It all started with a white shirt. Or rather, a lack thereof.
Doing the 9-5, a white shirt was the uniform, five days a week, 50 weeks a year. But hard as we tried, we couldn’t find one we loved. None of them fit right or were particularly high quality - and most importantly none were made in the U.S.
We thought to ourselves, we can - and must - do better. So down the rabbit hole we went.
It took us far longer than anticipated, but after sourcing the best fabric and tailors, we eventually made the perfect white shirt.
Way back in 2008 we partnered with a storied Newark, NJ custom shirt house called Mel Gambert Shirts. We befriended the heir-apparent, Mitch Gambert, who was a few years older than us and was open to our New School tailoring vibe.
Gambert has been synonymous with fine shirt-making in the US since 1933 when 1st generation family patriarch, Joseph Gambert, opened up their first shop in the ironbound section of Newark, NJ. With an inventory of fabrics sourced from the best mills from around the world, Gambert can create shirts with unique details and fits tailored for each client.
After 13 years, we still work intimately with Gambert. They continue to be a trusted partner in our USA-based cut and sew operations. We are innovating with them through our Design Lab and are in the midst of producing a new range of Tech Overshirts and Corduroy “Citizen Jackets” - modern takes on traditional styles and silhouettes.
As we grow older as a company our focus and commitment to Made in America is even stronger. After the crazy year we all endured, and still are enduring, we’ve seen a shift in customers investing in higher quality pieces and a greater sense of wanting to know where and how their garments are produced. With this, we have become more transparent with our sourcing such as our recent collaboration with American Woolen and this ongoing partnership with Gambert Shirts to really show how we are keeping tailoring and manufacturing alive and well here in the USA.