Shirt changed
By Colin Cameron
Published: February 24 2007 02:00 | Last updated: February 24 2007 02:00
Mention primary colours in the context of politics and some people will think of the book of that name by Joe Klein about a fictional US president (loosely based on Bill Clinton). But for European politicians, following the lead from their countrymen, when it come to shirts there is a shift away from primary colours and towards pastels.
The shirtmaker Charles Tyrwhitt, which by selling predominantly through mail order and over the internet can observe precise regional trends, has seen a gradual move away from the traditional blue or white. "They remain dominant," reports Nick Wheeler, who founded the company in 1986, "but in Britain, demand is growing for soft pastels and lighter shades. And in France, we've seen a move towards yellow and more Mediterranean colours, often with tab collars in a fitted cut, while more of our customers based in Spain are opting for less formal shades."
A greater taste in France for yellow could have sig-nificant repercussions if adopted by the republic's leaders. "The colour increases visibility as yellow really hits the retina," says Judy Fearn, an image consultant who has worked with recent leaders of the main British political parties. "But consequently, you don't want to be caught up in anything negative wearing yellow. Only the very best skiers, who rarely fall, wear the colour on the slopes. Lemon is less of a gamble."
Turkey may be pinning its hopes on admission to the EU by sticking to white. What Wheeler calls the "IBM of shirts" remains Charles Tyrwhitt's bestseller there. But the growing preference in Britain is for pinks."Our domestic customers seem increasingly daring," he says. In addition, he notes that many in Britain, France and Italy who still favour blue are opting for "dobbie weave", where satin or silk strands are mixed in with the shirt's main colour for contrast.
Olga Berluti, the bespoke shoemaker who offers a range of shades and colours by bleaching and polishing leather, explains the trendin Britain for pink andother lighter shades on the weather. "The UK can be grey," she suggests. "You need brighter colours than in, for example, Italy to be visible." Berluti argues it is about being noticed.
Based on feedback from Charles Tyrwhitt, customers in Germany think pink is "insufficiently masculine" for them. But in other ways the Germans are finding common ground with Brits. In Germany, typically English seven-fold ties and the classic cut of shirt withcut-away collar are increasingly popular - more so even than Charles Tyrwhitt's finest 140/180 weave shirts made in Italy, where the taste for two-button collars leaves the "peacocks of Europe," as Wheeler putsit, isolated.
Still, the greatest threatof all to European unity remains the monogram. Judy Fearn warns that these can be barriers to enduring partnership. "They can seem stuffy and clubby or infer a sense of superiority," she says. "For most of Europe, monograms have always been a bit too showy," says Wheeler, who also has six UK outlets and one in Paris, "especially in Britain, but Germans are starting to adopt what's popular with Americans, who buy additionally at our New York shops on Madison and Seventh Avenues. Americans like their monograms on the breast pocket. German customers prefer them on cuffs."
However, Europeans do appear to be in agreement on one fashion front: a growing rejection of button-down collars. Even Britons who, along with Americans, were once only to happy to button down now appear to begiving up this particular shirt choice. European unity at last?
www.ctshirts.co.uk
www.berluti.com
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
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