Dormeuil

Dormeuil is a French fabric brand that boasts an exceptional reputation and a unique position in the industry. Since I started working in suit tailoring in Ginza, Dormeuil has been the fabric brand I've relied on the most. I personally love Dormeuil's fabrics, to the extent that every year, I ensure to have at least one suit or jacket made from their materials in my wardrobe. I am deeply connected to Dormeuil and am excited to introduce this remarkable brand.

Brand History

Dormeuil was founded in 1842 in France by Jules Dormeuil. It began with the idea of importing superior British fabrics into France, marking the start of the Dormeuil fabric brand. Over generations, the Dormeuil family has expanded the business, and today, the fifth generation, under Dominique Dormeuil, leads the brand. The more you learn about Dormeuil, the more you appreciate its unique and wonderful characteristics, which continually captivate fans worldwide.

Uniquely French

While most of Dormeuil's fabrics are made in the UK, leading some to mistakenly believe it is a British manufacturer, the brand was actually founded in France and still has its headquarters in Paris. Today, the most prominent fabric brands are concentrated in the UK and Italy. However, Dormeuil in France and Scabal in Belgium are perhaps the only two with significant recognition outside these countries. Dormeuil is not just French by location; its collections are imbued with distinctiveness. The use of colors and patterns, as well as the fabric finishes, are unmistakably Dormeuil. The preservation of this unique Dormeuil style, even in a world where homogenization is common, is truly remarkable.

Unique Specialty Materials

When discussing Dormeuil, one cannot overlook their limited-edition fabrics made from rare materials, released intermittently.

2007: "ROYAL QIVIUK"

This super fabric uses the hair of the Muskox, a survivor from the Ice Age, living in the Arctic. The Muskox, said to have coexisted with mammoths, is an extremely rare animal with only about 600 confirmed living individuals. To protect themselves from the Arctic cold, they have a two-layer fur coat. At the end of each spring, they shed the inner layer of fine, white hair, known as "Qiviuk," traditionally collected and cherished by the natives. Dormeuil discovered this Qiviuk wool and mixed it with Super200's wool and cashmere, creating the "Royal Qiviuk."

2008: "KIRGYZ WHITE"

The rare Kirgyz goat was discovered by Genghis Khan during his conquest of Kyrgyzstan. Legend has it that he found the comfort of their fur so exceptional that even after building a grand palace, he chose to live in a hut made of their fur, lined with silk. This animal, resembling a goat's head and a sheep's body, is a member of the caprine family and is a rare species found only in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Its fibers are as fine as the finest cashmere, as soft as Pashmina, and as lustrous as silk. "Kirgyz White" is a blend of this exquisite white Kyrgyz wool and Super140's wool.

2011: "JADE"

A special fabric that uniquely blends wool and gemstones from the same region. The mystical fabric incorporates New Zealand jade, treasured as a lucky charm by the indigenous people, into Super160's wool from New Zealand. Known as a fabric that brings good fortune, it's famous for being used in suits worn at British royal weddings.

I remember introducing these fabrics to my clients and the excitement they generated, not only for their quality but also for their intriguing stories. Dormeuil's ability to continually produce such exciting, story-rich fabrics without being constrained by conventional ideas is one of the reasons they count royals and VIPs around the world among their clientele.

Unique Fabrics

Dormeuil has not only excelled in rare materials but has also significantly impacted the global fabric industry by masterfully arranging wool to create unparalleled fabrics. Their 1927 release, "Sportex," initially developed for golf jackets, gained fame for its durability and ease of movement, branding Dormeuil as a producer of the world's finest fabrics. Notably, Dormeuil was also the first to introduce "selvedge" - marking the fabric's edge with the brand or collection name. Another significant fabric is the 1957 "Tonik," a blend of kid mohair and wool, previously thought impossible to produce, hailed as a revolution in menswear fabrics. It's well-known that this fabric was named "Tonik" following a celebratory toast with gin and tonic upon its successful creation. In 1991, the long-standing "Amadeus" series was launched.

Dormeuil's fabrics are known for their exquisite coloring, meticulously finished wool for a luxurious sheen, and high resilience to wrinkles and wear, making them seemingly flawless. The "Amadeus" has been one of my most recommended and ordered collections. A recent hit is the 2016 "Exel," a 100% wool fabric with exceptional natural stretch, similar to polyurethane blends, making it perfect for travel suits and standalone trousers (indeed, I'm wearing Exel trousers as I write this). The anticipation of what innovative fabrics Dormeuil will produce next is always high.

The luxurious and distinctively characterful Dormeuil fabrics, with their uniqueness, might make it hard to choose other fabric brands once you've experienced them. Indeed, in our store, we often see repeat orders specifically for Dormeuil fabrics. I invite you to experience the exceptional quality of Dormeuil's fabrics, with their unique French taste and stories that captivate VIPs worldwide, distinct from Italian or British styles.