Here is another living legend of men's clothing whose history has been forged over the decades. To explore the origins of the Western shirt, we must probably go back to the beginning of the 19th century , a period when North Americans began to appropriate the territories of the West. The meeting of the conquering and indigenous populations, encouraged by the desire of the former to reach the Pacific, was often bloody and unfortunate. On the fringes, the cultural mix and the cosmopolitan nature of the outposts allowed the emergence of hybrid know-how. It was in this context, it seems, that the Western shirt was born in the second half of the 19th century. The daughter of traditional vaqueros (Mexican cowherd shirts, generally made of light cotton or silk) and the blue serge uniforms worn by Confederate soldiers, it would have thus undergone a crossbreeding to adapt to the needs of the cowboys established on the newly conquered lands. Mexican shirts, they will keep the legendary design; to which they will associate the robustness necessary for any work clothing worthy of the name.
Denim , introduced to the USA by a certain Levi Strauss who came to take advantage of the fallout from the gold rush, would allow this fusion of style and solidity . By the end of the century, the western shirt had the recipe for its success: a thick and comfortable cotton canvas adapted to the requirements of workers, a straight and long cut to fit into the pants on horseback, snaps to prevent the sewn buttons from tearing off during manual work and chest pockets designed to hold tools. Useful, infallible, inexpensive , the western became an authentic work garment without departing from the Mexican influences inherited from vaqueros shirts.
Want to know everything about its making?
Like jeans , former work pants designed for North American miners, the western shirt gradually freed itself from ranches to invest in cities. Movie stars and, later, music stars, are no strangers to this "urbanization" . Available in a large number of materials to satisfy city dwellers, this cult piece has lost its splendor, losing most of its distinctive features along the way, to the point of becoming a simple denim shirt. For our tenth anniversary, we were keen to offer you ten ultra-premium limited edition pieces ; and that is why we were keen to do justice to the western shirt. If you know the link between Hast and the shirt, you know how important it was to us to restore the reputation of this legendary piece .
More than a piece of clothing, it is an element of world heritage that is at stake; and a piece of history that we wanted to resurrect.
On this occasion, we were able to count on the expertise of an Italian weaver to reissue an iconic canvas used by a famous American brand in the 1960s. Made from organic cotton , this soft blue denim fabric exudes authenticity and displays a quality that is incomparable with the canvases on the market. Combined with this prestigious serge, the feel of which will delight fans, we have taken care of every detail to revive the soul of the western shirt: snap buttons, American placket, generous French collar, chest pockets with pointed flaps, shoulder inserts, fairly straight and rather long cut.
In keeping with its identity, our denim shirt brings a two-century-old history into the present using virtually impossible-to-find materials, high-end finishes and authentic details .
A versatile piece to wear in all circumstances
This is a major characteristic of legendary pieces: they exert an unalterable power of fascination across time and space . From the shoulders of cowboys to yours, including those of James Dean or Elvis Presley , the western draws its captivating charm from a composite history and a design impervious to change .
Daughter of a ceremonial piece and a military garment, raised hard in a violent and hopeful Wild West, worn in triumph from the seventh to the fourth art, the DNA of the western shirt is rich , multiple , sublime . Does it draw its versatility from this complex heritage? Without a doubt, and that is why you can wear it in all circumstances .
To dynamite the formalism of a suit, to bring texture to an outfit deemed too bland, to play the card of the total denim look or that of the military register with a chino and a blazer, she will know how to do what is necessary. Ultimately, the hardest part will be to catch one of the 100 copies that we offer you in limited edition.
How to maintain a denim shirt ?
Back then, it seems to us that the cowherd boys did not embrace washing their shirts every four mornings. If you would like to give yours a spring cleaning, we advise you to put it in the washing machine at 30°C (spin speed 600 rpm maximum) and dry it on a wooden hanger in a well-ventilated area. If you can avoid direct sunlight during this operation, you will save yourself from possible discoloration in the long term. As for ironing, you can give it a quick iron at medium temperature if you feel like it, preferably by placing a piece of fabric between the soleplate and the denim.
