The History of Herringbone

Herringbone is a cloth design that you’re probably familiar with. The geometric pattern is sometimes called a Broken Twill Weave, and while it might look similar to a chevron, it is notable different. Instead of the “stripes” of the zig zag flowing across the width of the fabric, the zig zags are broken up by alternating the colors in each direction. 

The pattern is called Herringbone, due to its visual similarity to the bone structure of a herring fish. However, this geometric cloth has its roots in the Roman Empire, far removed from its current use in textiles.

The Herringbone pattern dates back to the Roman Empire, where it was used in buildings its roadways. This interlocking paving system was built on top of a base of crushed stone, which cleverly absorbed the compression of traffic and footfall, making it extremely stable and durable.

This innovative way of creating roads was revolutionary because cultivating a powerful infrastructure of roman roads was vital to maintaining and developing the Roman state.

Herringbone can also be traced back to Ancient Egyptian jewelery worn by the elite. However, the earliest herringbone fabrics were found in Ancient Italy. How appropriate that herringbone is now an essential fabric used in men’s tailoring ;-) This distinctive cloth design also made its way into historic Irish textiles, often being used in rustic tweed suits.

Despite its ancient beginnings, herringbone is still an important part of clothing today, and remains one of the most popular cloths for tailoring.

It’s a subtle and easy way to add some pattern to your wardrobe without overpowering the rest of your outfit. In fact, at a small scale, this geometric cloth can look solid from afar. However, on a larger scale, the pattern becomes much bolder. Add a stronger contrasting color to the pattern and it’s positively striking.

We love it, especially in its interpretation by Ichi Antiquities. The softly knitted wool herringbone overcoat with a vintage feel just arrived in store. The modern and softening of the classic overcoat has us swooning and felling oh so nostaligic.

*History facts from King Allen Bespoke Tailors (UK)