Unique Shirts from Jhane Barnes
Interested in owning a truly unique shirt - one of only two or three like it in the world?
Each year, I make a small number of model garments for my archives. These are not offered for sale. Rather, they are for my archive, where I keep examples of my work stretching back over 30 years.
These models are usually not ones that can be mass produced. Often, they are too expensive for general sale. The fabric may be difficult to manufacture, or perhaps the buttons are made of a special, expensive material. Or they may be ahead of their time, in a color or pattern that hasn't yet caught on in the general market.
I make them because I love to experiment with new ideas, even if at the moment I cannot translate these ideas into a practical shirt that can be sold in normal stores.
I usually make three or four copies of each model garment, of which two go into my archive. The other one (or two) are available for you to wear, as truly unique! Since I don't like to repeat myself, I don't create that pattern again. When I say "unique," I really mean it.
You will not find socks or neckties here, because I rarely make models of them. But my fancy shirts are fully represented. Some highly unusual jackets, sweaters, knits, and coats appear from time to time.
- Jhane
Caveats, Provisos, Restrictions, and Cautions
I hope you're intrigued by the possibility of owning a unique garment, but having said that, let's consider some of the challenges that are unique to examples:
Tags - as with any garment, models contain tags, for size, care instructions, and fiber content, but these are sometimes incorrect, either because we didn't have the right tag, or because I changed my mind partway through the process (I do that a lot!), or just from general confusion (models get made by hand). I try to correct this by sending you a separate garment tag that is accurate, but you may lose that, since it isn't sewn into the garment. So, just be aware of the labels and what they say, and remember that they may not be accurate.
See: How to Measure Model Shirt Sizes
Size - models come in a range of sizes, from Small to XXXL. And because they are models, they sometimes do not follow my regular pattern sizes. If you wear my Large shirt, for example, a model that is labeled Large may or may not fit you. Each model description includes measurements; you need to pay close attention to those. Compare them to shirts you already own.
