Escorial Tweed is available again

Monday, July 20th 2020
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UPDATE: Please note that the tech sheet for tailors, mentioned below, also includes information on the small shrinkage that sometimes occurs with Escorial. If your tailor is unsure on how this will affect the amount you need, please request this sheet from Joshua Ellis. Thank you

I’m proud to say that a new batch of the Escorial Tweed cloth has been finished this week, and is available on the Joshua Ellis website.

It was a bit of a gamble last year, producing a good quantity of such luxurious cloth. I always want to seek out the best there is - and Escorial is certainly that in this category - but it was hard to know how it would be received.

Thankfully, the response was really positive, with some of the colours selling out quickly.

Here again, then, is the full range: the dark brown, the oatmeal, and the olive green, in their rich stretchy loveliness.

I've photographed my jacket made with the oatmeal cloth, this time, because in the original launch post we only showed the brown made up.

The oatmeal jacket was made by Prologue in Hong Kong, and I think the cloth really suits their soft, wide-shouldered style.

I've said many times before how much I like the oatmeal for smarter looks, and this outfit demonstrates that, with a white oxford shirt, grey trousers and dark-brown shoes. It's smart and luxurious.

I've also included a shot of filmmaker Gianluca Migliarotti (above) in the green Escorial.

Gianluca has a real penchant for green, and for comfort. This jacket suited him down to a tee, made up by the tailor Ciro Zizolfi that makes all of his clothes, and also made my brown version.

Gianluca has brown-suede shoes too, but otherwise is rather different to me, with his rich purple trousers a nice foil for the variegated green.

For those that didn't read the rationale for the Escorial Tweed last time, it was designed to fulfil five properties cloths I recommend for sports jackets. Which were:

1. They’re muted and subtle, so suitable for professional wear as well as casual;

2. They’re dark or light enough to wear with grey trousers (the most popular trouser colour);

3. They have surface detail in either colour or weave, to separate them clearly from the trousers (and add some interest);

4. They don’t have big checks or patterns, which makes them versatile enough to work with a plain shirt, and support a brightly patterned one;

5. And they’re practical. Not necessarily a hairy tweed but not delicate cashmere either.

The cloth I designed with Joshua Ellis to fulfil those criteria was made with Escorial yarn - for its luxurious softness, hardiness, and natural stretch.

It was woven with natural variation in the colours, pulling in browns into the oatmeal, reds into the brown, and yellows into the green. It was this variation of natural colours, redolent of Harris Tweed, that led to the name 'Escorial Tweed'.

We also added more texture by using a thicker yarn (three ply) and a weave called a Russian twill - basically a tiny herringbone. One lovely result of this is that the resulting weight (400g, 14oz) exaggerates the properties of the Escorial. It feels even softer and stretchier.

Finally, the three colours were chosen for versatility. They all work in a modern office; they all go with grey trousers; and they're all strong enough to work with other trouser colours they don’t match - so beige, green and brown.

Full details on the cloth, and all its properties, are on the original launch post here.

The only downside of using so much Escorial is that cloth is expensive. It costs £175 a metre - and that’s with me taking a lower margin than normal retail, as I do with most things we sell.

As with last time, the cloth is being sold and sent out by Joshua Ellis. You can request how much you need in units of 10cm. I need 2.1m for a single-breasted jacket, but it will vary with your size. It's always safest to check with the tailor.

Most buy the cloth and have it sent directly to a tailor. If you do that, please include your name as a reference on the address. You can also request swatches, for a small fee that is refundable on buying a length.

Two quick, technical things that have changed compared to last year.

First, Joshua Ellis's prices are now excluding VAT/duties for customers outside the EU. Those customers will be charged local duties when the cloth arrives in their country.

This removes an idiosyncrasy where charging a landed price meant those in low-duty economies like Hong Kong paid far more.

Second, we received feedback that some tailors found the cloth tricky, often because of its natural stretch. In order to help, Joshua Ellis have created a tech sheet for tailors, which is available for anyone to download from their site.

A printed copy of that information will also be sent out with every length of the cloth. Finally, the price has gone up slightly on last year, purely reflecting the increased cost of the Escorial yarn.

Thanks again, and I hope the Escorial gives you many years of pleasure.

Joshua Ellis information and purchase page here.

Photography: 

  • Oatmeal: Alex Natt
  • Green: C.Fenimore
  • Brown: James Holborow

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Ravi Singh

Great news Simon. Look forward to purchasing this.
The pen in your chest pocket is a lovely but subtle touch – it harmonizes beautifully w the brown buttons and adds a dressiness of a tie pun without the fussiness.

