Review of Hellequino’s 4.5 oz. chambray Everyday Shirt
Brand: Hellequino
Product name: The Everyday Shirt
Fit: Slim fit
Materials: 4.5 oz. Italian chambray
Made in: Carpi, Italy
Price: €109,00 (including free worldwide shipping)
The Facts
Hellequino is a unique research project and a brand which is constantly searching for the best fabrics and new designs. The brand is firmly rooted in the raw denim community, with 40 years of experience in the industry and is a passion project of the owner Gabriele Marcotullio.
Hellequino is located in the historic fashion district of Carpi, a city in Northern Italy. It is here that Hellequino handles their entire production process. There is no export or overseas production to lower the price of the garments, the product is designed, developed and produced in Italy. By producing small batches, Hellequino garments are very limited. Often sold out within a few days of a release, the product are desirable and in-demand.
All items are made from high quality fabrics, sourced at renowned mills from all over the world (mainly in Italy and Japan). The designs are informed by the heritage of denim, the experience of the company and it’s owner, as well as contemporary Italian menswear. All products are only available through their own webstore, helping them to keep the prices low and to have a direct link with the consumer.
Learn more about Hellequino and read our interview with Gabriele Marcotullio.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Fit
When a shirt is made in Italy, it is usually a fitted cut and Hellequino’s Everyday Shirt is no exception. The shirt molds nicely to the body, while leaving enough space to breath and be comfortable.
We asked Gabriele, founder of Hellequino, to share a few thoughts about his latest creation:
It’s always been a personal challenge to create a shirt that fits nice for the eyes and yet is comfortable to wear without being a straight classic cut. With our Everyday Shirt we achieved a very modern fit which is tailored just enough, but leaves the right amount of ease for the most crucial parts of the male body such as the arms, the chest and stomach. We chose to change the collar shape from our previous chambray shirt to be more casual and by removing the sterling silver button we could reach a really great price point, given the quality of the product.
The Manufacturing
Hellequino was developed in partnership with the Italian company named KEO, which is also owned by Gabriele Marcotullio. KEO is a contractor for a variety of high-end Italian fashion brands and has taken care of production for more than 40 years. Their production isn’t dislocated around the world but takes place in Carpi, in order to control the quality and manufacturing processes.
‘Made in Italy’ is one of Hellequino’s hallmarks and the philosophy plays a major role in their production processes. Italian fashion culture has also had a huge influence on the collections of the brand. Gabriele firmly believes that less is more and it is better to produce a few high-quality garments under the right circumstances, rather than the model of bulk production in a far away country.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Materials
The Everyday Shirt is made of a beautiful 4.5 oz. chambray, which has been woven at Berto Industria Tessile, Italy’s oldest mill for selvedge denim fabrics. Their history dates back as far as 1887 and their quality is exceptional.
Chambray is a 100% cotton fabric with similar characteristics to denim, which means they can sometimes be confused for one another. Some similar characteristics of the two fabrics are versatility, durability, and strength. Both are suitable to wear for most occasions, day after day, and will fade well over time.
A big difference between the two fabrics is the way they are made. While denim is a twill weave, chambray is a plain weave (1 x 1 construction), which is actually one of the simplest ways of weaving fabric. The chambray’s warp and weft threads will alternate one over the other, while denim’s warp threads will go over two weft threads before going under one.
With a weight of 4.5oz the Everyday Shirt can be worn throughout the year and works well with a number of outfits, especially a well worn pair of raw denim. Although the fabric is sanforized, a little shrinkage is expected during the first wash. But Gabriele has taken this into account and factored it into the pattern, so choose your normal size.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The Details
The design of the shirt is very clean and not outspoken. It is a very balanced fit, with no over the top details and is made from a top-notch fabric. There really is no compromise or any short cuts made.
The collar shape of the Everyday Shirt has been adjusted slightly compared to the earlier version, making it more casual. By changing the sterling silver button on the previous shirt, it has a more neutral and clean appearance, as well as making the price point even more accessible.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
Our Thoughts
The Everyday Shirt really is a shirt that will work well for every occasion. With a dark pair of raw jeans and nice boots, it fits perfectly into a more formal environment. But in contrast, wearing the shirt with a faded pair of jeans and sneakers gives a great casual look. No matter the occasion, the Everyday Shirt has got you covered!
By sourcing the materials at a renowned mill and having the production in-house, Hellequino makes sure that the shirt is of the quality we’ve come to expect from the brand.
With a price of €109,00 including worldwide shipping, the shirt comes at a very accessible price point. Especially when you consider that the production takes place in Italy, an environment where labour and fabric costs are significantly higher.
Head over the Hellequino’s webstore to see the shirt and check out the other amazing garments from the latest collection.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
Share
Tweet
