Between Hast and the shirt, the love story has been written for ten years . A ten-year passion combined over the months in all colors and in all materials , from our first white poplin to the recent velvets, ripstop and seersucker.
All of them? Actually, not quite. For this reason, we promised ourselves to work on a special armor for our tenth anniversary . A brand new, unique , never-before-seen armor. Considering the range of shirts worked on in recent years, the challenge was great. The ambition too!
The purpose of our anniversary capsule collection being to offer you a selection of emblematic pieces in limited edition, we were keen to take you into the world of haute chemiserie with a model that is most unusual for us.
More than a declaration of love for the central piece of the men's wardrobe according to Hast, this "Intelligent" shirt is a real invitation to travel.
Want to know everything about its making?
First stop: the material.
Since day one, we have placed natural materials at the center of our model and at the heart of our clothes. As the centerpiece of the Hast wardrobe, the shirt is no exception; which is why we generally work ours in cotton, linen, ramie, washi cashmere and more recently hemp . Wool, on the other hand, is more reserved for overshirts and jackets; or at least for more massive and imposing pieces.
With the piece presented here, the project was to put this material at the service of a register with which we do not generally associate it: formal elegance . To do this, we favored a super 120 merino virgin wool from carefully selected New Zealand sheep. It was important for us to source this wool in New Zealand, given that the country has banned the practice of “mulesing” (mutilation of sheep supposedly to prevent the appearance of larvae) since 2018. In fact, we offer you here a “mulesing free” wool that combines animal welfare with the classic virtues of merino: finesse, length and softness .
Once spun, this extra fine virgin wool (Super 120's for those who are curious) is woven in Italy until it obtains a supple and silky canvas by unique hand . Combined with the natural properties of merino, this high count and dense weave give the fabric impressive capacities: it is light, breathable, absorbent, beautifully satiny, thermoregulating and dries very quickly . Faculties worthy of techwear that explain the affection of athletes for merino wool... and reveal why we nicknamed this beauty "The intelligent one" .
Second stop : a luxurious confection .
In addition to the nobility of the material and the originality of the material, it is the richness of the manufacturing that makes the other half of the charm of this shirt. For the occasion, we started from bases usually reserved for our premium shirts and brought together elements of extreme finesse .
Let's start at the beginning: this half-button placket as graceful as it is intimidating. Directly inspired by the Popover shirts imagined in the 60s (from the English "pop over", picturing the putting on over the head), this throat ending at mid-bust embodies the height of casual elegance. A false twin of the pique polo shirt, the Popover functions as a credible alternative to the traditional shirt and has asserted itself as such on the shoulders of American students of the Ivy League . On the poster of ours, three mother-of-pearl buttons sewn zampa di gallina rising towards a generous button-down collar.
Finesse and elegance are also found at the bottom of the sleeve, with a double pleat and rounded cuffs with a sober and effective design. In a happy contrast, two mother-of-pearl buttons stand out to allow you to adjust the opening as you wish.
In terms of color, we opted for a dark and deep green . Discreet, serious, distinguished, this color can play the leading roles as it knows how to fade away in favor of another piece. Wear the shirt with a white five-pocket or light pleated pants, you will see it take all the light; cover it with a jacket or a blazer, it will have the delicacy to disappear to let its companion express himself. More than an outfit, elegance is an attitude .
A shirt as graceful as it is intimidating
A legacy of prestigious American campuses, the Popover shirt leaves in its wake scents of audacity, impertinence, freedom and nonchalance. Cooked in all sauces for more than half a century, in an infinite number of materials and adorned with all possible and imaginable collars, it took some fine play to develop the one that deserved to be part of our capsule collection .
Finally, it seems to us that we have put our finger on the right proportions by working on a shirt that is both rigorous and uninhibited . If the materials used, its button-down collar and its color free themselves from traditional codes, the finesse of its construction reintroduces aspects of traditional shirtmaking. This balance, sublimated by the properties of an extraordinary fabric, allows you to wear the merino shirt almost everywhere and almost all the time.
Under a light suit, it will bring an offbeat note that will dust off the apparent austerity of the suit. With a pair of jeans or chinos, it will perfect your look by bringing a welcome twist between the classic shirt and the polo shirt . Tucked into shorts, it will be just as comfortable, possibly with the sleeves rolled up.
Finally, its versatility allows the smart shirt to dose its effort to flourish from dressy to more relaxed outfits, all with panache and originality. Above all, the technicality of its material makes it a powerful ally four seasons a year, which is appreciable for a garment that you will never want to take off.
How to care for the merino shirt?
Our merino shirt is smart enough to make your life easier, right down to maintenance. Believe it or not, it can be machine washed up to 30 degrees , which is quite a feat for a wool garment. When you want to wash it, all you have to do is put it inside out in the drum (unbuttoned if possible) and run a delicate cycle. Obviously, bleaching and tumble drying are to be avoided, as is dry cleaning - much more polluting and energy-intensive without being more effective. As for ironing, an iron at around 140 to 150°C will smooth it out while you wait for your next outing for two.
