“Laid-back elegance” is a term that best describes 3sixteen’s SS24 collection. Here, breathable blends of linen and cotton, slubby woven flannels, and hand-loomed silks come together in one carefully considered edit.
Each piece stands out – be that by dint of its fabric, the subtle ease of its drape, or the sheer concision of its design – yet it all coheres so effortlessly. It’s a collection of standouts and ensembles that walks the smart-casual line with a cool and practised ease. An expert mix of daily drivers and statement makers from a brand that always keeps us on our toes.
Both the Crosscut Flannel and the Shop Jacket are tenured pieces in 3sixteen’s yearly collections. The Crosscut alone has seen 15 year’s worth of iterations, spanning all manner of fabrics, weights, colours, and finishes. This SS24 edition comes in a Seafoam Slub Check. It’s a custom combination of mellowed-out green and cream yarns, all woven together in one densely textured fabric.
Once cut and sewn, these flannels are carefully rinsed to unlock their natural softness and drape. Even new, they have the lived-in handle of a much-loved old favourite. The shirt’s metal buttons are coated with enamel. Over time, they’ll chip and age for added, wabi-sabi bragging rights.
The Shop Jacket is a tip of the hat to the French Chore Coats of way back when. It’s made up in a boxy style using a chunky but breathable linen/cotton blend. There’s a nice heft to this fabric. A lovely, pebbled quality too. It hangs naturally from the body with ample room for layering.
A relative newcomer to the 3sixteen lineup, the Easy Pant shoots for maximum comfort and versatility with an open, straight-leg fit and elasticated waist. A handy drawstring lets you tweak the rise to your liking. The pants have plenty of smart-casual wiggle room, pulling double duty as a dressy-ish trouser or an elevated sweatpant, depending on what mood and occasion dictate. They’re cut from the same linen-forward cloth as the Shop Jacket, opening up the possibility of a clean and minimal linen two-piece. We also have these in black.
We also have two beautiful tees from 3sixteen’s Peruvian knit collection. Here in polo and crewneck form, these marled knit numbers are outlandishly soft and serve up a tonne of depth and dimension. Summer-friendly knits that bring a little Côte d'Azurian cool to the wardrobe. The natural stretch and recovery in the knit means these tops hold their shape exceptionally well through wear and wash.
Finally, the Leisure Shirt deals up a ‘50s-inspired camp collar style in handloomed raw silk. Classically cool and downright artisanal, it has a hand that might surprise those new to raw silk fabrics. Lots of streaky, slubby texture that retains a sense of elegance but dispenses with any finicky preciousness. The fabric also possesses excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties – just the ticket for a warm-weather shirt. Corozo nut buttons dial in that out-of-office nonchalance, too.
