AMERICAN WOOLEN COMPANY

In a recent article discussing the release of Burberry's challenging financial results, Bloomberg reported some striking news. In addition to strategic changes taking place within the world of Burberry to combat stagnant revenue growth, Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Baily, unveiled plans to build a new manufacturing and weaving facility in Leeds, England to produce the label’s signature trench coats. Burberry follows other European luxury retailers, including LVMH and Prada who are investing in dedicated manufacturing capacity in the face of soft trading conditions. Rather than the typical cost cutting, defensive posturing assumed by luxury retailers during periods of stagnant revenue growth, Burberry, Prada and LVMH should be commended for employing offensive strategies including increased investment in company owned production facilities. These announcements demonstrate that in the ever crowded field of global luxury goods retailers, leading brands are finding innovative ways to raise the stakes. The ability to own and operate a proprietary supply chain is becoming a distinction to which only a few luxury goods companies can lay claim. It is becoming the hallmark of authentic luxury.  

The issue is not whether owning ones means of production trumps outsourcing. Outsourcing is a very effective and efficient tactic to quickly gain scale within a new product category. It is more related to the significance that production brings to a luxury brand's value offering. Today's consumers want to know where, how and by whom products are made, and they can see through retailers' supply chains with a few clicks. Forward thinking domestic apparel retailers, including J.Crew, Bonobos and Hickey Freeman understand this reality and, therefore, make supplier transparency part of the value offering.  Fashion houses do not need to own all elements of their production, but luxury goods brands should realize that design, quality and provenance are all part of their unique DNA.

The American Suit @Bonobos

Menswear retailer, Bonobos, has launched The American Suit collection featuring American Woolen Company's 100% wool charcoal grey pinstripe and grey houndstooth fabrics milled in Stafford Springs, CT. 

""Made in America" means something. It implies a heritage and a tradition. A pride, you might say, in crafting only the very best. And lucky for us, we were able to collaborate with a mill that's embodied those values since 1853, and a suit maker that's all but an American legend. For fabric, we worked with the Warren Mill of the American Woolen Company, in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, to find the finest cloth we could. For the tailoring, we teamed up with the expert suit makers at Southwick—who've been cutting and sewing impeccable suits in New England for nearly a century. And of course, we designed every last detail at our studio in Manhattan's historic Flatiron District. The result may be entirely American, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a comparable suit anywhere in the world." — Bonobos

American Woolen Company is proud to announce we have been selected as FINALIST for the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made Award in Design.

Visit our page for more information. Public voting begins September 21st for the Audience Choice Award.

We are proud and exciting to see our Made in Connecticut wool fabrics "on the rack" at J. Crew men's suit store and online. The ties are made in NY, making them a 100% Made in America product which makes us especially proud. These are the first products made from our fabrics to arrive for consumer sale. We look forward to sharing more information about other products as the Fall/Winter 2015 collections become available. 

American Woolen Company is proud to introduce its Fall/Winter 2016 Collection. The new collection focuses on redefining the American style aesthetic, combining metropolitan sophistication with a refined elegance. Inspiration came from researching fabric swatch archives in order to develop a collection that we believe tells an authentic American story.

 The collection contains 21 different styles and 100+ different designs

Classic blues, blacks, greys and browns color lines are explored and deepened

The extensive use of fine two ply yarns creates a more honest cloth

American Woolen Company was honored to sponsor the 2015 New York Men's Day as part of Men's Fashion Week in New York City. 

Our wool fabrics were skillfully used by 6 of the featured emerging menswear designers at NYMD to craft innovative looks as part of their Spring/Summer 2016 collections. The designers also participated in a tour of our mills in Stafford Spring, CT to see the start-to-finish process of manufacturing premium wool fabrics, thumb through our archives dating back to the early 1900's, as well as have a first preview of our Fall/Winter 2016 collection.

The American Tailor - Commonwealth Proper signature suit The CMMP signature 2 button, peaked lapel suit crafted in American Woolen Company’s Super 130 Deep Navy worsted wool fabric. Photographed at American Woolen's Warren Mills in Stafford Springs, CT

"The American Cloth" by American Woolen Company

In keeping with our rich brand heritage, American Woolen Company will be introducing a line of Signature Fabrics in 2015 as our commitment to reestablishing “The American Cloth”.

