Corde du Roi

Corduroy is fall’s answer to summer linen—quintessential and brings the appropriate seasonal texture to the table. Currently in the shop, this fabric shows up warmer, softer, and more dimensional. Whether wide-wale or needle-thin, tailored or slouchy, corduroy brings a confidence that says: I know what season it is, and I came prepared.
 
And like any fabric with a point of view, it comes with a story. A few, actually...


FOR THE PEOPLE
Corduroy’s roots go all the way back to ancient Egypt, but it reemerged in 18th-century France, where it earned the nickname corde du roi (cloth of the king). Ironic, since it later became the unofficial uniform of professors, artists, and preps everywhere.


WALE TALE
Those vertical ridges? They’re called wales. Wide wale tends to show up in jackets and trousers, while fine wale works beautifully for shirts and softer silhouettes. Having nothing to do with the oceanic mammal, the word itself comes from the Old English “walu” meaning ridge or stripe. 


THE SHAPE-SHIFTER
Corduroy moves through eras like it owns them. In the 1970s, it showed up on rock stages and record covers—think Stevie Nicks’ flares, Bowie’s slim cord suit. It’s also done time in Ivy League lecture halls, was worn during the Industrial Revolution, and held up by lobster needlepoint belts. Now? It’s back in rotation… or did it never really leave?


FEELING SOME SORT OF WAY
Corduroy isn’t passive. You don’t just wear it—you feel it. The ribs become a landscape under your fingers. The structure gives shape. The texture breathes in space. That’s what makes it more than cloth—and for some an obsession. From Miles Rohan, Corduroy Appreciation Club Founder:

“If I’m not wearing at least one piece of corduroy, I don’t feel right. The repetition, the parallel lines, the thickness… provide a kind of order and support. But even when I was little I loved corduroy. It made me feel grown up and sophisticated.”

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