When someone refers to dandyism, Oscar Wilde immediately comes to mind. What could be more natural than to take the author of the Portrait of Dorian Gray to illustrate this doctrine of elegance, finesse and originality, he who said:« Elegance is concentrated in the shirt.
Some will rather mention George Brummell, a British courtier of the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th century, while others will think of Swann, a key character in Marcel Proust’s very famous A la Recherche du Temps Perdu.
And it is precisely to Swann and Oscar Wilde that the brand Swann & Oscar refers, a brand of quality custom-made shirts. The creators of the brand started from an observation: finding a shirt that fits is quite difficult nowadays, whether you are a neo-dandy or simply a lover of elegant clothes. Often they are too big, the sleeves are too short or too narrow, the collars are too tight or too wide. The morphology of men has evolved, the shirts offered are often ill-fitting. And above all, the models offered in traditional ready-to-wear stores are sometimes cruelly lacking in imagination. A solution is needed: the custom-made shirt.
But you’ll tell me, custom-made is expensive. And I would not answer you for the brand Swann & Oscar which proposes a shirt in its size entirely customizable, with patterns chosen by the customer, for an affordable price.
And for those who live in the provinces or abroad, or for men in a hurry or those who are reluctant to go to the stores and their fitting rooms (no, no, I don’t think of anyone in particular), Swann & Oscar has just launched its new gift box Tailored Shirt. An original gift idea for your man, your son or your father which exists in two versions: a box at 99 € and the other at 129 € for a custom made shirt made in France.
Each box contains:
- 16 fabric samples with single thread fabrics for the 99€ box and double thread fabrics for the 129€ box.
- A booklet with all the options (collar, cuffs, buttons, etc.) and a guide to take measurements
- A tape measure
- An order form
The shirt is completely customizable from the choice of fabric to the shape of the collar and cuffs through the cut, the color of the buttons etc. Each shirt is therefore unique. All that remains for the lucky owner of the box is to choose the fabric, the collar, the cuffs, the cut of the shirt, the color of the buttons and the buttonholes and to take the measurements by following the step by step guide. You can even help him in this step but only in this one, ladies… Once the shirt is fully customized, all that remains is to place an order on the brand’s website www.swannetoscar.com or by mail by returning the order form or simply by stopping by the brand’s showroom located in Paris near the Madeleine. The shirt will be delivered to his home between 10 and 15 working days following the order.
The brand also offers a Customized Guarantee that for 90 days, for whatever reason, takes care of any alterations on the first shirt ordered in order to give complete satisfaction.
I still advise you to have a look at the brand’s website. At each step of the manufacturing process (collar, cuffs…), tips facilitate the choice of options. The site even offers videos for Internet users that will guide them step by step in the explanation of the measurements. 
The customer designs his shirt on the site, choosing his fabric among 150 proposed, and a wide choice of collars and cuffs.
And ladies, you must admit that it’s very pleasant to have an elegant man by our side!
By the way, it’s almost Father’s Day, I can already think of a good gift idea!
Showroom Swann & Oscar 19, rue d’Anjou in the 8th – tel 01 44 19 74 96
Marie-Odile Radom