VIRAL: the fantastic story of the button-down Oxford shirt (5/8)
The idea of an oxford shirt came very early in the history of the BonneGueule Line, almost at the same time as our idea of a chambray shirt because, as you know, we really like casual shirts. And you know, it's a great classic for men as there are so many uses for the Oxford ; whether worn with a suit or at the seaside, with your sleeves rolled up and your feet in the water.
But we had to wait almost a year and a half after the release of the BonneGueule Line for our oxford shirt to see the light of day.
Why so much time for this seemingly simple garment?
Because we took time to answer a simple question: " what added value were we going to bring to this type of part compared to the already well-stocked market ?". Because offering an Oxford shirt simply because you need one does not fit with our philosophy!
Our two Oxford fabrics: sky blue and light gray!
It was therefore with the difficult task of finding an Oxford with “that something extra” that Alexandre began his research work.
And you will see, it is an ancestral garment which has a beautiful history!
(Very) quick flashback to the Oxford shirt
Originally, the Oxford shirt was a formal garment worn by English high society who preferred it to poplin, which was more fragile and less breathable.
Then, in the 1930s, polo players began wearing these thick, comfortable shirts. Its image then changes to become the casual piece that we know.
At the same time, students from major American universities are grabbing it, an essential shirt for any preppy wardrobe: it's the shirt for elite boys but, at the same time, it retains this slightly rebellious connotation (well, we're Okay, it's still a degree below punk in terms of rebellion potential).
It was then the turn of the weavers to shine with their vision of the oxford... and a much more "grainy" and textured rendering. We are far from the formal shirt of the beginnings since it is then grafted into the world of workwear .
Why choose Emanuel Lang for this shirt?
We have entrusted the manufacture of these fabrics to Emanuel Lang who is an Alsatian weaver of over 160 years , specialized in the making of original and inventive Oxfords.
And it is the last French textile manufacturer to weave shirt materials.
This is the kind of fabric that only Emanuel Lang is capable of weaving. Usually, it is the Japanese who reign supreme in these creative matters. But here, it's a very French weaver who competes with them!
You will see that this workshop has a particularly eventful history. Compared to that, Apple's looks like a walk in the park.
In the heart of a historic French textile basin
It was in 1856 that Emanuel Lang founded a weaving workshop in the south of Alsace. This is not a detail since this region is a historic basin of the French textile industry , of which Mulhouse is the center of gravity.
Alsace, its villages, its fields... and its textile industry!
Indeed, Alsace has always been the crossroads of many cultures (Celtic, Roman, barbarian, etc.), and a region rich in hydraulic, mining, agricultural and technical resources.
Mulhouse was also a very prosperous city, and was still so in 1798, the end of the Republic of Mulhouse, and the year of attachment to France.
Mulhouse in the Middle Ages, surrounded by rivers (notably the Ill).
During its history, the city has benefited fully from its situation as an independent city (since 1275), whether during the small industrial revolution (that of hydraulic and wind energy: the emblem of the city is elsewhere a water mill wheel) or the great industrial revolution (Mulhouse was nicknamed the "French Manchester", or even "the city of 100 chimneys").
Mulhouse, one of the centers of the industrial revolution.
These revolutions gave rise to others: new university modes, social capitalism, chemistry, and numerous inventions around mechanics. Muhlouse is the cradle of Schlumberger (looms and machine tools), Tiscali, and even the American manufacturer Boeing which was inspired by Aviatik, a Mulhouse aircraft manufacturer.
So if you go to Mulhouse, don't miss its technical museums: it's the European city which has the most (and the 2nd French city for national museums): the train museums, electricity museums, printing on fabric, firefighters, or automobiles, are unmissable.
Life, death and resurrection of Emanuel Lang
Textile know-how has been passed down through generations, and the Alsatians are very proud of it (ask Geoffrey!). To give you an idea, it's the same relationship that there is between the Scots and whiskey, or the Basques with Basque cake and Bayonne ham.
Emanuel Lang, however, almost never celebrated his 160th birthday . Through this SME, part of the history of French industry is being told.
We are in the early 2000s , the French textile industry is dying, partly because of cheap Asian competition, capable of making a fabric of equivalent quality for much, much less expensive.
Unable to align, French textile industries are declining and are forced to change their economic model to completely avoid disappearance.
As throughout Alsace, waves of layoffs follow one another. Almost all of the group's sites closed in 2003, with the exception of one, which temporarily retained its activity.
In 2009, the design and weaving workshops underwent a liquidation plan, and new layoffs were necessary to avoid permanently closing the company.
