Sometimes, even the most quotidian object can be refreshed if it's given the chance to be viewed from a new perspective. The British fashion designer Margaret Howell knows this better than most. Last year, the inaugural edition of her 'Plus' shirt - a collaboration with the industrial designer Kenneth Grange - was a timely lesson in how a few tweaks can create a lovely new silhouette (Wallpaper*, May 2010). This year, Howell has teamed up with another industrial designer - Sam Hecht - to create a second 'Plus' shirt and we think it's already an instant classic.
Howell says she and Hecht share a similar design philosophy. More to the point, 'right from the start, Sam knew exactly what he wanted... His vision was for a shirt to reflect his lifestyle - busy and urban, with much of it spent on two wheels.'
From the front, the pale blue cotton poplin shirt presents a loose fit with minimal detailing, but it's on the back that both designers have worked their magic, tucking up the traditional shirt tails to create, literally, back pockets. On the left sleeve, a small discrete pocket lifts to hold a travel card.
Howell says the Hecht shirt 'is a versatile shirt for cycling and wearing in the work place'. We just think it's a head-turner, and for all the right reasons.
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