Five Years of The Workers Club

There’s a billionaire who still gets (bad) haircuts from his wife running the White House. The English language has learned a new, pretty depressing word: Brexit. And to cap it all off, we’re currently learning to live with something that has managed to press pause on the world in just a few short months.

It’s safe to say the past 5 years have been anything but quiet – but they’ve also been the background noise to half a decade of TWC.

5 years ago, we set out on a mission to cut the BS and bring some purity back into the world of clothing by making objects to be cherished. Jeans made in Japan using almost forgotten techniques, trusty coats made in England by people who know what it’s like to live in the rain – we’ve made what seem to be simple things better, to champion the guy who buys less but better. 

Our mantra is still going strong. We’ve built a community of like-minded souls who share in our stitch by stitch mentality - in fact, we even started our own hashtag, #TWCwornyourway to show how the right things, made the right way, can make a huge difference to your wardrobe – and your life.

The first guy to shoot for #TWCwornyourway was none other than Jamie Ferguson - photographer, menswear aficionado and friend of the brand. If you’ve not spotted Jamie’s work smothering your Instagram feed then you’ve definitely seen it in the likes of MR PORTER and the Rake; he’s even released his own book “This Guy”, which is well worth a spot on your coffee table. 

Fast forward a few years and Jamie’s turned the lens round to himself (although all done at a distance this time), as he picks out some of his favourite TWC pieces and interprets what his eyes have clocked in the world of men’s style: 

Jamie wears:
Ecru Selvedge Denim Jacket
Madras Popover Shirt
007 Relaxed-Fit Vintage Wash Selvedge Jeans

 
“If there’s one photographer I love it’s Peggy Sirota – she’d shoot these mega celebrities but they're doing this crazy sh*t, and it never felt serious– I wanted to try and replicate something similar here, but obviously using myself.”

Jamie wears:
Unlined Navy Blazer
Navy Sweatshirt
Japanese Sashiko Scarf
TWC x Ebbets Field Flannels Cap
TWC x Esquire Varsity Socks

 
“You rarely see the fun side of things in the menswear world – it’s quite serious most of the time.”

Jamie wears:
Overhead Printed Camo Smock
Red Varsity Cotton Socks

 

“If I like my outfit and I feel good in it, then I think, why can’t I shoot it doing whatever the f*ck I want? “ 

Jamie wears:
007 Relaxed-Fit Ecru Denim Jeans
Grey Pocket T-Shirt


“I'd normally go for a slim fit – but thought, let’s give the relaxed a whirl. Turns out these are some of the best fitting jeans I have ever had.”

Jamie’s shoot is like a breath of fresh air. Far from the serious looks and moods of traditional clothing and model imagery, it’s the perfect reflection of TWC whilst still showcasing some of our favourite pieces; outerwear, and jeans, which Jamie has a pretty interesting take on: “Denim for me is like a video game – it helps you unlock stuff on the next level. You get the perfect pair of denim and all of a sudden it unlocks all these pieces in your wardrobe to work together.”

5 years is a fairly long time, and whilst we set out with just one fit, we noticed a change – looser cuts and wider leg openings have started to creep in over the last few years - cuing the arrive of our straight fit jean.

“Denim is so personal” states Jamie. “It becomes much more about colours, cuts and shapes. Nowadays I’m seeing more and more guys experimenting with a wider, straighter cut and a higher rise.” 

“People ask me all the time about styles and trends. But I don’t shoot stuff that’s particularly out there… it’s more stuff I’d wear myself.” Says Jamie. “In terms of what I like wearing, and the world I shoot – it's skewed more towards tailoring and for pairing with that world, TWC’s 007 jeans are amazing. With a bit of a higher rise, I put them on and just thought: F*ck. These are incredible.”

It’s not just fits that have changed in the past half-decade either. A lot of us are now looking at our wardrobes as collections, as we start to acknowledge the damage that fast fashion has done to our planet. Our approach to shopping is shifting, and emotional connections to our clothing has returned. We’re starting to buy things again because we truly love them and know that they’ll be with us for a lot longer than just a few wears. We’re thinking ahead and being more versatile with our clothing.

“You can see a lot of people blending different styles together these days; vintage, sportswear, tailoring, streetwear etc. But a common thread through all of that is often denim, which everybody has in their wardrobe.” Says Jamie. “A lot of it is down to Instagram. That’s how guys are getting inspired. They see outfits on there or online and think ‘I have those clothes so I could make that work”

We’ve been bringing in our 5th anniversary over on our Instagram page, with Adam playing some of his favourite records – and taking some requests – during TWC’s Sunday sessions. Join us and let us know what you want to hear. Jamie’s request? “Song 2 by Blur – my 3 year old is currently obsessed and would hate me if I didn't ask …or anything Motown for me”.

Jamie wears:
The Paisley Short-Sleeved Shirt

 

If you've enjoyed the uber talented Mr Ferguson and his solo efforts above, then Jamie's book "This Guy" is right up your street, be sure to check it ou! We'd also like to thank Ryan for the refreshing chat and word-smithery. Lads, it's been an absolute pleasure.

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