The Jacket Without Sleeves

Dornschild. THE JACKET WITHOUT SLEEVES

It led a shadowy existence for a very long time. As an integral element of a three-piece suit, the vest has always been a style tool in the off-the-peg segment. Dornschild, a Munich-based manufactory, has now proven that the vest can also be one of the most versatile fashion statements menswear has to offer. Dornschild has positioned it as a jacket without sleeves. Text: Isabel Faiss. Photos: Dornschild

The idea for Dornschild was born out of necessity. Jörn Boysen, a marketing expert and agency owner, was looking for a fashionable vest and failed to find one that suited his needs. In the end, he decided to launch his own collection. Together with his business partner, Michael Ostermayer, he presented the label’s first order collection for autumn/winter 2015. Jörn Boysen even introduced the collection to selected reference customers in person. And lo and behold, Dornschild had clearly struck a nerve. “The vest has always been there, but it was also always misunderstood. For me personally, a vest is a jacket without sleeves and extremely versatile. That’s why the back of most of our vests isn’t made of lining fabric. We only use the finest Italian fabrics that are distinct and not what you’d call classic suit fabrics”, Jörn Boysen explains. Details such as patched pockets, coloured lining, fine buttons, contrast colour stitches, and unusual material combinations give every vest a unique fashion twist. The label managed to gain a strong foothold in the premium fashion segment with retail prices ranging from 179 to 229 Euros. It has long become clear that the initial fears about being placed – and remaining unnoticed – next to the suits in the main department were completely unfounded.

Five Basic Cuts - Endless Looks Today, Jörn Boysen knows that the sophistication of a vest is defined by its cut. Dornschild offers five basic models: single-breasted, single-breasted with lapels, double-breasted with lapels, a tuxedo vest, and a biker model. “A vest is a truly unforgiving item of clothing. It needs to be scaled in a manner that makes it suitable for every body shape. Perfection lies in the details, which is why we refine the cut each season. We’re talking about millimetres that can make all the difference.” The vests are cut a little narrower and longer, which means they look great on Benno Führmann and Roger Cicero alike. The list of celebrity clients is already very long, by the way. Word about the brand’s early success in terms of sales spread quickly. Potential customers from Switzerland and Northern

The Dornschild vests achieve their full potential in a high fashion environment. They can be worn as part of a casual look with t-shirt and scarf, or as part of a more contemporary menswear chic with shirt and handkerchief. And let’s not forget they still are a perfect match for classic suits.

Italy even approached Dornschild out of the blue. Via its online shop, the label even sells its vests to non-European countries. The next step is to expand the sales network in Scandinavia. In the first order round, Boysen managed to convince household names such as Hirmer, Ludwig Beck, Stiesing, Kastner & Öhler, and Stierblut - and all of them placed repeat orders. “After three to four weeks, we received phone calls telling us that 70% of the stock had been sold.” Luckily, the label chose a production partner in Slovakia, which means that repeat orders can be executed swiftly. The little manufactory intends to stick to its high-quality positioning and its strong product claim. Jörn Boysen is convinced that “every brand starts with a strong core product. And we are THE vest brand!”

Jörn Boysen, the managing director of Dornschild, has developed a real zeitgeist product.