Deconstructing fashion’s love affair with Corduroy

[C]ertain fabrics, like nostalgic scents, can immediately bring back memories. And there is none more evocative than Corduroy. Be it your dad’s wardrobe (he couldn’t get enough of his ill-fitting flares and cord shirts in the ‘80s up until, well, present day) or modeled by your genteel geography teacher.

Call it the Jonathan Byers effect, a renewed affection for Jarvis Cocker’s closet or the runway’s not-budging obsession with all things #retro, but the textile is poised for a renaissance this season. From burnt orange suits at Marc Jacobs and Prada to powdery pink wide-leg pants at Isabel Marant and blush-toned skirts at Mulberry, ‘tis nerdy no longer, the cord comeback makes a welcome return into fashion’s fold this season.

“From a trend perspective corduroy has been up and down and in and out of the fashion scene throughout the history of fashion,” cult Swedish label The Cords & Co tell Hunger. “But what’s fascinating, is that the fabric has always been a wardrobe essential among the intellectual and the cultural elite (read Wes Anderson, Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin etc.)

“It’s a very versatile fabric with a little-known history,” The Cords & Co add. “From almost biblical times to a royal cloth and then a workwear fabrication and mountaineering. That is what makes it so interesting and the possibilities for us to explore and develop the fabrication are endless.”

Corduroy is also fast taking over denim in the seasonless-wardrobe-essential department – from iconic garments such as the five-pocket pant, biker jacket, button-down shirts and fishtail parka. Much like a pair of vintage Levi’s, there’s a “shared wardrobe”, gender-neutral mission statement taking centre stage. “We like the unisex approach when styling,” according to The Cords & Co. “The aim is for the collection to leave room for the wearer to mix and match at will, and in that way, add uniqueness for a personal, updated and contemporary look.”