Our "Washington 1789” signature fabric is a classic American style Gabardine made with very fine 2 ply yarns. This tightly woven, wool cloth was perfected by American textile producers in the 20th century and used to make suits, overcoats, trousers and other garments. The monotone colored fabric is known for its durability and “wearability”, and was the fabric of choice for arctic explorers and mountain climbers throughout the late 19th century.

The new American Woolen Company's Gabardine cloth is both soft and strong which makes it perfect for the year-round garment. Gabardine jacket and trousers travel well and exude modern elegance.

American Woolen Company Reintroducing: Excellence. Made in America.

The final fitting of a stunning new suit crafted in American Woolen Company’s lightweight navy wool with Craig Arthur Von Schroeder, of Commonwealth Proper.

American Woolen Company's new campaign shares the stories of the style masters and modern tailors ushering in a new found appreciation for the art of tailoring and dressing the American male.

We visited Craig Arthur Von Schroeder, founder of Commonwealth Proper, at his flagship store in Philadelphia’s Center City. The ex-pro footballer turned lawyer, turned style guru, opened shop in 2008 that designs and makes custom suits and shirts for his contemporary clientele . . . rigorously Made in America. 

What first lead you to design/tailor/craft suits and menswear?

My father is an architect.  So growing up we’d travel as a family to places like Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Falling Water” instead of Disney World.  In addition, my older brother dabbled in modeling and always had cool clothes.  I look up to both my father and brother, so an interest in design/clothing has always been a part of me.  It’s just how I was raised.

I’ve had a few different careers, the first as a professional soccer player in Europe and South America.  When I stopped I went to law school and thought it would keep me level-headed to do something fun while I was studying, and the first inclination was designing a menswear collection.  

So it’s been an evolution, but a natural one.

Who is your customer and what do they ask for? 

Our customers are hungry young professionals.  They are driven, focused, and entrepreneurial.  They are refined renegades that also adhere to things required to run a business, like respect and thoughtfulness.  They believe in style over fashion.  They want to stand out, not by defying what their generation wears, but by defining it.  They want clothes that are uncomplicated yet confident.

How do you guide your clients with suit cuts and details, fabric choices and overall style?

Clothing advice starts with us asking a lot of questions about the client: what does he do for a living, does he travel, is he married, are there industry constraints to what he wears, who are his style idols, etc.  These give us an understanding of where the boundaries are, if any.  

What is the Commonwealth Proper signature suit and how did it evolve?

Our signature suit has a natural shoulder, peak lapel, one-button, side vented coat with interior cigar and stash pockets.  The pants have an extended waistband and angled side pockets.  It’s a hybrid of a traditional ivy league blazer fit with a modern twist. 

How do you see today’s menswear and how do you see it evolving?

While we are mostly in the tailored clothing realm, we keep tabs on menswear generally.  There are so many new brands, new designers and looks, the space is fractured.  Yet for some reason a lot of the stuff looks the same.  I think that’s because men don’t take as many risks as women in fashion, so the evolution is slower.  Nevertheless, I think that substance will continue to overpower hype and that the future is going to be mad real.  Utility, durability and meaningful details will define the future of menswear.

What does Made in America mean to you? 

Control.  When you have to subcontract your manufacturing abroad you give up control.  When you lose control of what you are doing it usually falls short of your standards, be it design or quality. It’s also a statement of intent we actually sew into all of our garments: “Forever Made in the USA”.  The maker culture here in the U.S. is growing and it will become the gold standard around the world in the next decade.

What’s next for CMMP?

We are looking to expand our private experiential retail concept we have established in Philadelphia.  We recently opened our second brick-and-mortar space in the hip West Midtown district of Atlanta, Georgia.  We are looking to add a few more locations in the near future.  We are also looking to grow our tailored manufacturing base in Philadelphia as we grow our brand.  There are a few other goals for 2015 that we think will help move the tailored menswear game forward, but those we have to keep top secret for the time-being….

/AWC/

Commonwealth Proper

1839 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

691 14th Street, Suite 123, Atlanta, GA

commonwealthproper.com

American Woolen Company’s Spring/Summer 2016 Collection includes vast hues in pastels and earth tones.

Debuting January 19th.

#authenticity #wool #tailoring #craftsmanship #TheAmericanTailor

American Woolen Company wishes you all the very best for the 2014 Holiday Season.