The Vale Vest in Anthracite

DESCRIPTION

A tailored waistcoat in anthracite washed canvas - the anatomy of a dress vest, reinterpreted in a fabric with more character than suiting. The buttons are ornamental; beneath them, in the fabric interlining, a row of magnets does the actual work - the vest opens with a pull and closes on contact, with nothing visible to indicate how. The Vale is the vest that works in both rooms without asking you to decide which one you're dressing for.

FEATURES

√ A Faster & Easier Dressing Experience

The hidden function offers a novel and effortless dressing experience. The magnetic closure lets you "button up" in seconds.

√ Fully Concealed Magnetic Closure

The magnets are set into woven interlining behind the entire button row - absolutely no impact on external performance.

√ Black Canvas Trim

Black canvas binds - a formal contrast detail that separates the Vale vest as a versatile piece suitable for a wide range of occasions.

√ Anthracite Washed Canvas

The anthracite ground is woven with a slub-textured surface, giving the vest depth and a hand-finished quality.

√ Wash-Rated & Field-Tested

Heat-welded magnetic units in reinforced pockets, tested through 200+ wash cycles for lasting performance.

DETAILS

Design intent

The Vale and The Alder share the same construction logic - decorative buttons over a hidden magnetic interlining - but are designed for different contexts. The Alder carries a field-inspired character, while the Vale is built for occasion, with anthracite-washed canvas and black canvas trim suited to formal settings or evening wear. The magnetic system allows the vest to close on contact and open in one motion, preserving a clean, uninterrupted placket.

Design inspiration

The stand-collar waistcoat with decorative metal buttons has roots in 19th-century Central European formal dress - the Stehkragenweste of the Austrian and Bavarian tailoring tradition, worn as part of a three-piece suit or as a formal layer over a dress shirt. The Vale borrows it precisely but replaces the formal suiting cloth with a washed canvas that gives the silhouette a contemporary weight. “Vale” refers to a deep valley between slopes - chosen for the sense of quiet and openness it evokes, like an evening valley that feels calm, expansive, and embracing.

Craft details

The shell is a cotton canvas garment-washed to a broken-in hand that prevents the canvas from stiffening. The fit is a close European waistcoat cut with a pointed V-hem dropping at the centre front. The stand collar, chest welt pocket, and both lower angled welt pockets are bound in pre-shrunk black canvas ribbon.  The magnetic closure system is heat-set into a double-layer reinforced woven interlining behind the decorative button row, creating a perfect engagement along the full placket length. All magnetic units are encapsulated in heat-welded woven pockets before assembly and rated through 200+ machine-wash cycles.