Bespoke Shirts
The Twill Shirt.
Softer than poplin, more texture than voile — the shirt cloth for clients who prefer drape over crispness.
Twill is a weave in which the weft thread passes over two or more warp threads in a pattern that creates a diagonal rib on the fabric surface. The same weave structure used in heavyweight woollen twill for suits produces, in fine cotton with a thread count of 80s to 120s, a shirting fabric that is slightly softer in hand than poplin, more draped in its fall, and with a subtle diagonal surface texture that catches light differently. A bespoke twill shirt from The Black Lapel is the choice for clients who find poplin too stiff or too crisp — who prefer a shirt that feels softer from the first wearing and that drapes rather than holds its shape through the day.
Twill versus poplin — the practical differences
Poplin is crisp, smooth and precise. Twill is soft, draped and textured. Both are correct professional shirt fabrics; the choice between them is a matter of personal preference rather than formality — a fine 100/2 twill shirt is no less formal than a poplin shirt of equivalent quality. The difference is tactile and visual rather than sartorial.
Twill takes colour slightly differently from poplin. The diagonal rib of the twill weave creates a very subtle variation in how light falls on the cloth — the colour appears to shift slightly as the wearer moves, adding a depth that is absent in the flat surface of poplin. This makes twill an excellent choice for richer colours: a deep mid-blue twill shirt has more visual interest than a mid-blue poplin of the same shade, because the twill surface adds variation.
In terms of wear, twill tends to feel softer on the skin from the start — it does not have the initial stiffness of a freshly laundered poplin that softens after wearing. It is also slightly more forgiving of wrinkles in wear: the diagonal texture hides small wrinkles where the smooth surface of poplin makes them visible. For clients who spend long days in meetings and travel and need a shirt that looks reasonable at the end of the day, twill is often the more practical choice.
Twill in colour — where it excels
While twill works well in white and pale blue — the standard professional shirt colours — it excels in mid-tones and richer colours where its surface depth adds visual interest. A mid-blue twill, a warm pink twill, a deep burgundy twill — these all benefit from the subtle dimensional quality of the diagonal weave in a way that the flat surface of poplin does not.
Stripes in twill have a slightly different character from stripes in poplin. The twill weave adds a softness to the stripe edge that makes the pattern appear slightly less sharp than the same stripe in poplin — this can look warmer and more relaxed, which is appropriate depending on the professional context.
Construction quality in twill — what to look for
A fine twill shirt requires careful construction because the diagonal rib of the weave creates a bias that, if not correctly accounted for in the cutting, can cause the shirt to twist subtly in wear — one shoulder appearing slightly higher than the other, or the shirt body rotating around the torso. This is a common failing in mass-produced twill shirts and one of the less visible arguments for bespoke construction.
At The Black Lapel, twill shirts are cut carefully to account for the bias of the weave, and the collar is cut on a specific grain to ensure it sits correctly at the neck without pulling. The result is a shirt that hangs correctly from the shoulder, buttons cleanly without twisting, and wears comfortably across a full day without the minor adjustments that a poorly constructed twill shirt requires.
Commission your shirts.
Visit us at 4 Sardar Patel Road, Adyar, Chennai — Mon–Sat, 11am–9pm. First consultation free.