Rubato knitwear: Easy elegance
Last week Swedish friends Oliver Dannefalk and Carl Pers (below) launched a small collection - mostly knitwear - called Rubato.
It’s tasteful, well-made, and (like many new brands today) fills a particular niche of clothing they wanted to wear.
I spoke to them on Friday as they were packing up sales from their first day of trading.
Permanent Style: OK guys, give me the elevator pitch.
Oliver: Right, so Carl and I have worked together for a while - we used to work in a vintage shop together, as well as now in different parts of the menswear industry - and found we sought out the same things, a certain look, but couldn’t always find the right clothing for it.
Such as?
Well, one of the things was knitwear. We always felt there was some compromise - we liked the colour but not the cut, or the collar but the ribbing was too small. And vintage pieces always seemed to have that right.
So you set out to make it yourself?
Exactly, we started the company about a year and a half ago, and we began by developing the knitwear. It could have been anything - but knitwear felt like the biggest gap.
OK, so let’s do the elevator pitch again. What sets this apart?
It’s cut slightly shorter and boxier than other knitwear, with a tighter collar on the crewneck and a deeper V on the V-neck. It’s made with lambswool rather than cashmere, because we want it to be something that’s robust and lasts, and the ribbing is sturdier for that reason as well.
And what’s the reason for those choices? Why do you think it’s better?
We find most knitwear too long for anyone that wears their trousers higher - not necessarily with braces, up on the natural waist, but just with a mid-rise, like you do.
We also find a boxier cut to be more flattering, but only if the sweater is shorter, so it doesn’t all gather around the waist. The pattern has a slight taper and thicker ribbing, which also helps with that effect.
My main fear, looking at the imagery and the lookbook, was that this cut would only work with high trousers, on the natural waist. But it works with a mid-rise too?
Carl: Yes, I wear it with jeans and chinos too - I’m wearing it now with vintage 1966 Levi’s, which have a higher rise that most modern denim, but nothing like the high trousers worn with braces.
Oliver: We tried it on lots of friends too of course, and unless you wear low-slung jeans you’re fine.
OK, so that’s the cut. How about the material?
Cashmere’s great, but we loved how vintage pieces wore and aged, and they were usually lambswool.
Plus we wanted something that was easy to care for, that you could wear with everything from jeans to flannels, and that was a little more accessible too.
I think sometimes it’s easy to make expensive garments, because you just pick the most expensive materials, and you have plenty of money to put into design. Sometimes cheaper clothing just doesn’t have the same attention to details.
Oh, and one more thing: we kept some of the natural lanolin [oil] in the wool, which makes it more dirt and water repellent, and means it will last better.
You don’t have the over-finishing of a lot of modern knitwear, which feels nice but basically damages the fibres.
Interesting. I know vintage pieces had more of that lanolin in them, and vintage reproduction places like North Sea Clothing or Heimat do the same thing. Is yours that extreme?
No, it’s not as much as that.
In fact, that’s an interesting point to pick up on, because we always wanted Rubato to feel contemporary. It might have vintage touches, but there should be nothing cosplay about it.
I guess that goes for the cut as well - those brands will often have a bigger body, longer ribbing, heavier gauge. One of my recent favourites is the Bryceland’s submariner rollneck, which is inspired by a vintage piece.
Yes, exactly. I love those pieces, but we wanted ours to feel more modern. So we have elements of that in the cut, the wool and the finish. But it’s not as extreme.
Right. We’ve done cut and material. What about colour? I love the natural, earthy colours - in particular the fawn and the deep brown. They’re subtle and muted: two of my favourite words.
That was very deliberate. I think Sweden is associated with colours like this, and that’s no coincidence. The weather can be pretty harsh and we don’t get a lot of strong colour.
But also, we wanted everything to feel very comfortable and easy - the fit is relaxed and the colours are relaxed. If you see a guy walking towards you in these colours, you’d feel comfortable looking at him too. It's easy on the eyes.
You just started selling yesterday. What colours have sold well so far?
Well ironically, the first few pieces were sage green [above].
That colour was us going out on a limb - it’s a lovely soft colour, but a little unusual. We thought fawn and grey would definitely be the most popular. Shows how much we know.
Yes, you’ve both been around for a while and know how to do merchandising. But it’s hard to predict isn’t it?
Absolutely. You just have to be responsive. We’ve already sold out of the caps, but there’s a new delivery next week.
On the subject of caps, let’s turn to styling.
The imagery all seems relaxed, yet elegant. I find that’s an area readers find hard to get right - not a suit and tie, but not a T-shirt and jeans either.
Carl: That means so much to us that you thought that, Simon. Comfortable and elegant is exactly what we were going for. First because I don’t think anyone can look elegant if they’re not comfortable. And second because the clothes have to live with you, they have to be comfortable and functional.
Oliver: We’re sitting here in the warehouse, Carl’s son is over there. We need to be able to pack boxes, Carl needs to be able to pick up his son, we need to live our lives everyday and not be constrained. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be elegant.
We love tailoring, we’ve worked with some great tailors and wear it a lot. But I always come back to a simple button-down shirt, a nice sweater and a nice pair of chinos.
So it’s just a question of what makes them nice - which for us is the cut and proportions, the little nuances that make it fit the way we want it to.
Let’s pick up on that. You’ve made your perfect knitwear, you’re happy with it and stand behind it. But does anyone else want the same things as you?
Very good question. We would only do it if it was something we loved, and could put 110% into. But that doesn’t mean anyone else will like it as well.
