Rampley & Co Pocket Squares: Our Design Process

The pocket square is an accessory that is steeped in history, and we pride ourselves in keeping its traditional elements alive in our company today. We place a lot of emphasis on unique designs and quality craftsmanship when creating a Rampley & Co pocket square and we’ve explained below what goes into each of our products. For more background on the pocket square as an accessory you can also read our History Of The Pocket Square article. 

At Rampley & Co our aim is to create pocket squares that are more interesting than the classic paisley, polka dots and flat colours you see with most squares and a lot of the inspiration behind our ranges is taken from art, history and architecture. Our core focus is to produce a product that is not only beautiful and truly unique, but that also tells a story, be that of the painting itself, or the artist or designer behind the work.

For example our William Swainson Collection is based on the sketches of a 19th century ornithologist whose work we’d always loved and who lived a quite remarkable life as well as producing some truly beautiful images of birds. Similarly, each of our Fine Art Collection has a remarkable back story and you’ll often find us discussing at length the story behind the Death Of Major Peirson or the artist John Singleton Copley. 

All of our squares are designed in London and we always ensure that every item is as detailed as the last, taking time to perfect the borders and colour palettes to ensure it’s not only beautiful as a square but provides a number of fold opportunities in the pocket. In terms of actual production, the town of Macclesfield in the UK is globally renowned for the quality of their silk printing, and we use a renowned mill, whose history and pattern books dating back hundreds of years give you a real sense of tradition and craftsmanship.

As well as using traditional pocket square materials such as silk, we also wanted to look into ways of utilising different fabrics and textures while keeping the focus on British heritage. This led to the creation of our Harris Tweed collection, where we rework a traditional British material to breathe new life into the pocket square and create something that perfectly compliments a tweed jacket. For this product we’ve also picked out a colour from within the weave and chosen to overlock the edges in a matching tone. This process is all done in Britain and we feel it provides a perfect contrasting edge that jumps from the pocket. You can find out more about about how the material is weaved in our Guide To Harris Tweed.

Nevertheless, there are also certain, defining elements of the pocket square that we wouldn’t want to change. Hand-rolled edging is one such thing, and is often listed as the single most important feature of a pocket square.

To achieve the perfect hand-rolled edge you have to roll the hem of the material very tightly with a series of dense stitches (making them nearly invisible on both sides). This lends the pocket square’s hem a plump, refined finish, unlike a machine-finished edge which can have loose threads and generally look flatter.

To compliment the hand rolled edges we also employ leading hand embroiders in Hand & Lock, established in 1767, for all of our monogramming and bespoke products. Every letter is painstaking sewed by hand and this provides a lovely personal touch to our squares. 

We take a lot of pride in producing our pocket squares and always aim to provide a unique and refined product for the gentleman who appreciates quality.