The Birth of an Icon
“Flannel shirts are one of those wardrobe staples that we all take for granted. Like a pair of jeans or white t-shirt, the humble flannel is versatile, fashion-proof and eternally classic – it’s no wonder that Woolrich’s shirts have been a cornerstone of men’s wardrobes for 170 years.” Said Samutaro on the recent Highsnobiety article “The Birth of an Icon”
Sam Trotman or Samutaro as he is known to his thousands of followers, is the Instagram archivists favourite Instagram archivist.
We asked him to take a look at one of subcultures enduring staples, the Woolrich Buffalo check flannel. Samuel Trotman has dedicated his working career to tracking and documenting global fashion trends.
He’s become a well known writer and cultural scholar who has contributed to magazines such as Vogue, Hypebeast, Grailed, Highsnobiety, PAQ and Complex.
His instagram @samutaro is an accumulation of knowledge and expertise surrounding fashion, art and music.
While the cross-hatch pattern might conjure imagery of Wyoming ranchers and Brooklyn hipsters, deer hunters and rock and hip-hop musicians, the story of the fabric has a rich history that stretches back centuries.
1830 - 1930
Although it originated in Wales in the 17th century, flannel has become synonymous with American outdoor wear since the 18th century when the first European migrants settled on America’s East Coast and made it the uniform for hardworking outdoorsmen.
One of the early settlers at the time was John Rich – the son of a wool weaver – who migrated to America from Liverpool, England in the early 1800s. After initially settling in Philadelphia, Rich moved to the more rural, central sector of Pennsylvania, where he would build his first woolen mill near a small brook called Plum Run and found the Woolrich brand in 1830.