Carl: I think we have to wait and see. That question determines how big this gets, but it doesn’t have to be big. We’re happy it being small as long as we love what we’re making.
I guess that’s one thing that always separates these passion projects from some glossy, disruptive, venture capital-backed brand. They would never do it if there was no chance of it getting big.
Very true. Growth is not the aim here.
Let’s finish off by talking about style a bit more.
White socks for example - some people hate them, I think because they’re so antithetical to formal dressing. Why do you like them?
Oliver: I think because they suggest the easygoing attitude of Ivy. It’s wearing sportswear with tailoring, it’s wrapping a sweater about the shoulders.
It’s not finessing things too much - the baseball caps have the same feel too, and I know you get that, I see you have the red Holiday cap.
Yes, though I wouldn’t naturally wear it with clothing as elegant as this. I’d put it with jeans, a T-shirt, shorts.
I guess I’m more conservative but - as with anything that works on someone else - I find it interesting.
I think that’s one thing guys sometimes forget. It doesn’t have to all work on you.
I love how you wear chambray shirts and denim shirts with tailoring Simon (I particularly like the Lighter Everyday Denim). But I’ve tried that and it’s just not me.
How about a polo shirt under knitwear. That’s not easy to do - the collar can flip out, not sit right, feel too chunky.
Yes it can, a normal shirt is much easier. But I think you just have to let it live. Wear it and let the collar sit where it wants to. It’s only clothes, just roll with it.
It's hard to hold those two ideas at the same time - it's almost cognitive dissonance. To feel that every piece of knitwear in the world is not right, yet also be relaxed about your collar rolling all over the place.
True. I guess you need to control the things you can, and not worry about the ones you can’t.
Great speaking to you guys. Good luck with it.
Thank you Simon, much appreciated.
Knitwear SEK1,975, or £167
Photography: Rubato, except image of Hardy Amies, Life Magazine, and pictures of Oliver and Carl, Jamie Ferguson
great looking patterns.
antithetical? cognitive dissonance? are we talking about clothes here?
Yeah, Simon is really putting his Oxbridge education to use – or so it seems.
😉
Though, I don’t see any patterns. It all looks lovely nonetheless.
Though, it seems we are reaching ‘peak knitwear’.
sorry I meant the patterns they have used to shape the garment, rather than patterns in the garment itself.
Great stuff guys!
Can they provide more info about the lambswool used? Source, quality, and so on?
Hi A,
We use 2 ply lambswool. If you have further questions please feel free to reach out to us through [email protected]
Haven’t had any lambswool sweater for years… they’re wearing through at the elbows after max. 2 seasons. Personally I found the merino sweaters by Smedley are both hard wearing and stylish, can be worn user jackets as well. But Smedley’s are too long, true, so I certainly welcome those shorter pieces, also I like that very deep V-neck on your knitwear. Perhaps a sleeveless version/vest with a v-neck might be an idea for the future too? That’s what I’ve been looking for, as it can be worn under e.g. a corduroy jacket.
I think you might find that lambswool like this is more robust Burt – I only say that because it’s so much thicker than Smedley knitwear. I don’t know what the comparable ply and gauge is, but it’s more than twice as thick. I can happily see myself darning lambswool like this. I wouldn’t be able to technically do so myself with Smedley merino. I hope that makes sense.
The colours look great but not convinced by the aesthetic of the cut itself. I understand what they are saying about higher waisted trousers but the end result simply looks odd to me… almost like a crop top but without the midriff showing.
The jumpers look very odd in some of those photos – ending unflatteringly high on the upper body, with a strikingly weird region of rather deliberate-looking zig-zaggy folding towards the bottom. I get the ‘crop top without the midriff showing’ in the previous comment. Strange, and I’m not getting the ‘elegant’ vibe at all.
I’ve just received the one I bought and the style works well. I might want it a centimetre or two longer, but I’m above average height. And I’d want to change far more on almost any other RTW sweater.
The quality is also really nice – it feels better than most lambswool.
Simon, for reference for other buyers, would you mind letting us know which size did you go for? And, also for reference, how would you compare your piece to The Armoury’s crewneck in terms of style, cut and make? Thanks very much.
I took Medium. The material and make is similar to the Armoury (make doesn’t vary much with knitwear until you get to the very top end, like our Finest Knitwear) but the style is very different. The Armoury was a more conventional cut and style – Rubato is different to everything else out there. In length, in collar style and in taper
Hi Simon, were you to order again, would you get a medium a second time?
Sam
Yes I think so. I tried a Large that belonged to Olof when he was in the pop-up, and it was too big in the shoulders for me really
Would you say the sleeves look alright when folded back less than half way, for long arms?
It’s not ideal, but I think it’s better than sleeves that are just too short?
Well, years later I finally bought the fawn v neck I’ve been pining after. Very high quality indeed. In the spirit of a PSA, however, I must comment: if you have even just a bit of paunch (COVID did not help most here, me especially) this cut does not flatter. Not one bit.
Steve, just out of curiosity, would you mind sharing sweater size and body stats? I’ve just run into this article and was wondering whether their cut could be flattering on me or not. I do have a flat stomach but hate sweaters that are excessively roomy around the waist. Thank you very much.
Price on Rubato website, for Scots made, lambswool jumper is £237 (1,975 Kroner) Johnston’s of Elgin (for example) supply same for £99 (with a similar colour offering – is Elgin the supplier?) This differential might be acceptable if a tangible aspect of value (other than boutique uniqueness), were being offered but the argument is not, successfully at least, being made.
The pattern is one that harks back to the mid/eighties – it is the pattern that is of interest (not widely found in the market at the moment). This aspect is the key strength but I question the price point.