Anonymous

Beautiful horn buttons on the oatmeal coat. Are they from Bernstein and Banleys/ The Lining Company? If so which product/shade number?

Ricky

Morning Simon,

I think my next jacket would be the cream Escorial. How have you found the general maintanence of this cloth? Is the colour more akin to showing dirt etc and how do you overcome this on daily wears.

Z S

Great work Simon. Although I kinda hope I didn’t read this… I was thinking of making my second jacket with Prologue and it was a choice between cream linen and Angloitalian glen check, and now it become a mexican standoff in my head…

Michael

Simon, I like the grey trousers – which fabric and maker are they?

Tiny

“Gianluca has a real penchant for green” – Understatement of the year!! 🙂
What’s up big G, nice to see your face

Nick

Hi, could you let me know roughly how much is needed for a double breasted jacket? Do you think it’s a good idea to do the oatmeal in db to would you suggest sticking to single breasted?
Also, is this something to envisage restocking on a permanent basis a bit like the polos and shirts? I ask because all three are great but I’m unlikely to afford them in one go 🙂

Anonymous

Just for reference, roughly speaking, what would your off the rack jacket size be?

When you say 2.1M for single breasted, is that for patch pockets (if that makes a difference)?

Anonymous

How does Escorial compare to cashmere or wool in terms of warmth? Given the fabric and weight, would you describe this as 3 seasons material?

Anonymous

How much did Prologue charge? Any comments regarding the make / quality? It appears you’re quite happy with the jacket.

By the way, leaving aside the current COVID-19 travel situation, does Prologue ever travel to NYC?

Christos

Hi Simon,
would you recommend patch pockets for this clothe or given the thickness of it rather not.
I have noticed that you have made patch pockets at your brown one, but not at the oatmeal one. Are these flap pockets tucked in? Do you consider the oatmeal one being a touch more ‘formal’ or better to say more luxurious than the other two colorways for making it with patch pockets? Would you recommend lined and padded or unlined and unstrustured jackets with the escorial tweed?

Miles

Putting your comment from the other Escorial Tweed thread here below because i’m sure half of us are thinking it. It’s in response to a reader asking about what work best with denim. Of course, let us know if that’s been revised at all.

“Yes, all three were specifically designed to work with denim, dark or more washed. Personally I think the oatmeal would be nicest with dark denim, the green perhaps with a mid-blue colour”

Stanford Chiou

Is Escorial casual enough for chinos and jeans?

Anonymous

Did you go lined or unlined with your brown and oatmeal jackets? Could you go either way?

I assume they’re both canvassed and that given the softness of the material, canvassing is necessary to provide structure.

Andrey

Hi Simon, great news indeed – I’ve been waiting for it for a long time. Sorry for a rather non-sartorial questions, but I just to double-check: is the price stated inclusive of VAT? I tried to order on Joshua Ellis’ web-site for delivery outside of the EU and the price remained the same irrespective of whether the shipping address was in the EU or outside of the EU.

R Abbott

I’m in America. The price listed on the Joshua Ellis website is in GBP and includes VAT. But when I checked out it automatically converted to dollars and knocked of the VAT.

R Abbott

To clarify, it switched to USD and removed the VAT once I entered my US shipping address during the checkout process.

Andrey

I got in touch with them, and they rectified this somehow on the website (for Russia at least) – before that at the checkout it still offered to pay a full price (VAT included). But they responded quickly and dealt with my situation efficiently and the cloth should be on its way to me now.

Christos

Hi Simon, I have bought all three on the 1st run of the fabric and haven’t tailored them yet. To be honest I don’t really understand what it is to consider with the “shrinkage” you are mentioning. In the technical sheet there is mention of +/- 4% shrinkage in both directions (what is actually a normal shrinkage if 4% is high) and that the the fabric should not be steamed or ironed! So what exactly is meant by shrinkage? Will it do so while tailoring or even with the use of the finished garment?!? Even if the tailor will not steam or iron it? And does it mean that I will not have to steam and iron the jackets when finished? Is there something special to consider with this fabric you don’t have with any other fabric? I don’t really understand what exactly one has to consider when buying the length, cutting and tailoring the clothe and finally what to consider when using the finished garment of such fabric in regard to the data from the technical sheet and in particular the shrinkage and the ironing and steaming prohibition.

Christos

Thanks Simon,

so that means my tailor can even steam/press the clothe and the finished garment can be as well.

Wouldn’t it be reasonable then to press/steam the clothe before cutting it? Makes sense to me, or do i miss something here?

R Abbott

Have you tried escorial for scarves? How does it compare to cashmere? Thanks.

