I am sure that when you read the title, you asked yourself: “SEH who? "... And that's good ! Today I present to you this small, unfairly overlooked English brand.
Let's go!
Disclaimer: After an article on how to dress when you are short and thin , Jonathan - loyal reader and contributor - is back in our columns. This time, it's SEH Kelly and his locker room that he's interested in. The floor is his!
Interview with Paul Vincent, co-founder of SEH Kelly
Paul Vincent and Sara Kelly are the founding duo of the SEH Kelly brand. I asked Paul to answer a few questions to learn more about their project. Kindly, he retraces for us their respective journeys, the genesis of the brand and its evolution.
You will see, SEH Kelly is more than just a clothing brand. It is a carefully considered project, with quality and local production as obsessions. Despite high costs and very gradual development, nothing seems to make the founders deviate from their initial vision.
"My name is Paul Vincent and I, along with Sara (Kelly), are the founders and sole owners of SEH Kelly. We are based in London and design men's clothing with spinning mills and factories located exclusively in the British Isles."
How did you come to create your brand?
Sara worked for several years on Savile Row for tailors and fashion houses - the kind of workshops that make lounge jackets for lords, three-piece suits for industrial tycoons and even wedding dresses. ball for the royal family.
A strategic location in short, since it has established good relationships with some high-end British manufacturers.
Savile Row is the London bastion of tailoring and made-to-measure goods.
At the end of this period - which for me was a time when I was twiddling my thumbs wondering what I was going to do with my life - we decided it would be a good idea to use the same suppliers to design casual, everyday wearable clothing.
This is how the SEH Kelly story began...
What is SEH Kelly’s philosophy?
It’s simple: make sustainable clothing. By "durable" we mean robust, timeless and timeless from a design point of view.
Why did you name your brand SEH Kelly?
Kelly is Sara's name, and SEH are her initials (except one, which we're keeping secret). We had been trying to find a good name for the brand when we created it, and Sara had prepared a big list of suggestions.
We agreed together that most were lacking in depth, and my first contribution as brand manager was to suggest that he use his own name. "Why not?" she replied...
What would be a typical SEH Kelly outfit?
The most "signature" ensemble would start with a Kelly collar shirt, accented with a profusion of other SEH Kelly garments covering the entire body (feet excepted).
We intend our clothes to form a versatile and interchangeable wardrobe, so that an outfit bought today can be combined with one purchased five years ago.
Which piece are you most proud of?
The trench coat... It's the most complicated, the one that required the most design time. It alone sums up what we want to achieve in terms of design.
It is very traditional in its construction and proportions - in this respect it reflects a hundred year old design - but it also brings particularities which we hope are useful and contemporary.
It is available in several fabrics: Ventile in spring, or something thicker in winter.
Why do you work exclusively with British workshops?
A fundamental principle of our business is to work with manufacturers in the British Isles. These are the suppliers we know best. We have special relationships with them and a desire, in our small way, to share it with a wider audience.
We are completely satisfied with this and we never look elsewhere. I am convinced that there could be good opportunities to work with foreign suppliers - different styles of tailoring, other product categories, an unimaginable variety of fabrics - but we are simply not interested because they have no connection with our company.
What is your mode of collaboration?
We do not "collaborate" with them strictly speaking: we work with them according to the classic designer-supplier scheme.
We cooperate with spinning mills to create new fabrics, or print new colors on existing fabrics, and with manufacturers of buttons or other shaped parts exclusively for our company.
Day 3 of the Heavy Woolen Odyssey.
In addition, we communicate daily with partner manufacturers to ensure that the initial idea is reflected in the final product.
We work hand in hand with our suppliers so that we know what they do, how and why. This allows us to constantly re-evaluate the opportunities available to us to continually improve our products.
What are your thoughts on the UK textile industry sector today?
It is solid, varied and in good health. There are small and large designers catering to all categories in the market and a wonderful variety of suppliers - especially weavers and especially wool mills.
I do not claim that this is an irrefutable analysis but it is my opinion, knowing that I am a little more informed than the layman and a little less than an expert.
What are the disadvantages of producing in the UK?
