Spring has nearly sprung and summer clothes will soon be “In” again, heralding the demand for the ever-In, Time-Worn, Wrinkled Look.
But London’s only specialist linen brand is on a mission to convince us that linen is not just for the summer. It is a year-round fabric and versatile fiber.
Based on Golborne Road off Portobello Road in Notting Hill, West London, and with a shop in the West End on Lamb’s Conduit Street Original Fibres, formerly Flax London, opened in 2018, intent on redefining men and championing linen as the stylish, lower impact all-year-round alternative to cotton and polyester.
“We set out to challenge perceptions about how and when linen can be worn. We started with heavy winter linen shorts expanding into workwear jackets and canvas linen shorts,” says co-founder Callum McCall, a Classics graduate from Bristol University and copywriter.
“George and I have always shared a love for quality, artisanal men’s clothing. Every summer, a few linen staples would reappear in both our wardrobes, looking better and better each time. It was with a slight sadness that we put them away to hibernate each year. One day, discussing linen’s short season, we had an idea. Could we do more with it?”
His fellow founder is George Rutherford-Jones, a Leeds University International Relations and SE Asia Studies graduate and former Sandhurst cadet who served in the served in British Army’s Light Dragoons. They met on a grueling charity bike ride in 2010. Says Callum: “We were covering 175+ miles a day and it was the sort of experience that either makes you best mates with someone or makes you never want to see them again.
Neither has a design or fashion background, but they shared a passion for British menswear brands.
Callum continues: “It’s probably not surprising that, when we launched our own, the vibe resembled something straddling the line between the smarter British tailoring houses of Jermyn Street and the softer, causal tailoring you find on Berwick Street. Both London roads that George and I would trawl regularly, watching the collections shift and observing how more macro trends affected brands’ seasonal offerings.”
George adds: “The strength afforded to us by our lack of direct experience in the business of fashion is based on our lack of preconceptions. Rather than being swayed into doing things simply because it’s how they’ve always been done, our mindset focuses on what we see as the most attractive way of doing things. And that’s true of both our business practices – no sales, static pricing, permanent collections, free repairs, direct-to-consumer – and the actual products themselves.
“We are a fabric-forward brand. Original Fibres was created on the premise that the creative use of different weights, weaves, and colors could bring out so much more from linen. It was also inspired by a photo of Steve McQueen in the Thomas Crowne Affair.
As well as lightweight linen shirts with mother-of-pearl buttons, the range features legwear (including the popular drawstring Powder blue or Mocha Easies, railway jackets, long sleeve smocks, overshirts, heavy linen utility shirts and now low-impact wool wear made from Geelong and Merino.”
Strong on sustainability, Oriogonal Fibres offers free repairs for life. Continues George: “For the very occasional piece that’s beyond repair, we offer an Exchange Program where you get 20% off a new shirt when you hand the old one in. We can then repurpose as much of the fabric as possible, ensuring it gets a new lease of life as a tote bag, apron, or even as pocket lining in new items.”
Buying better quality items, less often, is not a new concept – watch, car, and shoe enthusiasts have long seen the value in investing more in something they can keep for a long time.
“Longevity doesn’t seem to be a major concern for an industry that’s conventionally followed a strict system of seasonal releases,” continues Callum.
“We’re trying to change that by making clothes that stand the test of time. Our approach is conceptually very simple, revolving around three key pillars: durable materials, enduring patterns, and diligent manufacturing. Sustainability is the glue that binds them all together.”
Well looked after, linen lasts a lifetime. And it only gets better with age, as it softens and takes on different characteristics.
“Early on, we did some things that were fairly rogue in hindsight. Most notably, going to a festival with no shirts to sell, going to another festival with no marquee to sell shirts in, and cutting our own run of 50 shirts at the glacial pace of one shirt per hour in George’s kitchen.
“But we also did some things we’d never change. Most notably, visiting every factory we’ve ever used, designing linen for all seasons, and—more generally—showing people there is another way to buy, wear, and consume clothing. The main hurdle for us was to break linen free from the shackles of the summer wardrobe.”
From Northern Ireland, our shirting linen is 238gsm (versus the standard 175gsm) is heavier, more opaque, and is perfectly suited to all seasons. We also use shirtmakers in Oporto, north Portugal as well as linen from Belgian masters of Linen Libeco”
Northern Ireland has a long history of making top-quality linens. Original Fibers has built a relationship with Baird McNutt who has a factory near Belfast.
“We design all our products with a view to them being worn for 10+ years. Our clothes are finished in north London,” says George.
“Linen can dress everyone from the seasoned Londoner, the young professional, and the debonair older man. Linen is the most naturally luxurious fabric. Yet it is underused and misunderstood by the fashion industry.”
”We will continue to push the envelope when it comes to linen.”
Linen is cool through all seasons.
