Yet tweed, that is generally associated with royalties and academia, bumps off Kathmandu streets as a rare commodity.[break] It’s either professors, bankers or a few young men sporting this particular fabric. [break] Or we may have seen our granddad passing his tweed coat to our dad. However, there is no hard and fast rule that a textile, with such feel and finesse, should be confined to a particular group or gender.
Encyclopedia Britannica defines tweed as a “medium to heavyweight fabric, rough in surface texture.”
Tweeds were made entirely of wool, but these days an increasing number are blends of wool with cotton, cashmere, rayon, or other synthetic fibers. Most are woven from dyed yarns, but some are dyed after being woven.
“Tweeds produced these days weigh much lighter than the older versions,” informs Vinod Kumar Verma of Bottoms Up, a shirting and suiting store at Bishal Bazar in Kathmandu, and adds that a tweed coat could weigh up to 3.5 kilos five decades ago. “Now, it comes to as light as about 1.5 kilos.” His store has been selling the fabric for a decade now.
Thus, the modern interpretation of tweed is practical and has liberated designers to experiment with the textile. The results are evident; from the old guards of the industry such as DKNY and Karl Lagerfeld to the young ones like Alexander Wang, all have updated tweed apparels for the Autumn/Winter 2009 and early 2010 collections. The use of tweed extends to accessories such as shoes and bags.
This timeless textile is warm, but at the same it gives the wearer a space to breathe. And it can be a savior amidst the ubiquitous Chinese synthetic wools.
“For winter, men prefer tweed, especially for daytime coats,” informs Vinod about the trend of this fabric. But head-to-toe tweed is a big no. According to him, tweeds from India, Thailand, and Hong Kong are common among the different shirting and suiting stores of Kathmandu.
As per tweed dealers, Nepali women prefer cashmere over tweed. But, tweed’s rough texture is worth a try at a time when androgynous fashion is in its zenith.
Women’s tweed coat as championed by Coco Chanel is still the inspiration for contemporary designs. As part of the Autumn/Winter 2009-10 look, the UK edition of Vogue has compiled seven different tweed designs for ladies.
“The textile’s longevity and warmth is worth spending on,” opines Manindra Shrestha, a marketing executive who has been sporting tweed jackets for quite a while now.
Throwing some light on the array of choices on tweed found in the local market, Vinod of Bottoms says, “Actually, Harris Tweed is the original tweed.”
According to harristweed.org, the textile is hand-woven by the islanders of Lewis, Harris, Uist, and Barra – situated between the Highlands of Scotland on the northwest tip of Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean – in their homes, using pure virgin wool that has been dyed and spun in the islands mentioned above. It is widely recognized as being the finest of the tweeds available.
Maheshwori Traders in Bishal Bazar is the authorized distributor of this type for Nepal, the sales department of Harris Tweed Textiles (HTT) in the United Kingdom informs. The 40-year-old store has been selling the fabric for the past 15 years.
Two different patterns—herringbone and dots in yellowish green, and bluish color mixed in brown shade – are available at the store, which can make a cool jacket that could be a replacement for suit coats for guys that are often seen teaming up with dark denims and khakis.
“A coat of this particular tweed costs Rs 10,500,” informs Benu Maheshwori, the store proprietor. Choices with lower price tags are also available in the local market. “Tweed coats can range from Rs 1,500 to Rs 10,000,” informs Vinod.
“Although Harris Tweed has strong hold among its wearers, Indian tweed is also gaining popularity in the city,” says Vinod, and adds, “People have the misconception that Indian tweed should be inexpensive.” According to the man, who has been in the fabrics business for quite a while now, Indian tweed is as good as western ones.
Peak and peak, herringbone, dots, and big and small checks are some of the tweed designs that have hit the Nepali market. These patterns are available in different colors, and can be substituted for synthetic fabrics that are also taking the market, which, however, are not long lasting, and will démodé the next season. Tweed, on the other hand, is durable, and softens as it ages.
TRIVIA
- The original name of tweed was tweel, the Scots for twill, the cloth being woven in a twilled pattern rather than a plain one.
- Later it was misinterpreted as tweed, a namesake river, which flows from the Scottish Borders into the North Sea at Berwick.
- Tweed was used quite often for horse riders’ uniforms and clothing.
- Coco Chanel made tweed popular in the 1950s and 1960s for women clothing.
- According to Vinod of Buttons Up, lint in tweed is rare unlike most of the woolen fabric.
- In 2004 the American company Nike used the fabric to produce limited edition runs of retro trainers originally released in the 1980s
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