I don't see any. It's our life. It would be like asking “what are the downsides of living in Europe?” or “what are the disadvantages of being called Paul?”.
We don't see our lives that way. We take the good and the bad together, but we don't separate them into columns to analyze them.
We are in the UK as a business and have yet to find a reason to look elsewhere.
Why is your brand mainly distributed in Japan? Does the Japanese consumer have something more than the European consumer?
We were contacted by quality Japanese boutiques right after the company was established. It's a country where there is a large, growing niche that fits with what we like: good manufacturers, plus designs that are both traditional and progressive.
SEH is enjoying success in Japan, notably thanks to its timeless spirit.
I don't believe that only Japanese customers share our vision, but there are undoubtedly more of them there than elsewhere in the world. Proof of this: look at the number of magazines in Japan covering men's fashion.
They also encourage small brands and are very loyal. The vast majority of Japanese stores we work with have been collaborating with us since the first season, and I know some customers have been saving up for SEH Kelly clothing all that time.
It is a privilege to work hard to honor them and keep them as customers.
Regarding your communication, what is the advantage of using Instagram rather than other channels?
We use Instagram a lot, and I think it would be wrong to deprive ourselves of it given the millions of daily users.
Likewise, we are on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and the excellent Google+. I can't imagine not using it.
Each network has its pros and cons, but this makes my day interesting: I have an easy way to express what's on my mind or show our world.
The workshop. Today. Today being a day in June. Umbrella not shown.
In this instantaneous age, why are your newsletters only written and contain no photos?
The words are good. The words are great. They are able to communicate thoughts and opinions in a particular way that photography cannot.
In the emails we send, we can share with our clients the ideas we have had, the things that have kept us busy in previous weeks...
So, we encourage old-fashioned “conversation” in an “I say something, you say something back” format. We prefer this idea to using ultra-modern marketing terms.
Again, variety is important in my work. When a host of words cross my mind to talk about a piece that has occupied me for hundreds of hours, being able to express them is a salutary thing. Maybe it's a form of therapy...
What are your plans for the future?
Making the collection stronger through better design, better fabric, better manufacturing.
We are happy to work as a duo and do every day exactly what we wanted to do when we started in the business seven years ago.
We have no desire to “develop” in the business sense of the term.
Someone once said to me, "You know what they say about business? They say 'grow or die'." Since then, I've been trying to prove him wrong.
What to take away from this compelling interview?
The story of SEH Kelly is that of its founders. After some experience in the textile sector, they joined forces in 2009 to create a project that resembles them. All with one idea in mind: to highlight the British textile industry.
Paul Vincent and Sara Kelly, founders of SEH Kelly. Photo credits: ism.excite.co.jp
SEH Kelly uses specialist workshops, exclusively British and Irish . Despite higher production costs than in other countries, they buy their fabrics and supplies there and have the clothing made there.
Their goal is to manufacture high-quality classic pieces , combining modern casual design and historical know-how.
Warning on made in the UK : a part made in the United Kingdom is not necessarily a quality part . British standards guarantee “ethical” manufacturing
The brand claims an idea of timelessness in its collections. To do this, she uses raw materials that acquire a patina over time, creates new pieces little by little and regularly reworks her existing wardrobe. Logical consequence: the brand never goes on sale, not even in private sales.
You will have understood, SEH Kelly has a special soul. Its stylistic signature is the expression of a carefully considered project, which has served as a breadcrumb trail for the founders since its creation.
Test of the Kelly collar shirt in light blue linen (£140)
The shirt is made in London. The workshop used by the brand is renowned for the care taken in finishing its productions. As we will see, the seams and buttonholes are impeccable.
Let the dissection of SEH Kelly's iconic shirt begin!
Careful tailoring
The Kelly collar is the brand's signature detail. This is a tab collar
The collar can be worn open (if you have a Jack Lang side) or closed. Its legs are sewn between the two sides of the fabric and should therefore not be torn off any time soon...
Open collar...
...or closed!
The seams are French seams. Oddly, we speak of “French seam” in English.
We are using 5/6 stitches per centimeter, with seams most often two millimeters from the edge. These details are rarely done on a casual shirt and more generally demonstrate careful manufacturing.
