Words by Isaac Perry
The brand was founded in the United States by Vaccines guitarist Freddie Cowan when they were touring around New York. The idea came into play when the band realised that they didn’t have clothes which they deemed appropriate to work in. Freddie proactively jumped onto this and got in contact with tailor David Chambers and so followed the birth of what is now Basic Rights. Basic Rights wanted to create everyday essentials which were tailored to a high standard alongside placing a pure focus on the fabric and fit.
“I used to go shopping and buy three of the same t-shirts, three of the same trousers. I want that shit taken care of so I can get on what I have to do,” Preparing to go on tour he explained. “I don’t want to be thinking about what I’m going to wear in the morning. I don’t want to have any questions about myself, like ‘does this represent what I think about music if I wear this?’”
Alongside creating some of the best fitting clothing which we at Clothes Make the Man have seen they are also attempting to break the mould through trying to tackle sustainability with it being a pure focus behind the brand rather than a token gesture. Since the brands birth, they have planted over 10,000 trees and are now aiming to plant a tree for each piece of clothing sold thanks to a partnership with Trees for the future. If you ask us that’s pretty amazing!
Basic Rights has come to the forefront of the industry recently due to working alongside an array of celebrities who are making the clothing look as fresh as ever. These stars include Donald Glover, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joe Talbot and Jim Chapman showcasing the brand’s shirt selection. We have been fans of the brand for a long time and since the release of their most recent collection, we have definitely seen some pieces which you should pick up.
The Long Sleeve Camp Collar Shirts are perfect for layering with a plain white t-shirt. This piece comes in an array of colourways including Dusky Pink, Navy, Burgundy, Mustard and Cream. A personal favourite is the Dusky Pink as it pairs perfectly alongside black & blue denim which is paired with a nice pair of boots you simply can’t beat that look.
