What is the story behind this shirt? Where does it come from? When did you acquire it?
This is one of my Turnbull & Asser shirts. I ordered it in 2011, when I was living in London. It is Bespoke, which means that it was cut specifically for me. It is quite a long process and the level of service is pretty crazy. They start by making you a sample shirt that you must wear and wash over and over. You then go back to them and they proceed to a few modifications on your individual pattern and they make you another sample shirt that you have to wear and wash like you did for the first one. This process goes on until they get your pattern perfectly right. They then use that pattern to cut you several shirts, the process takes several months.
Why did you buy such a shirt?
At the time, I had to wear a suit and tie to work every day and I just couldn’t find any shirt off the rack that would fit me properly. As a result, I spent more than a year wearing casual shirts and that just didn’t feel right. That’s why I decided to go bespoke. I made a quick round up of the different shirtmakers of Jermyn Street, which is home to several traditional shirtmakers, and I ended up choosing Turnbull & Asser. It is a respected tailoring house which is famous for having made Churchill’s pyjamas, and James Bond dress shirts. It was quite a step to take, because their minimum order is five shirts and they are not cheap!
Do you remember the first time you wore it?
I wore it the day I got it and I remember having a very eventful evening. When I woke up the next day it was still on me and it had a few Guinness stains. It was kind of a British baptism.
Do you have any memories related to this shirt?
I have tons. I have been wearing it nonstop since I got it, therefore it was on me on a few important moments. I remember wearing it to several oral admission exams I had to pass when I resumed my studies, to numerous interviews, and to some dates. I even wore it when I was house moving. I didn’t give much thought to wearing it during those events, it just so happens that it was there.
