The oxford shirt is a transcontinental love story. It seems, polo players in colonial India started buttoning down the shirt collar to secure it while playing. The trend was picked up from England by John Brooks, who went on to launch the original Brooks Brothers Oxford Cloth Button Down (OCBD) in 1896. The OCBD spread across the Ivy League colleges, Hollywood, and across the globe in the twentieth century to become a menswear classic. It is egalitarian, dependable and professional - a thoughtful middle-ground between casual and formal.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to find an authentic oxford shirt. Super thin fabrics miss the oxford weave’s texture and character. Too dense fabrics lose the breathability. Wrinkle-free treatment destroys any hope of natural variations and creates a plasticky feel. And the iconic collar roll of oxford shirts is relegated to history.
The Cardiff is our interpretation of the classic oxford. As authentic as it gets, with a soft collar roll in sturdy, all-cotton, oxford fabric.
