……………………………….The KATE SHIRT, A214116, is returning again for late winter [this month] and early Spring [two separate deliveries and different colors], and it’s AVAILABLE NOW FOR ORDERING. I think this may be the fifth year or maybe the sixth that it has been reordered…….With each new reorder I tell the story of why this shirt came to be, so if you have heard it before….skip the next paragraph!
……………Jac is a white shirt wearer, and I used to make plenty of the them for her…..enough to fill a closet. That’s when I was the designer of the Anne Klein collections. They were made in the most beautiful cotton fabrics from Italy. When I left AK and there weren’t any more shirts to be had….Jac had to look elsewhere. I was shocked at the quality of the “DESIGNER” shirts she would come home with. Thin fabrics at exorbitant prices. Most of what you still find in your most expensive stores today are shirts that are still thin and even more expensive! When I joined QVC it was my chance to do another quality cotton shirt. The requests came rolling in. I was always inspired by Kate Hepburn who really made a man’s white tailored shirt with trousers an acceptable, and FASHIONABLE look…..and Kate, one of my Linea Ladies, also made a strong request for me to do a classic white shirt. Hence the name…”the Kate Shirt”……….Between Jac and Kate I didn’t have to have my arm twisted……….First, I had to have the right fabric…..not as easy as it sounds. After looking and looking I finally had a very fine cotton/span TWILL made exclusively for me…..Why a twill and not a typical broadcloth?….for two reasons…….I didn’t want it to be “typical”, and I didn’t want it SEE THROUGH. A twill has more body and will prevent any see through. The little bit of span gives it “comfort” stretch. Why didn’t I have a cotton/poly blend made…..because I’m a purist and a COTTON SNOB when it comes to mens shirts!…..Yes, I know these shirts will require some steaming or even some pressing, and many will just prefer to send them to the dry cleaners with their husbands shirts as Jac does. I guess after the 5th or 6th reorder the majority of you see the difference between my shirt and the other shirts on the market. There are cotton shirts that are wrinkle free, but have you ever considered how they can make that claim? Chemicals, enough said. There is no such thing as a hybrid cotton yarn that grows to be wrinkle free……period……..The style of the shirt……..I took one of my own dress shirts and sent it to the factory to have ALL OF THE DETAILS reproduced……….from the cuff and sleeve placket to the……COLLAR STAYS………..When was the last time you saw a woman’s shirt with collar stays?? If you own tailored cotton shirts without collar stays, then you know after a washing or two the points start to curl up and need pressing. Of course a new pattern had to be developed to “fit” a woman’s body, so there are body darts front and back………..The workmanship and sewing is superb…….That is how the Kate shirt was conceived….The End
How did I choose colors?……….simple…..I asked all of you for suggestions……All of the FOUR NEW COLORS you will be seeing this Jan. came from your requests…………First however, WHITE, which is naturally the most popular color, is returning……………..There is NOTHING like a WHITE COTTON CRISP SHIRT…………..an ALL AMERICAN LOOK. There is no season, no season, no occasion where a white shirt isn’t appropriate………..Remember Sharon Stone at the Oscars in White cotton shirt and a long Vera Wang black skirt…..She got more press than any other Red Carpet walker! It’s simply ICONIC. For those of you new to Linea all of the details of sizing etc. are listed at the Linea site……..Remember, an item that has been reordered as many times as this must have something good going for it…….Oh, before I forget…..yes, the SEED BEAD NECKLACES, J329589, will be coming back in May in ALL of the original colors!……………..enjoy…………………much Love……………….Louis
