We hope you like the Gamine Workwear Hope Vest. No… we know you’ll like it, assuming you aren’t averse to Brown’s Beach beautiful double-faced knit beach cloth. If it isn’t obvious, Gamine took inspiration from Brown’s Beach cloth in the making of this vest, from the sourcing of New England wool for the fabric, to the pattern and details of the garment itself. They’ve even put it to work – it performs on the farm as well as any beach cloth can.
“Making a product first made in RI over 100 years ago, we had to name the Hope Vest for RI’s state motto, but we’re also happy to point out the pun… we have high hopes for future collaborations with local fiber producers. “
Gamine built this thing in the USA from the ground up, tapping up the SE New England and Western Mass Fibersheds to recreate a regionalized, modern version of esteemed Brown’s Beach cloth. After selecting 60 pounds of raw Dorset wool, gamine skirted it themselves, sent it off to Green Mountain Spinnery to be washed and spun, after which the yarns made their way to Philadelphia, where it was dyed dark indigo at Caledonia Dye House. The newly dyed yarns then made their way back to Mass where they were woven into cloth on a historic loom by Peggy Hart. The resulting cloth was then washed and dropped to an atelier, who worked with Gamine to create the perfect vest pattern for this new, indigo-drenched cloth.
The finished product is a shining testament to truly American-made goods. The Hope Vest features fully taped seams, a snap button closure, two roomy hand-warming pockets at the hips, and a small pocket at the chest — a tried-and-tested minimal design that lets the fabric do the talking. And talking about tried-and-tested, Gamine took the time to road test the Hope Vest on a farm where it performed perfectly with a short break-in period.
Each vest is finished with Pendleton wool lining. Gamine recommends you go with your true size on these in order to accommodate layering under or over the vest.
Available to pre-order from Gamine Workwear for $500
