Last Summer I made a pair of linen trousers for a Bespoke client. Whilst hunting for the exact right linen - not so crisp that it creases when you look at it, but slick enough for semi-formal occasions - I got in touch with Baird McNutt, one of Northern Ireland's best and oldest mills. I was so impressed with the feel and quality of what they produce that I immediately started a whole wardrobe of linen!
As luck would have it, at around the same time I was planning a trip to India to visit a block-print expert. She was helping me to design and develop organic cotton pocketing and lining. When she said that she could print onto any natural fibre, the cogs started to turn. I filled my suitcase with Irish Linen and set off to Bangalore.
The result of printing on the uneven linen surface was even better than I could have imagined. This synthesis of East & West proved so popular amongst friends that it seemed unfair to limit it to Bespoke orders.
So here we are, Kipper & Chalk's first Ready-to-Wear drop: KC1.
25 pairs of hand-cut, Irish linen trousers.
The soft linen dictated the cut and style- these are the sort of trousers you can wear with a t-shirt to a beach bar or with a blazer to a modern wedding.
The neat card pocket at the front fits a couple of credit cards and an emergency tenner but if you insist on carrying all but the kitchen sink, there is a deep pocket on each side (why do some brands insist on pointlessly shallow pocket bags!? Don't bother putting them in if everything is going to fall out of them!) and a hip pocket for a phone.
The trousers are fitted at the waist and seat but come with a little extra in case you need to let them out a bit over time. Lightly tapered to the hem for a flattering straight leg, they can be finished to any length.
The waistband has traditional tailor's canvas in it, supporting the neat strap and buckle side adjusters, and adding a bit of structure to the soft comfortable linen.
You can see here