The cleanliness of an English seam is always appreciable.
The chest pocket is well designed: it always stays close to the body. Real attention is paid to details : two stopping points, on the heart side, materialize a pen compartment. This choice illustrates the complementarity between refinement and workwear style.
The tight patch pocket is divided by a solid stopping point.
The cuffs are round and closed with two buttons. Their shape reinforces the casual dimension of the piece . They're not very fitted, which I personally like for a relaxed, straight-cut shirt.
We notice here the weaving of the linen and the raw appearance of the horn button.
Finally, the tie bottom
Precious and raw buttons
The workshop that makes them is located in the West Midlands. They are made of horn and each one is unique. Their raw side, shaped by nature, has been preserved. At SEH Kelly, the raw material is at the heart of the product, and the design is designed to magnify it.
They are cross-stitched . This is a guarantee of solidity that we have the right to expect from a shirt at this price.
The buttonholes are neat and fine.
Material: Irish coastal linen
The weaving mixes blue shades and white threads. The material is fine and has without a doubt the most "nervous" hand I have ever touched. This gives it a really interesting fall.
The fabric has irregularities, which gives it character, and is absolutely not transparent. The drape is fluid and the folds are generally not very noticeable for linen (in my opinion).
As with jeans, the few creases that appear throughout the day show that the garment is alive and are not a problem. Last but not least , it will keep you cool during the summer.
Close-up on the fabric. The small white and blue dots are slightly raised.
A few words about cutting
The cut is loose and the length is substantial for a casual shirt, but it must be admitted that it runs large . Their XS (size that I usually take) is more like a good French S.
This shirt is easy to wear as long as you stay looser than slim . Its loose cut and raw appearance don't sit well with smooth skinny jeans , for example.
In my eyes, SEH Kelly embodies THE timeless workwear cut : aim for comfort without falling into oversized .
From Italian style outfits to workwear
For the first outfit, I chose to play the summer card, with light colors and moccasins . The colors bring freshness, the whole is luminous.
We easily escape the total white look thanks to this fabric composed mainly of blue threads, and its irregular appearance creates a successful material contrast. The cuts of the shirt and pants are relatively straight, so they complement each other well. In itself, nothing complicated!
The fabric is supple and edgy, hence the creases when I put my hands in the pockets. (SEH Kelly shirt, De Fursac pants, Septième Width loafers.)
The second outfit is a little stronger, because it has a very military connotation .
Two constraints arose:
- keeping the shirt collar closed meant wearing a tie,
- the raw appearance of the fabric pushed me towards non-neutral pieces for the top of the outfit. So I chose a textured tie, in silk grenadine, and a vintage overshirt whose fabric has lived well.
The result is unexpected and rather original!
We can clearly see here how to play with raw materials to create a beautiful set of textures: all the pieces have a particular hand and combine well, none seems bland or smooth compared to another. (SEH Kelly shirt, vintage overshirt from Jinji, Howard's tie.)
Miscellaneous clothing for a sophisticated outfit. (SEH Kelly shirt, vintage overshirt found at Jinji, Howard's tie, Ralph Lauren chinos, Septième Largeur ankle boots.)
If I had to summarize, I would say that this shirt symbolizes the neat workwear of SEH Kelly . The attention to detail is impressive but implicit enough not to blur a decidedly raw style. The cut is loose , in the vein of this style and manages to avoid the pitfall of "too wide".
Wearing this shirt may require you to rack your brains a little more than with an ordinary blue shirt, but your style will only improve.
Note: on the new version of this model , everything is identical except for the cuffs which only have one button and a buttonhole fastening system. Mine has two buttons and a small strap. Proof that the same model is constantly reworked .
Test of the linen herringbone “Raglan shirt” (£160)
Wanting to buy my first overshirt, I fell for this model with its assertive design. The sand color is original, the raw material and the resolutely workwear design.
SEH Kelly overshirt, SEH Kelly shirt.
Decryption of the assembly
The first notable detail is the raglan sleeve. This cut offers more comfort and freedom of movement than traditional assemblies. What’s more, it’s ultimately quite rare on the market…
The famous raglan sleeves, an unusual detail in ready-to-wear.
