Earlier this summer, we made our second trip to Milano Unica: a few days spent immersed in fabric, meeting suppliers and continuing to shape what is next for Shaw’s.
Our first visit was ambitious, perhaps too ambitious. We tried to squeeze both Milano Unica and Pitti Filati into three days, covering a lot of ground but not always having the time to properly take everything in. This time, we arrived better prepared, with a clearer focus and more space to have the conversations that matter.
A large part of the trip was dedicated to both new and existing Japanese suppliers. We have become huge admirers of the cloths being produced in Japan; there is a real attention to texture, weight, character and finish that feels closely aligned with the way we want Shaw’s clothes to look and wear. We came away with some exciting developments underway, and a number of new products and projects already taking shape.
We also managed to fit in a visit to a new supplier based just outside Milan. Seeing a factory in person is always valuable: it gives us a better understanding of the people, processes and level of craft behind the products we are considering.
There was one unwanted moment on day one, when petty thieves broke into our hire car, but thankfully it did little to derail the trip. The rest of the visit was productive, inspiring and a useful reminder of why getting out to meet the people behind the cloth and production matters so much.
Milan continues to be an important place for us as we build Shaw’s: not just for sourcing, but for refining our eye, strengthening relationships and bringing the collection closer to what we want it to become.
Shaw’s in Milan
Earlier this summer, we made our second trip to Milano Unica: a few days spent immersed in fabric, meeting suppliers and continuing to shape what is next for Shaw’s.
Our first visit was ambitious, perhaps too ambitious. We tried to squeeze both Milano Unica and Pitti Filati into three days, covering a lot of ground but not always having the time to properly take everything in. This time, we arrived better prepared, with a clearer focus and more space to have the conversations that matter.
A large part of the trip was dedicated to both new and existing Japanese suppliers. We have become huge admirers of the cloths being produced in Japan; there is a real attention to texture, weight, character and finish that feels closely aligned with the way we want Shaw’s clothes to look and wear. We came away with some exciting developments underway, and a number of new products and projects already taking shape.
We also managed to fit in a visit to a new supplier based just outside Milan. Seeing a factory in person is always valuable: it gives us a better understanding of the people, processes and level of craft behind the products we are considering.
There was one unwanted moment on day one, when petty thieves broke into our hire car, but thankfully it did little to derail the trip. The rest of the visit was productive, inspiring and a useful reminder of why getting out to meet the people behind the cloth and production matters so much.
Milan continues to be an important place for us as we build Shaw’s: not just for sourcing, but for refining our eye, strengthening relationships and bringing the collection closer to what we want it to become.