Why Needlecord? The Fabric We’re Wearing Into Autumn.

As the seasons begin to turn, we’re rediscovering one of our favourite fabrics: beautifully soft cotton needlecord.

There is something about the first weeks of autumn that makes us look at our wardrobes a little differently. The mornings are cooler, the light becomes softer and suddenly we want clothes with a little more texture and substance — but without giving up the ease and colour of summer altogether.

At Tuttabankem, one fabric has always seemed particularly suited to this moment: cotton needlecord.

What is needlecord?

Needlecord is the finer, softer cousin of traditional corduroy. Made with very narrow raised ribs, or wales, it has that distinctive velvety texture associated with cord, but with a much more delicate handle.

Our needlecord is 100% cotton, giving it a wonderful combination of softness, breathability and gentle structure. It feels substantial enough for cooler days without being cumbersome or heavy, exactly what we want from clothes at this time of year.

And then there is the colour.

One of the things we love most about needlecord is the way its finely textured surface changes a print. Colour takes on a little more depth, and intricate patterns have an almost tapestry-like quality when viewed closely.

It is a fabric that deserves to be touched as well as seen.

Colour doesn't have to disappear with summer

Autumn dressing is so often associated with a familiar palette of black, grey, camel, brown, burgundy and forest green.

Beautiful as those colours are, we have never quite believed that the arrival of September means putting joyful prints away.

This season, we're returning to several Tuttabankem needlecord favourites that demonstrate exactly why.

Marcella is perhaps the loveliest example.

Its exuberant botanical print brings together turquoise, raspberry, aubergine and warm orange against an ivory ground. On a lighter cotton it could feel distinctly summery, but printed onto softly textured needlecord, those colours take on an altogether richer character.

The result is a kaftan that brings colour into the colder months without feeling out of place, wonderfully comfortable at home, but quite beautiful enough to wear beyond it.

The perfect little autumn jacket

Our Renata jacket takes a quieter approach.

Its intricate paisley print combines inky navy with softer shades of blue and aqua, while the needlecord gives the jacket just enough structure to sit beautifully.

Finished with a neat stand collar, generous patch pockets and large mother-of-pearl buttons, Renata is one of those incredibly useful pieces for the months when it isn't quite cold enough for a coat.

We love it worn simply over an ivory knit or cotton shirt with trousers or jeans. Button it up on cooler days, or leave it open as an easy layer when the autumn sunshine makes an appearance.

It is relaxed, practical and quietly distinctive, something we have always valued at Tuttabankem.

A richer side to needlecord

And then there is Gianna.

With its deeper navy ground and richly patterned Italianate print, Gianna shows another side of this lovely fabric. The darker palette feels immediately at home in autumn and winter, while the long, relaxed kaftan shape retains the ease that has become such an important part of Tuttabankem.

Together, Marcella, Renata and Gianna make a rather lovely argument for not abandoning print as soon as summer ends.

Instead, we simply change the way we wear it.

Clothes for the season in between

Perhaps that is what we like most about needlecord.

It belongs beautifully to these transitional months.

It has warmth without weight, texture without stiffness and enough structure to make even the most relaxed silhouette feel considered. Most importantly, it allows us to continue wearing colour and pattern long after the last days of summer have disappeared.

As I continue to look through the Tuttabankem archive and think about what comes next for the collection, I'm increasingly drawn to pieces that have this kind of longevity; clothes that aren't dictated by a particular week or occasion, but that earn their place in a wardrobe year after year.

Some will be familiar Tuttabankem favourites, photographed and styled afresh. Others will be entirely new.

But the principle behind them will be much the same: beautiful natural fabrics, distinctive prints and clothes that are genuinely lovely to live in.

And for autumn, soft cotton needlecord feels like a very good place to begin.

Isabella x