young fashionable man wearing tweed suit leaning against a wall using mobile phone

Is Tweed Still Fashionable? Stars and Royalty Think So

There are many reasons why tweed is still fashionable. We have some.

How do you feel about wearing a tweed suit? Does the prospect of donning an ensemble in this traditional material put you in mind of your grandfather, or even his grandfather? Perhaps! But this most durable yet stylish of fabrics that may be deemed quite vintage has made a strident sartorial comeback in recent times.

What, you may well ask, is tweed anyway? It's basically wool that's been woven into various strands to make it rugged and resistant to the elements, including water, and the style originates in parts of Scotland and Ireland. This is what has given the cloth its outdoorsy reputation and a choice of weather-worn farmers and other elements-battling folks everywhere. Equally importantly, thanks to its insulating properties, tweed keeps those wearing it toasty-warm.

But these days, is tweed still fashionable — or was it ever in style, instead of just being a countryman's failsafe outfit? After all, tweed not only protects but can also look great. As we will see, this is one fabric that's been hitting the headlines for all the right reasons. You might even be tempted to wear it yourself.

A Model Saviour of Tweed

A big boost in the popularity stakes for tweed has been the interest of one of the UK's leading male models, David Gandy, a global supermodel in his own right. The face of luxury Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana is pretty much devoted to the fabric and has often been spotted in tweed suits while out at many high-profile fashion events, as well as on fashion shoots. Here's one:

 

Since Gandy almost adopted tweed several years ago and has been photographed countless times wearing tweed suits, interest in the fabric has exploded. Now, there's so much demand for tweed that production ballooned by 400% from 2008 to 2013 and reached 1 million metres of material in 2017. That’s a lot of tweed suits, hats and anything else that can be made using this durable, yet adaptable fabric of many colours.

Royal Nod to 'Is Tweed Still Fashionable'?

Tweed is not just for men, either. Women have been donning it in growing numbers in recent times, most especially due to the Duchess of Cambridge sporting a variety of chic tweed outfits. Proving that tweed it not just for grannies, but fashionable young women (including one of the most photographed women in the world and a future queen), Kate Middleton has been warm yet stylish in tweed as she heads out on her royal engagements.

 

So, we no longer need to ask “Is tweed still fashionable?” because the answer is clear. For men considering a new suit, tweed is definitely not twee and could certainly be the way to go. You’ll look dashing and elegant while at the same time being able to brave whatever the inclement elsewhere throws at you.

Discover why everyone's heading to Empire Outlet for their quality and tailored suits, including a superb range of tweed suits. Our luxury menswear shop is online, so no matter where you are, we're ready to serve you today — and at prices that are really a cut above the rest! Browse our on-trend tweed suits now.

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