Written by Menswear Style in Interviews on the 18th December 2023

It all began when clients would ask founder of W.Rubens and former stylist, Michael Shuttleworth, the same question: where can I get a good white T-shirt? Michael didn’t know. That’s when he realised something was missing. And so the idea for W.Rubens was born. Nothing new or revolutionary. Just the idea to create a collection of beautifully made white t-shirts, using the finest fabrics, and investing in British talent. Every Rubens t-shirt is a work of craftsmanship, released in limited collections.

They source the best fabrics and work with suppliers who care about the welfare of their workers and the planet. Collections are produced to order from a small atelier in London where they employ local workers. Each garment is made with an individual sense of identity and exclusivity, resulting in the perfect white t-shirt — minimalist, timeless, and iconic.

“We’re a modern take on a classic white t-shirt. We reinvent the garment and make it different. We take elements from tailoring such as lapels and necklines. It is technically tricky to make but after a long time we now have the formula in place. We focus on quality, craftmanship and the people behind the brand. I was a stylist for 15 years which gave me an ability to travel the world and people would always ask me where they could buy a good white t-shirt. Lots of fashion brands stock a white t-shirt but no brand was entirely focussing on the white t-shirt. So, during Covid I built the brand and started with the white t-shirt. It’s not a t-shirt and it’s not a jacket… it’s a Rubens.”

This is a shortened transcribed edit of episode 210 of the MenswearStyle Podcast with Michael Shuttleworth, Founder of wrubens.com. You can listen to the full version on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast player. Listener Offer: Use Discount Code: MENSWEAR15 for 15% off!

We sit down with Michael Shuttleworth, the founder of white t-shirt brand W. Rubens to talk about how he built his brand.