The club collar
How to make an originally more formal collar casual.
The throat is unusual. She is simple on the first half of the overshirt, then a large square of reinforcement marks the birth of a hidden throat.
Note that each button is isolated in a small alcove closed by hand-made reinforcement stitches , invisible because they are sewn between the sides of the fabric.
As on the shirt, the chest pocket is very clean. It remains well placed, even when the shirt is folded loose. This emphasizes the perfect tension that holds it.
This pocket is not completely closed: the flap is just resting. As it turns out, the seams are a millimeter from the edge: a work of art for such a casual piece.
An illustration of what I explained to you about the throat, with the reinforcement square here in the center of the image. The pocket is well placed, and its flap is in place.
The cuffs are closed with a button. Small downside: the absence of a button on the capuchin leg . If the ironing is not perfect, the sleeve tends to twist, allowing the capuchin tab to open slightly.
Adding a simple hidden button would probably have solved this problem.
The buttons are also made of horn, sewn crosswise, and the buttonholes are neat .
A herringbone fabric with character
Linen is Irish. The weave is herringbone , a twill -type V pattern. The hand is less nervous than for the shirt, because the greater weight of the fabric means a heavier fall .
The creases mark very little and the wrinkle removal is easy. It is consistent with the style of SEH Kelly, favoring raw fabrics
The characteristic weaving of the herringbone (herringbone).
Note: regarding the care of this overshirt, I advise you to hang it on a jacket hanger as soon as you have finished washing.
The style
The back of the shirt is longer than the front . The mind is therefore clearly utilitarian: we must be able to move and lean without restraint.
As for the cut, it is a little adjusted at the waist to avoid the impression of the fabric floating. Tension pleats are light.
Two pieces with the twill weaving technique, but what a contrast! (SEH Kelly overshirt, APC jeans.)
How to wear an overshirt?
Raw material, raw outfit!
To highlight the overshirt, I opted for its light color. Surrounding it with dark pieces, here a turtleneck which highlights that of the overshirt, is a wise choice.
This linen is so raw in appearance that it is almost only wearable with fabrics of character. Raw selvedge jeans are your best ally here.
Finally, a significant rolling of the bottom of the jeans and brown ankle boots complete the outfit's workwear style.
There is no rule as to how many buttons to fasten when wearing an overshirt. I personally opt for two or three because I'm rather short and I like to maintain a certain verticality in my outfits, despite the layering of pieces. (SEH Kelly overshirt, COS sweater, APC jeans, Septième Largeur ankle boots.)
Finally, a little combination of the two SEH Kelly pieces. The two collars go well together, their rough materials subtly echo each other.
For the rest of the outfit, I kept my raw jeans but I swapped the ankle boots for a pair of derby shoes. The outfit is immediately less workwear and more urban . But it is not bland, the derbies also have a weathered appearance.
(SEH Kelly overshirt, SEH Kelly shirt, APC jeans, Uniqlo socks, Dr. Martens derbies.)
In my opinion, this overshirt is the ideal mid-season piece. Its material is dense but retains the breathable properties of linen. The association between the fluid drape of the material and a very raw weave remains quite rare in ready-to-wear.
On the other hand, its design and material are so workwear- related that it is practically impossible to wear it with anything other than raw jeans . The smoother the clothes you pair with her, the more she will swear and make your outfit inconsistent.
Personally, I like to own pieces specific to a universe. This gives real direction to your look. Something to spice up your wardrobe!
The final word...
SEH Kelly evolves in a resolutely casual style, even workwear , by combining quality materials and assertive design.
They rely on British fabrics and tailoring, emphasizing pieces with a timeless spirit.
They build a rational locker room over time. To illustrate their habit of constantly reworking their classics, I can only quote Boileau ( L'Art Poetique , 1674): “Haste slowly, and without losing courage / Twenty times on the loom, hand over your work / Polish it constantly, and repolish it / Add sometimes, and often erase. »
The photos were taken in Les Baux-de-Provence by Sarah Meyssonnier .
