of my body. More casual than that, you die. Note Benoît: Onur is a size S, and even the extra slim M shows its limits at the shoulder seam.
The fabric is a double twisted cotton, slightly thick to the touch. A very good point.
Very beautiful patterns!
The cuffs are classic. The buttons are thick and cross-stitched, but made of plastic. The buttonhole is clean, the thread is thick and nothing sticks out.
The back has a pleat over the entire height of the shirt. This especially prevents a button from popping if you have eaten a horse and the cowboy with it.
No reinforcement swallow, too bad.
The collar is French and heat-sealed. In theory, no matter how many washes it will hold up. To be confirmed in practice. I think it looks pretty good.
This shirt, for its price, is at an honest entry level which will delight anyone who wants to get a quality first shirt.
Note from Benoît: the prices of the shirts are just below Boggi shirts, that is to say between €70 and €90.
You can find all the shirts here for 70 euros.
My opinion on the Bruce Field brand
For a first costume, Bruce Field honorably fulfills his mission with his “ Prestige ” collection. Beautiful materials, a wide choice of cuts, semi-interlining; a costume that presents this at such a price is astonishing, a nice surprise! We have good value for money in that regard.
The shirts have obvious qualities for a reasonable entry level. It is a piece that will hold up well over time and after washing. The plurality of cuts, the choice of collar or sleeves, is appreciable.
As for accessories, the 100% silk tie, at less than €30, is clearly very good value for money.
One criticism concerns the buttons, I would have liked to have them in different materials (mother-of-pearl for the shirts, or horn for the suits possibly). In this way, the parts would move upmarket.
To summarize, Bruce Field offers a wardrobe that will suit those who want to treat themselves to a few simple, essential entry-level pieces for a very affordable price.
