YARD Shirt

From the Military to Alcatraz, the blue chambray has a rebellious past.

Dating back as far as 1595 and derived from the French commune of Cambrai, it has been made famous for its plain weave fabrics, such as linen. The Chambray is so versatile that the US navy made it their official uniform from the turn of the 20th Century through to the end of World War II. The entire uniform was made up of a darker denim trouser and the long-sleeve Chambray shirt layered over a clean white tee, a truly classic look! It’s also a fabric that’s been adopted by many US prisons over the years, most famously Alcatraz and although there wasn’t an ‘official’ shirt, the uniform came with very strict instructions. ‘The standard inmate uniform consists of a blue chambray shirt, trousers, belt and shoes. Your shirt will be buttoned except for the top collar button. The sleeves will be rolled down and buttoned. Keep your clothing neat, clean and in good repair at all times.’ With a garment steeped in such provenance, we took our time when developing the design. Our Founder, Phil, sampled 100s of fabrics in pursuit of the perfect weight, wash and texture. Having found the very best Chambray, Phil set out to create our first work shirt – The Yard. I always wanted to create a Chambray shirt for the range, right back at the beginning of our brand. I used to wear a vintage Chambray shirt when I was a young student. I loved that Military / prison / work shirt style and always paired it with a white vest underneath for a 1950s vibe. I think that shirt was my inspiration for the YARD shirt. That and Clint Eastwood’s shirt in the Film 'Escape from Alcatraz'. Classic.’ - Phil - Founder.