Archibald x Richard James - The Savile Row Tee in Cotton Jersey

##Made in England There’s not an awful lot we can say about the family-owned factory in Leicester that, with the help of Richard James, agreed to make our t shirts for us. The people at Special Factory, for we will call it that, are very particular about who they work with. And so oversubscribed is their order book that they have to be. This place is a very well-guarded secret in the world of luxury British garment manufacturing. Enough said.

##There is something almost cultish about Japanese cotton weaving, which started as a cottage industry in the 16th century. And it remains pretty much the same to this day, with a small number of artisan weavers concentrating solely on high-quality, small-batch production. When we came to look for the cotton jersey for our t-shirts we were immediately pointed in the direction of Minami, which was founded in Osaka in 1924 and is known for constantly working to refine the weaving process. Minami gives a reverential nod to the time-honoured traditions of the past while keeping one eye firmly on the future and innovation. We think that’s evident in its heavyweight cotton jersey, which is quite probably the best in the world.

The Rebels of Savile Row by Nick Carvell (09/12/2017), GQ UK.

##A good collaboration is so much more than an X sandwiched between two brand names. It has to get to the heart of who they are and what they share. Archibald and Richard James are peerless. The so-called bad boys of Savile Row brought colour, art and revolution to that impenetrable and renowned Mayfair street, without sacrificing cut or tailoring. The high-end disruptor gave the middle finger to the stalwarts of luxury, matching or exceeding quality sans price tag or pretense. The future frontiers of high-end fashion won’t all be in bricks and mortar, and Richard James knows that. A t-shirt may seem a simple thing, but decades of excellence in tailoring and an eye to the future really set this one apart.