Christos

What i have experienced with escorial scarves is that they become softer with use, not like cashmere of course but much softer than other wool, they are toastier than normal wool and i like the brilliance of color they have. And last but not least, they are extremely hardwearing and practically crease free. For me, proper deep winter scarves when the more airy cashmere ones are not enough or too delicate.

R Abbott

I guess the weakness of cashmere is lack of durability, and durability is less likely to be an issue with a scarf, so you might as well go with the softest possible fabric. Is that the thinking?

Christos

It surely is in general less of an issue, it is though more one with beard stubble and that is where i see escorial having the advantage.

Anonymous

What color roll necks would you say go with each of the 3 fabrics? Thanks.

Anonymous

Having received the cloth, I was a little bit curious about the weave. The fibres on the edges of the cut escorial fabric can actually be pulled off quite easily. Will this be an issue for jacket longevity?

AJ

Is it tough to keep the lighter colors clean?

Edward

Hello Simon, how much cloth would I need to purchase for a sport jacket? I’m 6’1″ and average build so am I right in thinking 160-170cm would be enough?

Anonymous

Looks like the Oatmeal would go well with navy, dark green, and dark brown ties. Can you think of any other colors that would pair well?

Sven

I just received the (brown) cloth and love it! If you have to choose between Camps de Luca and JMM (Orazio), which tailoring style fits the Escorial Tweed the best?

A.

I think the best results you can achieve with this fabric are via italian tailors, especially neapolitan ones.

Nicolas

Dear Simon,

I know you already gave answer about the lengh needed, but i prefer to double check.
I’m 6’4, just a little taller than you, do you think 2,1m would be enough?
I’m also waiting for an answer of my tailor

Thanks for your help

Nicolas

Dear Simon,

I know you already gave answer about the lengh needed, but i prefer to double check.
I’m 6’4, just a little taller than you, do you think 2,1m would be enough?
I’m also waiting for an answer of my tailor

Thanks for your help

Jan

Hi Simon, just ordered a length of the brown Escorial, it got delivered in Hong Kong within two days (without shipping charges I believe) and the guys at Prologue are now turning it into a jacket which should be ready just when the temperature has about dropped enough to actually wear it. All thanks to your wonderful website. Very much appreciate all the tips and guidance.

Ps. In real life the cloth looks much smoother than I expected based on the above pictures but I love it (maybe even more).

John

Hi Simon, i am looking for a cloth for a dark brown sports jacket, for casual use. This jacket will be my go-to, so i want it to be as versatile as possible. Do you think the escorial tweed in brown would be a good choice for this, in terms of colour and texture?

Many thanks!

John

Many thanks, Simon. I ordered a swatch of the brown, followed by a 2.2m length which arrived today. I went with the Escorial tweed as I want a jacket that is suitable for smart and casual, as I try to keep my wardrobe small. The fabric is beautiful and i can’t wait to have it made up (sadly that will probably be 2 years due to Covid travel restrictions).

I saw a few people requesting a darker brown, but I think that would make this abit too formal and not as versatile.

Anonymous

Do you have any specific swatch recommendations for this brown soft tweed Simon? Just for one dark brown sports jacket. Appreciated!

John

I spent some time looking into this earlier this last month, and i suggest you consider the following:

W Bill’s shetland bunch:
WB12111, 13Oz – same shade of brown as Simon’s escorial tweed
WB12110, 13Oz – a slightly darker shade of brown than the escorial

Holland and Sherry 8919020, 15Oz – a dark brown, but has some unusual colors running through it.

I think the second W Bill tweed would suit your needs. For me it is a touch too hairy, as i wanted a smart/casual transitional cloth, which i think the escorial tweed does perfectly.

W Bill and H&S will send out swatches if you message them.

Good luck!

Anonymous

Thanks John! If you don’t mind, i’m curious what you thought of each of those colors/weights (including the Escorial), because I’d think there are some darker colors like brown that can make the cloth more universal and versatile, casual even.

And what’d you think of the H&S? Is it too heavy compared to the others?

John

If you want something darker then WB12110 is probably the right choice, plus it’s a more versatile weight (13 Oz).

The H&S is nice, but has some bright colors running through it, such as turquoise, and the 15 Oz means it is much heavier. It might look great, but i think WB12110 is a safer bet. Whether the weight of the H&S is an issue really depends on how you want to use it.

As mentioned above, i like the brown escorial tweed as it is smoother and neater than the other tweeds (it’s soft rather than hairy). If it were darker then it would be more formal i think, because it is so smooth. Mainly, the escorial tweed is much more refined as it is less hairy than traditional tweeds. If you want a purely casual jacket then WB12110 would be great.

I do suggest you ask for samples from W Bill and H&S. I messaged them by email and through instagram and actually ended up with two samples of each. They really are helpful, and sent them for free.