Possibly of greater interest is the immaculate cut of the trousers…
You’ve converted Danish Kroner, not Swedish Kroner.
Stock pieces from a factory brand will always be a lot cheaper. If you’re happy with that style and fit, do go for it.
any trunk shows planned? not a fan of buying things in order to try and then returning them if they don’t fit due to hassle, expense and of course the carbon footprint. I noticed that Luca faloni moved from online only to having own retail presence as its hard to sell upmarket clothing online.
I think that was more about growth than anything – he was certainly selling enough online.
I’ll let Rubato reply on the trunk shows though. I don’t think there are any
Dear Rups,
At the moment no trunk shows are planned. However do keep an eye out on instagram and our website for information regarding these things in the future.
Kind regards,
Rubato
These look really lovely, I hope they do well – and I’ll certainly keep them in mind as we enter knitwear season. How would you wear that green though? I have a sweater in the exact same shade – and it looks great with jeans and suede loafers, but I’ve struggled to find any other looks it really works with.
Yes you’re right, I think it would be good with blue denim and cream/beige, but not sure what else. Perhaps a navy serge
Depending a little on the shade of your olive jumper you’d certainly be able to pair them with dark grey trousers (e.g. mottled flannels) and black matte cotton trousers. Chocolate brown moleskin and beige/tan cavalry twill might be possible too.
So…Swedish Kroner to GBP (at least I could be bothered doing the conversion) is £165, more reasonable agreed. I maintain the unique pattern is the most important USP and not a bad one either. The interview, as a promotion in the non-advertising sense, is not necessarily helpful when phrases such as ‘cognitive dissonance’ in relation to knitwear collars are being used. They obfuscate the central ideas behind the garments and thus dilute the article’s purpose whilst complicating the article (Festinger’s psychological theory was probably not proposed as a menswear critique). I still question the manufacturing source; the brand might have more market sustainability if some transparency was apparent. The suspicion is that it is a ‘Johnstons of Elgin’ product, different pattern, shorter run, higher mark up. Again, no problem, as Johnstones produce fine garments with high quality wool. By the way, as you should know, condescension ‘stock item…factory brand…do go for it’ (as if advice is required) isn’t an argument for the defence of a position…Johnstones is a respected brand (sold on Net-A-Porter etc. so not, technically, a factory brand), and as with Barbour etc., remains part of a small band of quality manufacturers that still make in the UK. Slighting them isn’t particularly helpful.
The point of ‘cognitive dissonance’ was to express the idea of holding two seemingly conflicting ideas in one’s head at the same time. It’s a neat and effective way to express that point. The fact the original theory was unrelated to menswear doesn’t make much difference.
Re Johnston’s, the point of course is to not focus just on manufacturer and raw material, when so many other things go into the price and value of a piece. Such as original design
Looks great! I love the creative take on the presentation and lookbook.
Nice to see a new take on cut and silhouette combined with the subtle colour palette plus a focus on sturdy, long lasting fibers. At this price point I would much rather go for a quality lambswool sourced and produced in Scottland rather than an entry level cashmere.
Looking forward to see what future holds for the brand.
I like the look and the price is more reasonable than many of the items sually featured here – i might actually be able to afford this! I work it out as £164 plus £20 postage (to UK)
Simon
a question on Corduroy. I recently got a great cord (brisbane moss 8 wale) suit that I am very keen on indeed. The trouble is that the fresh material has a lustre and sheen that I am not so keen on. Normally on cords a couple of washs will mellow the material but obviously can’t do that with suit jacket. Will a dry clean have the same effect?
Yes, a dry clean will, and wearing too will make some difference
Dear Simon,
by the way, will your “finest knitwear” be back in stock anytime soon?
Best
Josua
No sorry Josua. There are no current plans to do it again – but I might bring it back again briefly as a made to order, if you think that might be of interest?
I second this, and if it could be made to measure (i.e., at least with the option to alter the sleeve lenght, which is too short for me), that would be great!
Dear Simon,
thanks for the info. Personally I might not go for MTO knitwear, since RTW usually fits me pretty well. Smedley for example is not as fine as yours but in my experience still good value for money.
Best
Josua
Hi Josua,
Yes it is good value, certainly, and a good make. Ours is just a step above, but not everyone wants that.
Hey Permanent Style. Apologies for the hassle. I just has a question to do with two products. This anthology shirt and also the rubato jumpers. I was wondering if you also found that the waist of the anthology shirt rides up? And if so, do you find that to be a similar case for the rubato jumpers? The similarities between the waists and how the they sit, makes me think it might?Thanks so much for any feedback, it’s really appreciated
Hi Ep,
No worries, happy to help.
I do find they can both ride up, yes. This is largely due to the fact they are both cut fairly short, and are really best with true high-rise trousers. But the slim fit through the waist and larger ribbing can make them ride up anyway.
Personally I find it’s something I’m happy to live with, and it is the style, but the Rubato knits are more of an issue than the Anthology T-shirts, as they are shorter still.
Let me know if you have any other questions
Simon
Hi Simon, just to confirm does your Rubato jumper also ride up well above your waist to reveal your stomach when you raise your arms high enough? Is this normal?
It depends on the size and the rise of the trousers underneath. But with anything it does rise up more than other knitwear, yes.
I’d say it is normal, even with the right size and rise, for it to do this more than most knitwear. But it shouldn’t do it to a silly extent.
