The perfect matching fabric for denim – chambrey. Both fabrics share the same basics: a colored warp and a plain white weft. But their construction is different. Denim is a twill and chambray is a plain weave.
As the legend says chambrey was firstly developed in northern France in the City of Cambrai some 300 years ago. With it rugged construction and breath-ability it was adopted for workwear in the following centuries. Especially in the late 1900s it made its way to North America where it was extensively used for work shirts in farming and mining. Even being adoped by the US military in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the US Navy introduced a complete uniform consisting of denim dungarees and a chambrey shirt as the work uniform on deck making it famous throughout the world.
Even today chambrey is a constant component of everyday workwear and casual wear.
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- Dungaree-clad freed POWs aboard USS Reeves, 1945 – US Navy – National Archives
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- Bearded sailors aboard the USS Pensacola. (Gift of Ray V. Snapp, 2010.572.107) – http://www.nww2m.com/2011/09/beards-on-boats/
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- 1905 Hauler Vest selvage chambrey
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- 1942 Hunting Pant selvage chambrey
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- To haul, to pull, to carry, to drag. These are all words that very much indicate the origins of our 1905 Hauler Vest. Back in these days vests were worn in order to protect the work shirts from dirt and abrasion. Therefore work wear vests had a fitted outline in order not to be caught on sharp corners whilst working in warehouses or on machines. For this edition, we used a light chambrey fabric, perfect for warm weather.
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- Once made for the life outdoors it now has become an article of daily use and on all terrains. Depending on the combination with a vest or button shirt, the pants get an elegant or rough character. The trousers are pre washed and do not shrink.
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