BC

Hi Simon,

I could use some style advice. I’m thinking of having Whitcomb & Shaftesbury make a sports coat for me in the oatmeal fabric when it’s re-stocked. I’d like something relatively smart for the office (it’s a casual office), and two features I’m thinking about are (1) jetted pockets (smarter than the alternatives) and (2) a single-button closure (my general preference in all my sports coats for sleekness and simplicity). Do you think this all would work, particularly in W & S’s standard relaxed drape? Relatedly, what color shirts tend to work with the oatmeal, and when do you expect to re-stock the fabric? Thank you in advance.

BC

Hi Simon,

As always, thanks in advance for your patience and generosity in sharing your views. I’m curious about your reservations against a single-button coat. I’ve had single-button coats made with more refined donegals and even the brown escorial to mediate the fabrics’ casualness, and maybe give them a bit more flair, and in general I’ve found the effect fairly subtle (comparable to slanted pockets, which I’ve also liked to pair with the single-button). Could you elaborate your views on this?

BC

Many thanks!

Anonymous

A quick question about the Prologue jacket. It’s always difficult to tell from pictures, but I think the jacket looks better than your first one. I like the style a lot. Also, the buttonhole looks much better now. I would like to know what you changed compared to the first jacket from Porlogue?

Gilles Fromageot

Dear Simon, any chances to see the Escorial tweed back in stock again? Thanks.

Tamaki

Hey Simon,
Where can I find the green escorial? Looking at least on the fabrics shop I can’t find it

Charlie

Hi Simon

An Escorial-related question: do you think 11oz escorial would hold up as trousers? I’m interested in a lovely navy birdseye from Standeven (I believe The Armoury have a similar model for sale at the moment), but wondering whether escorial’s unique properties would make it poorly suited for trousers?

Thanks

Charlie

Good to know, thank you. For reference I’m eyeing off this cloth: https://standevenfabrics.co.uk/product/12037-navy-blue-birdseye/

Thomas

Wonderful tweeds Simon. I am having a hard time finding an equivalent for the oatmeal/cream Escorial tweed, as there isn’t another run of it unfortunately. Do you have any producer or cloth with similar look/characteristics in mind?

I‘m already having a jacket made from your wonderful Harris tweed by the Ciardi brothers. Cheers from them!

Tamaki

Hi Thomas,
I’m not sure if it is your taste, but Mark Cho showed in one of his videos on how to style a cream jacket that was from, what I believe, will bill.

Martins

How about your biscuit-y cashmere one that you were prising as easier wearable replacement of grey?

LJ

Hi Simon, what are your thoughts on a double breasted sports coat in tweed. Im not quite sure if it would work fine or be slightly odd?

Noel

What sort of colour could the lining for the oatmeal be?

Benjamin

Do you know any sources to buy escorial direct as a consumer? I’m interested mainly in its properties and would like a true navy escorial to make into a blazer. Thank you.

Benjamin

Thanks. I did, but it seems extraordinarily expensive, which is why I’m looking for a direct source.

Benjamin

Thanks. That’s what I thought, but it’s triple what you had charged for the PS escorial….

Benjamin

No I had used your price per metre to calculate how much the total would be.

Noel

Hi Simon,

Why did you choose dark buttons instead of lighter ones that are closer to the fabric as you did for your Caliendo oatmeal jacket ?

Noel

But why aren’t lighter buttons (that is to say buttons that are close in hue to the fabric ) less noticeable and therefore less likely be seen as ‘something extra’? Aren’t darker buttons more distracting in this instance ?

Guy W

Hi Simon, is there any chance of a re-run of the Escorial Tweed?

I had a sports jacket made up in the oatmeal colour and it really is something else! For me, it’s a lovely, versatile balance of formal and casual. I now find myself wishing I ordered all three, in particular the brown. I love tweed and I’ve got an old oversized check tweed sports jacket from Drake’s, but it’s just a bit too country for living in Sydney. I’d love to replace it with the brown Escorial tweed, which has those lovely tweed elements in a more muted, city appropriate colour. I feel, at a pinch, it could work with colder colours too given its more muted.

Guy W

Thanks Simon, appreciate the response, glad I at least grabbed one.

Phong

Hi Simon,

Lovely cloth. Have you had experience with the Escorial Wool from Standevens Toledo book? It’s a beautiful fabric but I’m curious to how it wears.

You mentioned it’s fairly crease resistant in this tweed, but any insight on a more classic Worsted plainweave?

Christos

Dear Simon,
i am considering to make the oatmeal fully lined. What colour of linning would you suggest? Many thanks in advance.