Thanks Simon. I wear high rise trousers and when I lift my hands in the air the Rubato knit rides up towards the top of my ribcage and some skin shows. Does this happens to you too? I’m wondering whether I should size up (which could become too big around the chest and would only add a tiny bit to the length). Do you just have to limit your arm movements in knitwear?
No, you certainly shouldn’t have to avoid certain arm movements in knitwear.
It’s hard to tell remotely, but it does sound like the knit is a little short on you, which is a shame.
Also, presumably you’re wearing something underneath the knit? Why is skin showing?
The Rubato only rides up to the point of showing my shirt underneath when my arms are raised to being about parallel with my standing body; this happens when I wear high-rise trousers. Other arm movements are fine though. Does this sound like the knit doesn’t fit me well? I’m worried it could be a hassle to always think about the knit riding up, and embarassing when it ocassionally happens.
I think there will always be a bit of that, more than other knitwear, because of the way it’s cut. So if you don’t like that, it’s maybe just not for you
As well as learning about style I appreciate that PS also tries to get readers to understand the industry .
To that extent how does Rubato work ? Does it meet up with a producer of knitwear , some of it in their own brand name (e.f. Johnson’s of Elgin), and commission them to produce goods for them to a stated specification ?
The answer will help with the argument this is just an Elgin with a different label .
I think it would help to learn about how brands produce goods under their own label and on behalf of others without it being the exact same product .
For example, I understand Edward Green make shoes for Ralph Lauren .
So when you buy Edward Green are you buying Ralph Lauren ?
And why are you paying more ? For the label or because RL has insisted it’s shoe be to a more exacting standard or the market RL retail to deems a higher price ?
Would be useful to clarify these boys try points to aid understanding around these types of brands and price etc
Nice points, yes.
Generally you meet with a manufacturer, request certain specifications around make and material, but mostly cut, and then make a sample. Often two or three samples can be required before the model is perfect, and even then it might just not work out and you have to find another maker. That had happened 3 or 4 times with me, and this whole process is one of the most expensive for a small brand. Not because the samples are expensive, but because it takes so long to get to production and then sales. Rubato has taken two years of time and effort before starting to sell.
Brands like RL are very different – there you’re paying for advertising, marketing, stores, staff.
Perhaps a full post describing my experiences developing products would be interesting at some stage?
An article on this would be most welcome .
sounds like a great idea. have you thought about expanding your menswear collection Simon?
when you say its expensive in terms of time rather than just paying for samples do you mean time of people engaged in the process that you have to pay? I’m just thinking that if someone had the skill to do most of the design and so on themselves this cost would be negated to a large extent?
Yes, it’s the time of those people – and it’s easy at the start to think that has no cost, but that’s what the profit from any product basically pays for. It’s the wages of the founders.
yes…my comments on this article have been unnecessarily negative: apologies.
I was puzzled as to why, then realised I had been watching parliament’s Brexit activities over the last few days…
Good luck to to them, they are slightly ahead of the fashion curve, but the market will catch up when silhouettes change over the next cycle (fuller trousers, shorter tops etc.).
really loved from the start the whole brand aesthetic that these guys were showing on instagram before the launch. certainly, the strenght of the product is the design, which is (almost) impossible to find today (thank god for shorter knitwear). there is an elegance factor in their clothes and they remind me of off duty classic hollywood actors, when a suit or jacket was not necessary but they still did not dress down too much. it will be interesting to see how these garments are joined by new products as i understand that they are aiming for a total look and not just sweaters.
johnstons of elgin’s may end up being cheaper, but they just provide a regular sweater without any particular relevant feature besides nice fabrics. i think that the analysis of “quality of cloth” falls quite short as there are many other (even more relevant) things that influence the decision to buy a certain garment. whitouth design, without branding (in a good sense), we are just left with plain clothes without any fun.
i hope both carl and oliver succed in this venture as they are both great dressers and have something different to offer.
You review from time to time off the peg brands like the present one. Wouldn’t it be an idea for a post, a summary of the RTW brands you like for trousers, shirts, blousons, etc…? It could be of much help to your readers that like to dress well but cannot afford SR and are still eager to wear good quality clothes.
Nice point. It depends a lot on the different categories.
I don’t wear RTW shirts, and rarely RTW trousers. Shirts I pretty much always have made because the fit is so much better and they’re often only a little more expensive than good RTW. Trousers equally, I normally have made (eg Stoffa) but sometimes have RTW altered.
Knitwear and blousons, however, are pretty much always RTW, and yes I can do a summary post on them. The only issue is that RTW brands change what they offer frequently, often every six months, such that these summaries aren’t that useful for long. Most MTM companies have things available for longer.
I like the idea, but am not too big on lambswool like this (a bit too fine and flat for my more rustic tastes). Any plans to do Shetlands in this cut?
Also, I very much like Carl and Oliver’s sensibilities when it comes to trousers–a wider cut that still has a gentle taper. Any plans to do trousers in the future?
I think you might like the lambswool – it obviously depends on the ply as well as the fibre. This lambswool is thicker than most shetlands I have.
They are looking at trousers among other things, yes…
Do you wear a sports jacket on top of this knitwear? Those color are great if they are solo with odd trousers. But it sounds a bit tough to go with jacket colors such as Navy, beige, brown, oatmeal..any thought?
Yes I would wear a sports jacket on top – a strong colour like a navy would work well, cream, or a very dark brown or green. I think that would be the key – they’d have to be strong enough to create some contrast
Hi Simon,
I’m still on the hunt for a grey roll neck and deciding between Rubato and the Private White submariner you have wrote about elsewhere. Would you wear the Rubato roll neck under a jacket? I understand the PW might be too thick for this purpose.
