Viyella by Deacon Brothers Vintage Tartan Shirt | Size M

Red. Plaid. Wool. This shirt has been cool since before cool was a thing.

Viyella is not just a brand — it's a piece of textile history. First woven in England in 1893, Viyella was the first branded fabric in the world Wikipedia — a proprietary blend of merino wool and cotton that became legendary for its softness, warmth, and durability. British army officers wore it. Prep school kids wore it. Laura Ashley used it. And now it's here, in your size, in one of the most iconic colourways ever put on a shirt.

Deacon Brothers was a Belleville, Ontario company — a Canadian clothier that held the Viyella licence and manufactured shirts domestically using the authentic Scottish-woven wool and cotton blend. This is genuinely Made in Canada, from a company with deep Ontario roots. That combination of British textile heritage and Canadian manufacturing craftsmanship is increasingly rare and genuinely valuable.

This particular piece is made by Deacon Brothers, a Canadian licensee of the Viyella brand — which dates this shirt to the 1970s or 80s and makes it a genuine piece of vintage Canadian clothing heritage. The fabric is the real deal: that characteristic merino wool and cotton twill blend that feels soft against the skin, regulates temperature beautifully, and has a weight and hand that modern flannel simply cannot replicate. It's warm without being heavy. Cosy without being shapeless.

The tartan is a bold Royal Stewart-style plaid — vivid red ground with navy, forest green, golden yellow, and white crosshatching. It's a classic that has never gone out of style and never will. The construction is everything you'd expect from a quality vintage piece: button-down front with original amber resin buttons, dual chest patch pockets with buttoned flaps, a crisp pointed collar, long sleeves with single-button cuffs, and a back box pleat for ease of movement.

This shirt shows the gentle wear you'd expect from a well-loved vintage piece — it has lived a little, which is exactly the point. Please note it may run slightly smaller than a standard modern medium, possibly due to laundering over the years — check measurements carefully.

Pieces like this are not being made anymore. The original Viyella wool-cotton blend fabric no longer exists in production. What you're holding is the real thing.

WHY WE LOVE IT: Vintage Viyella is a collector's fabric — soft, warm, and historically significant as the world's first branded cloth. The Deacon Brothers label makes this a genuine piece of Canadian vintage. The Royal Stewart tartan is timeless in the truest sense — it has looked exactly this good for over a century and will for another. This is the shirt you grab when everything else feels like a compromise.

HOW TO STYLE IT: Wear open over a white fitted tee with straight leg jeans and white sneakers for an effortless vintage-inspired casual look. Button it fully and tuck into high-waisted dark trousers with loafers for a preppy heritage moment. Layer under a chunky knit vest or over a thermal undershirt for cosy autumn dressing. Tie it at the waist over a midi skirt for a cottagecore-meets-heritage vibe that's completely current. Style with a camel coat thrown over the top and you're done — no effort required.

MEASUREMENTS:

• Size on Label: M/M - definitely runs small
• Bust: 36"
• Length: approximately 22"
• Sleeve: approximately 18"
• Please note: may run smaller than a modern medium — likely due to laundering history. Check measurements carefully.
• Fabric: Merino wool / cotton blend (classic Viyella twill)
• Condition: Vintage — shows expected gentle wear consistent with age.
  No holes or damage noted.