And here is the drama. We learn in the Alsatian press that the group will once again enter into liquidation , weakened by the rise in cotton prices. The machines must be sold at auction and the permanent closure of the site is no longer in doubt.
Several buyout plans are discussed before failing, one after the other. Closure is imminent and vultures are flying over the site. For ten months, the only activity of the employees will be to demonstrate against the sale of the machines.
It is this know-how that almost disappeared from the face of the Earth... forever!
And then, at the end of 2013, the company found a new buyer. An agreement that no one dared hope for is concluded, the company then narrowly escapes bankruptcy and regains a few customers.
Today, the historic company is an SME of around twenty people. Rather than exhausting itself in providing a poplin that will never be less expensive than its low-cost competitors, it is carrying out a real in-depth reflection on what it can do differently: "how can we be the only ones to provide? What can we do that no one else can do?"
And this is how it will develop real creativity in so-called "shirt weight" fabrics : instead of providing a poplin seen and reviewed on which it is very complicated to offer real added value, Emanuel Lang goes further in the construction of its collections.
To be honest, it was a great discovery because I thought that only the Japanese were capable of showing such creativity! Their fabrics are very textured, raw, or with quite impressive woven patterns.
The efforts will pay off, since it will begin to supply several well-known brands in high-end ready-to-wear.
And for the record, Geoffrey grew up 15km from Hirsingue, stronghold of Emanuel Lang. This collaboration therefore has symbolic value for us.
Why this collaboration?
As mentioned, Emanuel Lang shows great creativity in the creation of oxford fabrics.
By collaborating with them, we therefore benefit from the know-how of a very old player in French textiles.
Furthermore, Emanuel Lang is part of the " Alsace Terre textile " group of companies, which brings together companies which stand out for their precise know-how, respecting a tradition and which have their production tools in the region.
The label in pictures! Here too, the fabric chosen to illustrate Emanuel Lang's know-how on the website is unusually creative for a French weaver. I'll let you count the number of threads of different colors...
It is a sort of "controlled industrial designation" which ensures customers are purchasing a "local" product which has been designed in compliance with environmental, social and ecological standards (note that there are also other groupings type "Vosges Terre textile").
In addition, our oxford is labeled OEKO-Tex Standard 100 , which guarantees the absence of any harmful products in its fabrics.
Now you know what an Oeko-Tex certificate looks like, frequently renewed to ensure compliance with the conditions for obtaining it.
Alsatian textile know-how
Emanuel Lang's creativity comes from daily tests on yarn blends, or on new "weaves" by combining very specific warp and weft threads.
This knowledge is very valuable and makes it possible to create new materials without limit.
This is Emanuel Lang's creative studio, this is where their ideas take shape!
Emanuel Lang also has unique machines in the world (yes, you read correctly, certain machines from his production tool cannot be found anywhere else). These same machines which had almost fallen into the hands of buyers...
But Emanuel Lang's know-how is involved in all stages of the manufacturing process: from the creation of collections, to weaving techniques and finishing.
You should know that Oxford fabric is woven in a very particular way: two blue vertical threads (called warp threads) are crossed with a white horizontal thread (called weft thread). This is called a semi-basket weave . Don't worry, everything is explained in the video!
Christian Didier, current Managing Director of Emanuel Lang, wanted to preserve the manufacturing secrets of his oxford. But despite our insistence, he was still willing to tell us more!
Oxford is a fabric where you can easily distinguish the warp and weft threads.
One of the most important elements is the selection of quality yarns : the yarns come from Spain, Switzerland, Italy and even the north of France. Christian visits numerous thread salons (notably the very famous Filo salon in Milan) to source the best.
In addition, on an oxford, the determining element is the quality of the weft thread (the white, which is a twisted thread on our oxford) and the way in which it is interwoven with the warp threads .
Indeed, in addition to the threads, it is the weaving technique (thanks to machines unique in the world) which gives the Oxford a soft hand and a very particular visual result. But this is the magic recipe whose secrets Christian did not want to reveal to us. He will simply allude to it in his video interview. It’s the Emanuel Lang version of the cult of secrecy 😉
Some brands do everything not to disclose their “material sourcing”. We put the label on the clothing 😉
The material which has just been woven is said to have “fallen from the loom” (in other words, raw). It must then be taken to the finisher for the last step, ennobling (or finishing). This will allow the material to be fixed and given its final touch. And it is during this stage that all the impurities and residual waste in the cotton are removed.
Emanuel Lang works with a finisher in the region called ETC (Ennoblissement Technique de Cernay), based in Cernay, 30 minutes by car from Hirsingue. We couldn't be more local!
