Behind The Design of The Atelier Shirt

A classic white shirt is nothing new but I’ve been playing around with the concept for a couple of years. The result is The Atelier Shirt where I’ve honed in on three of the variations that have come through the development process.

The straight back shirt is almost a classic shirt style with double yoke, collar and stand, tucks at the cuff and a placket opening.

However the yoke has been extended to create a drop shoulder. The look is a man’s shirt for a woman.

The gathered back shirt is softer and more fluid with gathers across the back and at the top and cuff of the sleeves.

This image shows the simpler placket option. The cuff placket is replaced with a simple bound opening.

This added fullness softens this boyish style.

The pleated back is a real statement shirt with the pleats adding a touch of theatricality.

From the front a classic shirt.... 

....from the back a very different proposition.

It is shorter in length than the other two, designed to be worn untucked making the most of the pleats movement.

All three shirts are shown here in white cotton shirting fabric or the simple blue striped cotton, this is how I envisaged these styles in their purest forms.

But all would look good in stronger coloured shirting fabrics or even a floral Tana lawn. The more experienced sewer could even experiment with fluid, silk or viscose fabrics, especially to make the most of the gathers in the gathered back shirt.