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Our passion is problem-solving. And the garments we produce – proposed solutions to pain points that have been tolerated for far too long. By relentlessly challenging the expected, we're able to produce clothing that's better designed, better made, and better suited for modern life.
Here, get to know the process that brought our newest product, the Gemini Dress Shirt, to life –from conception to design cycle to the ultra-capable end-result.
THE PROBLEM
A cotton dress shirt is ubiquitous for good reason: the matte aesthetic, crispness, and overall breathable feel of cotton make it an obvious choice for both comfort and polish. Cotton on its own, though, is extremely limiting. It seeps up sweat, holds days' worth of wrinkles, and doesn't give when you move. This expectation that we wear a shirt that holds us back from functioning at peak form is incredibly outdated and primed for an upgrade.
If we preserved the appearance of classic cotton while retooling the shirt’s functionality, we realized, tradition and technical capability - the best of both worlds - would be achieved. Next step? Actually getting there.
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BUILDING TOWARD A BETTER WAY
The Fabric
We went through three iterations of fabric to achieve the right blend of matte aesthetic with wrinkle resistance and sweat management. Our first blend – which was closer to 60% cotton, 38% PCM polyester, and 2% Spandex – didn’t have the wrinkle resistance and stretch we were looking for. So we tweaked the breakdown, increasing the synthetic content and elastane content to achieve what we have now.
The Placket
We wanted to create a really crisp placket for our shirt – something durable that would lie flat. Thermolamination enabled us to fuse the front and back of the placket together seamlessly for a sleek, clean look.
Lasercut Button Holes
The goal here was to simplify the buttoning experience. We’d previously used traditional button openings but found them difficult to manipulate. Lasercut button holes, however, ensured that the buttons would slide in easily. So we tuned the glue and laser settings to get it just right, giving us a seam-melted bond that’s extra durable.
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THE PROPOSED SOLUTION
A 16-hour shirt that merges our Archive’s moisture-managing stretch with our Apollo’s thermoregulation for a synthetic/natural blend. The Gemini honors tradition as it pushes capability to the next level – the mark of good, responsible design.
