June 24, 2021

WNU x Hamilton & Hare

Borrowing from the boys again, but this time pairing up with the best of the boys: this is the women's boxer.

But how did this idea come to life? Catching up with the founders, Olivia and Pip talk about the special collaboration between Hamilton and Hare and WNU, their approaches to sustainability, and how men and women shop.

Tell us a bit about your brand and how it started?

Olivia Francis: It started with an observation that men’s underwear was pretty poor in comparison to women’s. There was a lack of quality, choice and general interest in the category – it was unloved and overlooked - so I set out to change that. Our first product was the boxer short. I worked with a Savile Row tailor to redesign a more modern, slimline fit rather than the traditional ‘baggy nappy’ shape and used shirting-grade cotton for ultimate comfort and quality. Since then we’ve opened a store on Chiltern Street in Marylebone and expanded the range with a focus on comfort-focused clothing to include pyjamas, sweats and broader loungewear which has really come into its own during the pandemic.

Pip Durell: WNU is all about simplicity - paired back, laid back, timeless, effortless shirts - just like the woman who wears them. WNU shirts are for women who have a great sense of style but need clothes compatible with a modern, busy lifestyle. We are 4 years old this year; it’s been a journey from the kitchen table to now an office in south London, warehousing in Coventry and our factory in Portugal. What started as an idea seems to be what other women had been thinking too – we need better shirting options! It’s a really exciting time to be a direct to consumer womenswear brand right now – we can engage with our customers more than ever before – listen to them and design for them.

How did the collaboration come about?

OF: We’ve always had a female customer buying our boxers for themselves. The ‘borrowed’ boxer short is a wardrobe staple in lots of women’s wardrobes but as a woman myself I thought it would be nice to design it specifically with the female shape in mind and adapt the fit accordingly. When I met Pip and saw what she was doing with her shirts it was an obvious collaboration, to get her input into the design, work on the project together and also to be able to offer it to her female customers too.

PD: Olivia approached me with this brilliant idea; taking from the boys and adjusting it for the girls is the concept behind WNU so to join forces with the market leaders in boxer shorts was a no brainer.

What was the design process for the H&H x WNU boxers?

OF: It was actually a simple design process that was really just about adapting our classic boxer short shape to suit female proportions. A shorter rise and a curved hem were key but we wanted to keep the look of our boxer short style with substantial waistband and fly detail. I’m really pleased with the result, it’s flattering, easy to wear and a very nice female perspective on our range which for me personally has been a welcome novelty.

PD: It was really nice to come together on this and have a collaborative brainstorm from the very first meeting! We wanted to defer to H&H's boxer tailoring expertise, and together work out what adjustments would make them what women want - using our bestselling material, the WNU Weave. It was a mix of little details like slightly curving the hem to be more flattering on the thigh, and also keeping the fly from a design perspective, but closing it for a better line. It felt really organic and such an easy collaboration of concepts.

The sustainability of the fashion industry is currently being called out, what's your approach?

OF: The fashion industry is sprawling and it’s very difficult to impose any kind of standards. For us, as an independent brand the big advantage we have is in supply chain transparency, because our scale is smaller we really do know who makes our clothes. However there is always more to be done to really understand every element of the process and it is really difficult. Our approach is to only use natural fabrics, ensure our cotton is BCI ‘Better Cotton Initiative’ certified (a holistic approach to ensure fair working conditions as well as sustainable farming practices) and to focus on quality, not quantity so that our clothing lasts much longer than most.

PD: I am thrilled it's being called out – the more the better. Greenwashing in this industry is a huge issue, and hard for brands like ours who make transparency and ethics top of our agenda to be heard in all the noise. We need to be looking at the lifespan of an item of clothing, as well as the production and materials. As a conscious consumer you don’t want clothes that lose their fit after one wash, you want to invest in stylish wardrobe staples that are good to the planet and will last for years without a huge price tag.

How do you think men buy clothes compared to women?

OF: Men are definitely creature of habit, like a student bank account, if they find a brand they like, they usually remain loyal. I love this approach and it’s something I’ve definitely found myself moving towards. I now regularly buy multiples of a garment I love and it’s a surprising delight when it goes into the laundry basket and you can pull another one out of the drawer.

PD: It’s hard to speak generally but we have an incredibly loyal customer base here at WNU and yes I think at the end of the day everyone is the same, when they find a great basic they will come back time and time again. What I love about a shirt is that there is a lot of space for experimentation and styling. This means that they are trans seasonal – and the possibilities for the ways they are worn, and where they are worn, are endless, making that cost-per-wear very appealing!

What are your views on androgynous clothing?

OF: I think it’s really interesting and good to see the lines blur. For me there is a wonderful comfort in an oversized knit or a sweatshirt but I don’t think it works for every item in your wardrobe.

PD: While this works for lots of people, there are fundamental differences in the male and female form that require more attention to detail when creating the perfect fit. Although I love men’s shirts I needed the buttons to sit in the right place for my boobs, the shoulder seams to sit off but not swamp me, the cuffs to be long but not ridiculous .... We are all about taking the traditionally masculine basics and making them more suitable for a women’s body.