Materials & Craft
A CHICAGO TIMELINE
Made from what lasts
Long before this city had a name, the first people of this land dressed in what the earth provided. Plant fiber. Hide. Wool. Natural fibers were the choice then, and they are our choice now.
The reason is simple. They breathe, they wear in, and they last.
1916 · THE JOURNEY NORTH
Cotton
Families came up on the Illinois Central with a suitcase and a plan. Cotton made the trip with them. It breathes, it washes easy, and it is still the base of our knits.
1920s · SUMMER ON STATE STREET
Linen
On a July evening, State Street was a walk worth dressing for. Linen pulls the heat off you, keeps you looking composed, and gets softer with every wash.
1922 · A TRUMPET COMES TO TOWN
Silk
When a young Louis Armstrong arrived to play, the clubs answered in silk ties and pocket squares. Silk is smooth, cool on the skin, and it catches the light.
1925 · THE PULLMAN PORTERS
Wool
The porters rode these rails in wool and stood together for a fair deal. Wool holds the heat when the Hawk comes off the lake, and it shakes off wrinkles.
Breathe. Wear in. Last.
That is why we choose natural fibers, every time.
1950s · THE IVY LOOK
Corduroy
Musicians and writers took the campus look and made it their own. Cords, oxford cloth, loafers. The raised ribs, called wales, give texture and stand up to wear.
MID-CENTURY · THE MILLS
Twill
This city was built by people who showed up for every shift. Twill was made for that kind of work. The diagonal weave is strong, hangs clean, and resists creases.
1970 · SOUL TRAIN
Suede
A show born in Chicago taught the whole country how to move, and suede moved with it. Soft, flexible, and it shapes to you over time.
TODAY · THE WORK CONTINUES
Duck cotton
The heavy canvas behind every honest work coat. A tight weave, built to take a beating and keep going.
Natural fibers breathe, wear in, and last.
This city has always known that. We are simply building on it.
A wolf’s soul in sheep’s clothing.
WEARWOLFE
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