Charvet

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Founded in 1838, the House of Charvet was the first shirt shop in France and it is renowned for being the ultimate choice in men's classic tailoring. Prior to starting his own house in Paris, Christophe Charvet was in charge of Napoleon's wardrobe. Once established, Charvet provided King Edward VII with his shirts, exceptionally receiving the Royal Warrant. In 1963 the Charvet family could no longer run the business and Charles de Gaulle - a loyal client - wanted to ensure the house survived and remained French. One of Charvet's fabric suppliers, Denis Colban, was given the task of finding a buyer. Rather than approaching investors he decided to purchase the company himself.

Colban refused numerous offers to sell the company, maintaining the single store in Paris and continuing the house as a family business. "Charvet is about the possibility of choices" says Anne-Marie Colban, who today runs the House of Charvet with her brother Jean-Claude. With a collection of over six thousand shirting fabrics, offering four hundred shades of white, it is evident that Colban's commitment to accommodating any taste or quirk continues to drive the house. There are only fifty shirt-makers working in the Saint Gaultier factory and only one person works on a shirt at a time, doing everything except for the buttonholes and pressing the shirt. Charvet pyjamas are made from the same shirting fabrics, and the ties are the finest silk that can be found.

The shirts, ties and pyjamas at CoutureLab have been specially selected for the most discerning gentleman.