Words by Charlie Britton
Here at Clothes Make The Man, we’re always on the look out for new brands. Unlike the Night’s Watch up on The Wall in Westeros, we keep our eyes peeled for exciting and interesting happenings in the world of menswear and once again, it hasn’t disappointed. Excellent Everyday Essentials is the game, Form & Thread is the name.
It has recently come to our attention that quite a large percentage of frequent shoppers are unaware of costs when it comes to clothing. Brands that you find on your local high street often markup their products by 60 to 70% which might surprise you. After all, these brands are businesses that employ thousands of staff members, have assets to pay for and need to make a profit, but that’s where Form & Thread stand out from the crowd.
With a sole focus on menswear, F&T (Form & Thread) make excellent essentials at common sense prices. The brand thoroughly understands the intimacy we have with our essential garments and takes into account that we wear these everyday and therefore, shouldn’t carry a silly price tag. What’s more, it removes the frustration of badly made product and produces high quality garments that’ll last.
From tees and shirts to sweatshirts and socks, F&T produce a full range of essentials for the modern man. Creators Rich Jean and Chris Bell started the brand by producing socks with the sole purpose of creating well made essentials without the high price tag and have done exactly that. The transparency that F&T has with its customers is simply refreshing. You’ll find a ‘Traditional Retail Price’ posted below the garments actual price, which very clearly indicates how F&T removes the unnecessary retail costs you often find with other retailers.
We wanted to know a little more about Form & Thread so we sat down with creator, Rich Jean and went through some questions about the brand, it’s ideas and how it has grown to be a successful competitor in the menswear industry;
Q: When did Form & Thread start and what was the foundation for the brand?
I started Form & Thread late in 2015, mainly through a frustration of having to wait until sale to buy my favourite brands. So many contemporary menswear labels are expensive at full-price, and that’s what we set-out to try and change. To offer an accessible alternative. We started small, with socks as these were a comparatively low-cost product to make. Fortunately we picked up some positive early press, and people seemed to be into the product, so we spent the next year working on the next batch of products.
Q: What inspired the ‘common sense’ approach to pricing?
It came from the way my friends, peers and I shopped for clothes. Many of us enjoyed premium, contemporary brands but even with reasonable levels of disposable income would wait for sale to shop them. This prompted conversations about making these products accessible year-round and not just during sale.Having worked in the industry for some time, I had an idea of how much these things cost to make, so I went from there. That underpins what we stand for as a brand.
Q: What inspired the first collection of products?
Simplicity really. We use the finest fabrics and materials but don’t over design. We focus on season-less, wardrobe essentials – products that don’t go in-and-out of fashion, and that are relevant year-round. Products that can form the basis of any guy’s wardrobe.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you’ve tackled with F&T?
Q: How has Instagram had an impact of the brand?
Q: Brand image and aesthetic are becoming increasingly more important, especially with how they are represented online. What has helped create the image for Form & Thread?
Q: What’s next for F&T?
If you’re looking for some new essential pieces to add to your wardrobe that’ll last, we encourage you to check out the range at Form & Thread. The garments are well produced, sensibly priced and look great, so there’s no excuse as to why you wouldn’t pick up a couple essential pieces that can be worn through the seasons.
Shop the full range at
Form & Thread