Thanks
They’re both pretty much as thick – just different materials. And Rubato is a very particular style and length.
The Luca Faloni ones are more the thickness to go under a jacket
My sweater arrived this morning (sage green, lovely colour!), and, since I generally wear high-waisted trousers, find it fits perfectly. As my tailor is, quite coincidentally, making me a pair of moss green flannel trousers at the moment, I will have even more occasions to wear it.
For this particular brand, do you love their V neck more than crew one? If so, what’s the rationale?
Slightly, yes. I think because the line of the V is more different to other knitwear. I already have quite a lot of crews as well
Thanks Simon, as my closet has become more and more filled with higher waisted trousers (thanks in large part to Stoffa) the idea of shorter cut knitwear is enticing. Any chance you can post pictures of yourself wearing the sweater?
Sure, I will at some point
Stolen knitwear hehe… On a serious note though, it all looks very nice. The idea behind the fit is something I really agree with as well, seeing as I generally prefer to wear my trousers on the natural waist. I find that it’s a lot more comfortable and creates a nicer line that way… but I suppose that’s down to taste in the end, oh well!
Simon, I would also be interested in ordering the ‘Finest Knitwear’ were it available MTO.
Best,
Albert
Great, thank you Albert
Hi Simon,
Who would you say are your favourite knitwear companies / brands at the moment?
I’ve got a rare day by myself to go shopping (I live in London) for some knitwear in a few weeks and was planning on visiting Anderson and Sheppard haberdashery, Drakes, Connolly, Luca Faloni and Private White to buy a couple of casual pieces – two roll necks (submariner / fisherman and perhaps a merino or lambswool) in addition to a chunky crew neck jumper. I already have a camel shawl cardigan from William Lockie – that piece is stunning by the way.
Any other pieces you would recommend? I work in a (very) casual office now so expanding my wardrobe.
Happy to consider online only brands as well – someone recommended Berg & Berg but I’ve never tried their knitwear before.
By the way, I was in Private White the other day buying a pea coat to compare with one I bought from SEH Kelly (will only keep one) and managed to get a peak of your raglan coat. It’s quite a beautiful piece – a lovely shade of blue grey and wonderfully soft, which was surprising. I have a brown Donegal tweed raglan from Cordings (think you might have the same one actually) and it is comparatively quite rough. If I didn’t already own a tweed raglan coat I probably would have bought it!
Thanks,
Stephen
Nice to know, thanks Stephen.
There’s no one else off the top of my head that I’d go to for knitwear – most of them are made in Scotland, some Italy, and they differ largely in cut and design rather than anything else. I think you might get more use out of the crewnecks than the rollnecks, so I’d get two of those and one rollneck if you had the choice.
Simon, what would you recommend as a versatile capsule collection of jumpers. You have mentioned navy and green before (your finest knitwear offering) and also praised the grey roll neck but I wonder what would you recommend if someone would want to have no more than 5 items.
I’d say usually navy and grey for the first two, and usually crew neck unless you particularly like V-neck.
Then one more in the same style, cream or dark olive green.
One chunky shawl-collar cardigan, navy or grey.
And perhaps a polo-collared sweater like the Dartmoor for number 5 – or a sleeveless cardigan. Bit more of a style choice there.
Who makes for Rubato in Scotland.
Why Lindsay?
Perhaps it’s Rubato’s design aesthetic and quality of their knitwear that I should be looking at regardless of where it’s manufactured.
Does that make more sense?
Yes, absolutely
I received a brown v-neck today. I like the style for wearing with high-waisted trousers. Unfortunately, however, the jumper had a hole In it – it looks like it has already been attacked by moths. I’ve heard of pre-distressed clothes but that is taking it a bit far… let’s see how they resolve this issue. This kind of thing is always a good test of how efficiently a small brand is operating.
I should add that Oliver from Rubato has already contacted me to apologize and to say that they will send a new jumper immediately. Full marks to them for dealing with the problem straightaway.
Where are the pleated front chinos in some of the photos from, please?
The ones Oliver is wearing? As mentioned, they are the new Rubato chinos – they are linked to in the article
Hi Simon, do you have other (RTW) knitwear brands you like but are cheaper than Rubato? Thanks.
Well, Rubato is pretty good value. Perhaps try Harley, discussed here
Hi Simon,
Could you advise which brand of canvas trainer shoes are worn in the picture above and indeed on the website? Paired with the chinos.
Many Thanks,
V
I don’t know for sure, but I think they are Doek
Hi Simon,
How does the lambs wool feel directly to the skin, if one is to wear directly without an underlayer. I know lambs wool in the past have associated with itchyness or roughness but based on your comments and review, it seems this is a high quality lambs wool.
It is high quality, but I still wouldn’t wear it just over a T-shirt
Hello! I love Rubato. Do anyone have any recomendations for others brand with a similar fit? I.e. So you can wear then with high trousers
The Armoury have done some pieces like that – look at their cardigans for example. Also on the casual side, quite a lot of Japanese workwear, eg Real McCoys, is cut shorter in order to sit with that more traditional clothing. Not all of it though, it needs some examination or questioning of the staff
Simon, what’s your take on the new spring/summer collection? I’m especially interested to hear your view on the cotton crewneck and the silk/cotton long-sleeve tee. I recall you mentioning somewhere that you don’t like long-sleeve tees, and I generally agree. However, I like the Rubato version because of the high, tight collar and thick hem that’s meant to sit high and snug on the waist. That feature makes the piece much more like a lightweight sweater than a typical cut-and-sewn, hem-less long-sleeve tee. The color palette for the whole collection is also classic and great, and presents another opportunity for incorporating black into a casual wardrobe. Thanks again for any thoughts.