Luxury, calm and voluptuousness
For this shirt, Emanuel Lang uses a particularly thick weft thread, which gives it a very regular texture.
The final result is neither too rough nor too smooth. To the touch, the material is softer than classic poplin. The hand is soft but with relief, between the characteristic "grain" of Japanese fabrics and French sobriety .
We wanted to move away from the American preppy world (the loose cuts, the pleat in the back, that doesn't really speak to us). That's why we chose our usual hidden button-down collar . Yes, it's the same as our two chambray shirts! It's a collar that will stay in place no matter what, while still looking like a classic French collar – no need to leave Yale to wear our shirt –.
Suitsupply jacket and Boggi tie... waiting for our suits in a few days...
The hidden button down collar allows the collar to remain stationary without being too preppy.
The Oxford shirt reinvented
For this shirt, we wanted to stay true to the image of the Oxford shirt: a soft, comfortable, and durable shirt. The kind of shirt that immediately evokes quality, that we enjoy wearing, or to lend to your girlfriend in the morning.
Oxford shirt, wool mesh blazer, chest hair , two different textures for a simple outfit.
Two colors: sky blue and light gray
We couldn't make an Oxford shirt without offering a light blue , the color of the Oxford par excellence. I'm not going to elaborate on the benefits of having a stack of blue shirts in your wardrobe, I've already covered this point at length 😉
Yes, the reinforcement swallow is still there!
The light blue Oxford allows you to add a touch of relaxation with a suit, and an elegant and timeless note in much more casual looks (chinos, sober sneakers, etc.).
The choice of the second color caused debate: Geoffrey didn't want a white oxford, and I wanted something at least as easy to wear as white, you can imagine the heated conversations! We found a consensus with light gray , a color that is ultimately not very represented, but which goes very well with strong colors.
Gray + beige = no errors possible.
How to wear an oxford shirt?
The oxford shirt has its origins in the preppy style, it is normal to combine it with a blazer, another pillar of this style. Unlike poplin, Oxford has a rougher feel: it's an excellent way to add depth and texture to your formal looks. Here, Florian opted for a double-breasted flannel blazer, the same as Luca's. And as Florian wouldn't be Florian without accessories, he chooses a tie that respects the blue/gray harmony of the look and a brown pocket square to recall his derbies. (SuitSupply blazer, BonneGueule jeans, Boggi tie, PochetteSquare clutch, Septième Width derby)
Following the same principle, I like the look of oxford compared to the very particular appearance of wool mesh. I also wanted to show you how easily a light gray shirt fits into a predominantly blue look, provided of course that the shades are varied. I add ankle boots with commando soles for their very masculine dimension, and to support the casual side of my look. (BonneGueule blazer, BonneGueule jeans which have taken on pretty reflections, WhenIWasSeventeen belt, BGAV ankle boots, Catherine Michiels bracelets).
The real twist in this look lies in the vest, which is made of denim! This adds a workwear touch to a sartorial-inspired look, not to mention the contrasts that this entails... (DNM Pieces chinos, Mango Homme vest, BonneGueule blazer, Made in Florian clutch, Gant Rugger tie, Mark McNairy boots).
... But without a jacket or vest, it also works if it's hot! (WhenIWasSeventeen Belt)
An Oxford shirt can also be worn in a completely casual outfit. I started with a more streetwear base, through the bomber jacket in particular. Khaki goes very well with beige and blue, but as it is a color that many men do not dare to wear (I don't understand why), we gain in originality without too much difficulty! And contrary to appearances, I swear I tried to smile in this photo. (puncture-proof Lanvin sneakers, Marchand Drapier chinos, Norse Project bomber)
Perfecto, raw jeans and leather ankle boots: the ultimate "badass" combo, it gives a determined look when you walk down the street. For once, the shirt really softens the whole, which would have been more marked with a "loose" t-shirt for example. Blue goes easily with brown, it's a color combination that you already know well. (Perfecto Les Chats Perchés, BonneGueule jeans, Zign ankle boots)
Without any hassle, a cardigan and sneakers can also be enough for an oxford shirt! The cardigan adds fullness, and adds a very pleasant “comfort” touch when it is deliberately chosen slightly wider as Geoffrey likes to do. RAS in terms of color, it's hard to go wrong with gray and beige. (BonneGueule cardigan, BonneGueule jeans, BGNS-02 sneakers)
How to choose your shirt size?
The sizing is very classic, just take your usual size! I know I say this every time I launch, but it's that simple!
Emanuel Lang Alsatian Oxford shirts are now available
You can now order:
