At Bryceland’s, one of the best arrows in our quiver is the conference of both Western and Eastern influence. There is an exchange of stylistic knowledge that mixes the bedrocks of European and Asian tradition and adds a Western “New World’ optimism to the pot, epitomising how cultures have always co-mingled, shared ideas and traded wares. Perhaps, the perfect example of this approach is our Frogged Button.
The look of the garment is resolutely Eastern in origin, yet its direct inspiration was from a pair of convalescent pyjamas designed and made for the US Army in the mid 1930s. The pattern for Western sleepwear had flowed back from the trade routes of the Far & Near East since the 17th century; pyjamas, robes, slippers and gowns all arrived alongside the notion that a man should have a separate wardrobe for private endeavours.
The trademark details of the Frogged Button Shirt have their roots in this tradition. The asymmetrical slanted placket, ‘Mandarin’ collar and simplified sleeve construction are all hallmarks of classical Chinese manufacturing. None of these details are as storied and emblematic of this heritage as the toggle fastening or Frog Button that gives the garment its characteristic name. The Chinese word for the simple knot and loop closure is Panhuaniu or ‘flower button’ and has been a trademark of Chinese dress and jacket making since at least the Song Dynasty of the late 10th century, although its roots lay in the traditional craftsmanship of decorative knotmaking or Lào zi, a custom far older, going back to prehistory.
In mining the traditions of both the Orient and the Occident for inspiration; one can create a look with lasting temporal as well as geographic influence. As brand co-founder Ethan Newton himself concludes, “It’s a piece that rolls out of bed and will comfortably jacket a gaberdine trouser and loafer for a relaxed morning sitting in the sun, or buttoned through and tucked into a flannel suit it makes an alternative to a shirt and tie that feels both nostalgically vintage and entirely modern at the same time”.
The Frogged Button Shirt is available as a ready-to-wear garment in plain linens and a pair of cotton plaids, plus a range of options for made-to-order .