I haven’t tried the tees I’m afraid, so I can’t say. But I know what you mean about the fit, and that does make sense.
Agree on the colour palette, it’s superb
Dear Simon,
after your post and presentation of Rubato I have ordered the V-neck knitwear. Meinhold it has become one of my favorite items.
Do you have any experience with their crew neck knitwear?
Best regards
Christopher
Yes, I have their crewnecks in almost everything – lambswool, cotton, wool/silk, cotton/silk – it’s a problem!
You can see one here
What was your question about them?
Thank you gor your fast response! I don’t have a real problem with the length, it is a bit short and 2cm would work perfect, but never mind. I wasn’t sure about the crew neck, if it will work with a shirt underneath.
Yes it does – it’s a high neck, but it certainly works. See it here as well (navy)
Thank you for the helpful information. I think I will order a crew neck.
May I ask, which size are you wearing on the images (the navy crew neck). I guess M?
The navy is an M, but I actually wear an L more now – I like the bit more length and don’t mind the room in the body
Great! Thank you!
Im a guy from Sweden that have searching your website regarding Rubato knits. Thinking of getting my first knit from them but cant decide on M or L. You seem to have started out with M from them but now more using L? I cant find any pics of you wearing L standing to see a better pic, but only sitting down. Would be interesting to see pic like that. Is it possible to find one online or Instagram when standing up with L?
Do you also wear their v-necks in L? Any chanse of the neck gets to big in L for you then?
Arm length on M looks a bit short with only 47cm. L is 49. Regular knit from other brands are more around 49-52cm for M.
I think we are quite close in body specs, Im 182cm, chest 100-101cm and about 80kg.
Rubato is suggesting L but it seems very wide in the chest and 68,5cm long(regular cut knit I have in medium are 68cm and doesnt look like a big difference when Im after knit for high waisted trousers).
Hey Mikael,
First thing to point out is that the fits have changed a little since my first pics on PS, so a lot of early images won’t be a good guide.
Today I wear M and occasionally an old-fit L, which was a little smaller in the body than the current size. The M is best on me, though I could wear the L if I wanted more of an oversized look.
I’m a touch smaller than you – a 39 inch chest or just under, 12 stone rather than 12.5, but the same height.
Thanks Simon!
No problem
Simon, I managed to find a pic of a size chart for standard knit wears from 2019. In that one L has length 66cm and chest 60cm. This gives that current size L is 0.5cm longer and 1cm smaller in chest according to that chart. Could it be this old size L you have? A second question, the old size L you show in the article for the black jeans is old size L, but it looks very similar to your M in color brown?
I really don’t know I’m afraid Mikael, sorry, I don’t know how different size charts relate to the pieces I have.
If you’re referring to my V neck in brown, no that’s a medium. Perhaps you’re trying to analyse too much from the photos, if those look similar to you despite being quite different sizes in reality?
I was thinking of the old size L crew neck in the article on Brycelands black jeans. In the pics the size looks very similar to the brown v-neck but maybe its a big difference in reallity.
Do you handwash or machine wash (cold/wool cykle) your Rubatos? Noticed any shrinking?
I hand wash, though to be honest I’ve only ever washed one and only then because it got some food on it. You can also cool wash in a machine if you’ve done that before with your machine. I haven’t seen any shrinkage
For comparison, I’m 178cm, 78kg, 41inch chest and broad shouldered. I have a size L in the lambswool and it fits slightly oversized, which I like. Sleeves measure in at 50cm, but because of the boxier fit and roomier chest of Rubato knitwear, in reality the sleeve length feels longer than the measurements. I have also tried both M and L in their equivalent cashmere and the cashmere measures in and fits smaller than the lambswool. They have very good customer service so if you have an issue with sizing and need to exchange I’m sure they would be happy to help you out.
Dear Simon,
did you try the nonpareil crew neck sweaters? I am a bit in doubt about sizing. The normal sweater fits good in M, but the style of the nonpareil seems to be different. It looks as it should be worn a bit tighter and could be worn on its own….therefore S could be a better choice?
I did – see comment on the summer Top 10 here. I’d wear the same size, even if it would often be worn on its own, yes
Thank you for your quick response! Now I have the matter of choice 😉 Rubato’s nonpareil or Colhay’s new collegiate crew neck….
I’d say the former is much more of a summer piece – I don’t think you’d wear it much outside warm weather, whereas the collegiate is pretty similar in warmth to a regular knit
Thank you for your fruitful thoughts! I guess I will order the Colhay’s in dark green…
Hi Simon, do you know if you will have a trunk show this autumn and/or next spring and more specifically would Rubato attend again? I am fan of deeper V necks but I an not 100% of their cut and length. From the comments below I see there are views on both sides… Thanks.
Hi Petar,
We are planning a trunk show for later in the year in London, but Rubato won’t be attending no, sorry.
Hi Simon,
Have you tried their Standard Knitwear pieces in Cashmere? If so, I’m wondering how they fit relative to their lambswool counterparts?
Measurements from the website appear very close but having purchased one of the cashmere pieces in my usual size, I would say it fits very snug and quite short on the arms. My frame would not be too dissimilar to yours, lean build, yet from the images I have seen of you wearing their lambswool it appears to be a much more relaxed fit through the arms and of an appropriate length to turn back the cuffs fully as intended. Thanks
I haven’t tried them no, sorry Mikel
Some photos in their cashmere knitwear. Me: 5’11” 165 lbs, 75 kg
Hi Simon,
From what I have seen you have some different colors and styles of the rubato knitwear. Which one is the one you wear most? Color and V vs Crew neck.
Best
J
Navy, then grey. Crewneck then V-neck. Same as the knit guide really
After a long time or umming and ahhing I finally took the plunge and ordered a standard cardigan from Rubato – I’m glad I did and wanted to share my experience for anyone worrying about the length in the body or boxy fit.
I’m 5 feet 9 inches on a good day and therefore struggle with the length of almost every make of cardigan I’ve tried. Sizing down isn’t generally a good idea because I am very broad shouldered and have a 43-inch chest (although generally wear 40-inch jackets).
After spending ages comparing measurements across Colhays, Drakes, Sunspel and William Lockie I finally took the plunge. The fit is pretty damn good – the ideal length I was searching for and a good fit in the chest and shoulders. The arms are a little long – a problem I have with most things – but there is a generous turn back cuff that mostly mitigates this.
In summary, if you have a rugby player-type physique and are of average height or below Rubato knitwear could be very flattering on you (I went for the medium). The boxy fit some people were worried about has no impact on my body whatsoever as the cardigan fits snuggly at all points, but if you are particularly lean it might be an issue.
My taste for this brand, which at one point I loved, has soured for three reasons.
First, the price increases. I admired Rubato’s response in this article that they use lambswool because it’s durable and “accessible.” Their concerns about accessibility seem to have vanished. I bought a Rubato crewneck in Oct 2022 for $190. The same garment is now $300. I bought a Rubato sportsman in Dec 2023 for $295. The same garment is now $400. Let’s compare this to PS, for reference. I bought a PS oxford in 2020 for 185 GBP. The same garment (after four years, including outbreaks of Covid and inflation) is now 198 GBP–a far more modest and reasonable difference. Worse, Rubato has not tried to explain its grotesque price hikes. It feels like betrayal from a brand that once proclaimed its commitment to “accessibility.”
Second, on IG, they have a habit of slapping their logo on works of art and photography, which only degrades the works. If Rubato wants to post works of art that inspire them, great. But respect the art by keeping the logo off of them.
Third, this is a minor point, but their customer service is bizarrely cagey. When I ask something like, “When will x be back in stock,” their response is usually something like “You’ll see, maybe soon….” That response isn’t all that helpful when I need a belt to keep my pants on.
No doubt, this brand was great. They nail casual chic. But if they continue on this course I don’t think I’ll bother buying from them or supporting them again.
Just to pick up on one point – the price comparisons between us are not that accurate as they now ship DDP to the US, as well as doing things like quoting in dollars etc. This is more convenient, but also more expensive. People and brands split on which is best, but either way, that’s part of what you’re paying for. Also, we should be more expensive!
Don’t get any ideas, Simon! 😀
Rubato is expensive, no doubt.
But comparing it to Colhay’s, which for me is similar in most respects (quality, branding, type of products, company-size, I assume, only direct sales and no shops), puts that somewhat – but only somewhat – into perspective.
A Rubato Standard Crew Neck Sweater, 100% lambswool, made in Scotland, costs GDP 235 without tax. A Colhay’s Standard Crew Neck Sweater, 100% lambswool, made in Scotland, costs GDP 183.33 without tax, so is somewhat in the same ballpark.
But, as Simon mentions, Rubato delivers DDP to non E.U. buyers, Colhay’s does not offer this service to non-U.K. buyers as I can attest. So there is an additional cost element. Further, the range of Rubato is larger (knitwear, trousers, shirts, belts), while Colhay’s has only knitwear (though a larger selection). This diversification probably also drives up the costs for Rubato. By contrast, Colhay’s puts its money elsewhere (see next paragraph).
For me Rubato lacks in another respect. The sparse information on their products they provide on their webpage is not satisfactory for me and, I guess, for a sizeable portion of their investigative customer base. Compare that with the in-depth information Colhay’s provides (details on the fibre, its origin, the knitter and the production process, etc.). In addition, Colhay’s also has a great lookbook and journal on their webpage, which is by all means good, tasteful and inspiring.
To conclude, compared to Colhay’s I consider Rubato too expensive, but not by much. In addition, Rubato’s products can be bought in a sale (one is currently ongoing), Colhay’s never had one as far as I am aware.
Good point. To me, the difference is that Rubato held themselves out to the public as “accessible”–as a brand that cares about making quality, vintage-inspired knitwear more broadly available. They actually say in this article that they wanted to make affordable knitwear because: “I think sometimes it’s easy to make expensive garments, because you just pick the most expensive materials, and you have plenty of money to put into design.” Then, on a dime, Rubato promptly betrayed their “accessibility” aim by raising prices obscenely–I can’t think of a similar price hike from any other brand. Worse, they did so without any real acknowledgment or explanation, unlike other small brands (Informale comes to mind–they sent customers a sweet and well-reasoned note, justifying their far-less-extreme price increases). And on the DDP point, as an American, I don’t think I ever paid import duties on Rubato purchases, so “DDP” doesn’t help me at all. It’s just a cash grab.
Colhays, by contrast, never held itself out as “accessible.” Rather, Colhays was always about offering the best–the best quality, the best yarn, and the best make that, if looked after properly, could last a lifetime. And, as you say, Colhays backs up their marketing with a wealth of information about their materials, their production process, how to care for their knitwear, etc.—information that Rubato doesn’t (and probably can’t) provide. So while Colhays oozes authenticity and passion, Rubato seems to have had one good idea (vintage knits with shorter length, thicker ribbing, deeper “V”s) on which their sole aim now is to cash in.
There are some good points in here, but please refrain from making judgments about things like motivation based on no real information. I know the Rubato team and there is nothing like a cash grab or ‘cash in’ going on. It also obscures valid points that are interesting to discuss about communication, or perception.
Well, they are a business, they want to make money (nothing wrong with that, in itself, of course). When they raise prices to this extreme degree without acknowledgment or explanation, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to think other than “cash grab.” It seems like a natural reaction, particularly from a once-loyal customer who admired the brand’s prior commitment to accessibility, which they’ve apparently jettisoned. I’m of course open to alternative explanations. I just haven’t heard any. I actually respectfully sought an explanation from Rubato but never heard back. I don’t think I’m being unfair, and I don’t think my opinions are based on “no real information”–they’re based on the information that Rubato is willing to provide, which is troublingly little aside from the extreme price hikes themselves.
Thanks. Yes I can see that, and can see why it would be frustrating. But if this is anything it’s just a communication issue – you’re concluding it’s a cash grab without any information for that conclusion, but rather a lack of information.
Below is excerpt of response from Rubato after I asked about the price rise and new policy.
“After careful consideration and analysis of various factors affecting our business, we have decided to ship all products DDP, delivered duties paid. This is to make the shopping experience easier worldwide. It allows Rubato to make sure that the pricing strategy is similar no matter where you shop. A Rubatogarment should have the same price no matter if you shop from London, New York or Tokyo. This way we can serve everyone equally across the globe. Also taking into account rising import costs, inflation, and other expenses. While we recognize that this may result in higher costs for our products, we want to assure you that these changes are essential for us to continue providing you with the quality products and services you deserve.”
I appreciate that and I don’t want to be unduly critical. But do I wonder whether this goes beyond a communication issue. I think great brands have to have an identity–yes, they must make money, but they should also have an animating purpose or mission that accompanies that aim. I understood Rubato to proclaim a commitment to accessibility and follow through on that that commitment. Rubato was at one time not just stylish and original but refreshingly affordable. Indeed, Rubato says here that they’d eschewed cashmere to ensure accessibility. Now, Rubato is no longer affordable relative to (and, indeed, more expensive than) more luxurious peers, like Colhays. I find it odd and a little troubling that Rubato would be so quick to dismiss an apparently core tenet of theirs. I find it additionally troubling that Rubato would founder in communicating its priority-shift to consumers. But I think that issue may be secondary to the shift itself. Brands shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss values that are supposedly core to their identity or purpose. The natural consequence is to undermine that identity or purpose.
With you on this. I could liken this to a situation where say Natalino (covered this past week) would happen to develop a popular cut and then suddenly hiked prices 50%+. The brand proposition centres on making nice, stylish clothes at more affordable level (this means less luxurious fabrics etc). If you change absolutely nothing about your manufacturing process and do not add value to the end customer, then you are merely telling your existing client base to ‘deal with it’ (hence why those emails). Another example of this I can think of is Churches – never bought them before and would never buy them now. They woke up and overnight massively jacked up prices +40-50% and changed nothing about their product (as far as I am aware the ownership also changed to Prada).
One note Kuba – the most important thing here is always to consider any change in the business model. Church’s going to Prada effectively changed their business model, as Prada is a designer brand and spends much more on advertising and marketing. Other types of change in business model include opening physical retail, doing wholesale, and so on. This is what causes a step change in a brand usually
Hi Simon, can I know what size you take in the current iteration of Rubato’s knitwear? Medium?
I have seen you wearing their lambswool crewneck around the site with a t-shirt underneath – do you find the wool scratchy?
Lastly, I am drawn to their “natural” colorway, to wear with ecru and indigo jeans. But do you think their dark brown would be better? I was worried about it being abit too much contrast with ecru jeans. Rubato really has a delectable choice of colors!
Thank you!
I take a medium. It’s a great fit except for length where I’d like another couple of cm ideally
I don’t find it too scratchy, no
Both colours would be nice and useful, but I don’t think there’s too much contrast with ecru jeans
Hey Simon, I’m thinking about picking up the new sand and tobacco polo shirts Rubato’s just put out. Would love to get your thoughts on how versatile these colours are compared to their fawn and dark brown options. For instance, are there any jacket colours that might clash a bit with the tobacco shade? Cheers in advance!
I think both are really nice, but both a little more unusual and so a little harder to wear. Personally I prefer both the fawn and the dark brown more and would wear them more, but would look to something like the tobacco next
I was interested in purchasing a black alligator belt from Rubato, but I notice that they can’t ship it to the US. I’ve never encountered this issue before. Is this normal? Simon, if PS made an alligator belt (not a bad idea, btw), could you ship it to the US?
I’m not sure to be honest. There are a lot of issues with shipping exotics around the world – CITES and so on. I know other brands don’t do it as well
Got it. Seems a little in tension with their justification for the big price increases–i.e., that customers should be treated equally regardless of which country they’re in. I guess it applies to price hikes but not product availability? I’m not sure how much control they have over the situation–but if it’s infeasible to treat customers around the world equally (due to trade restrictions or any other reason), then its doesn’t seem like the most compelling justification for massive price hikes.
I don’t think they really have any control over the situation
Hello!
You can always email us at [email protected]
As Simon pointed out there are many restrictions when working with exotic leathers. This includes documentation and approval of certain countries customs offices and bureaucracy is as always quite slow unfortunately. But rest assured we’re working on it!
Kind regards,
Oliver – Rubato