Charvet
The Parisian shirtmaker others are measured against: thousands of fabrics, shirts made to order and one of the widest ranges of silk ties anywhere.
Why we chose them
Charvet opened in Paris in 1838 as the first shop devoted to shirts: the client is measured, chooses a cloth and has the shirt made by the house. Little about that has changed.
What sets the house apart is the choice: thousands of fabrics, and nothing on the shirt that announces where it came from. Those who know recognise the collar and the cloth.
It is also a house that looks after what it has made: collars and cuffs are replaced, ties remade. For shirts, this is the address we would name first.
What Charvet is known for
The shirt
The collar is built from six layers of unfused cloth, the left cuff is cut slightly longer to clear a watch, and the buttons are mother-of-pearl.
The cloth
Chosen from the shelves on Place Vendôme, among them the Mur des Blancs, a wall of white fabrics.
The ties
Cut from three pieces of silk at 45 degrees, then sewn and folded by hand. Seven-fold ties are made to order.
The silks
Printed silk dressing gowns, finished with tasselled belts. The house showed gowns with matching ties as early as 1927.
How a shirt is made here
Measured
At least 28 measurements are taken.
Choosing the cloth
On the third floor, from walls holding more than 6,000 fabrics.
The trial shirt
A first version in plain cotton settles the fit before the real cloth is cut.
Your decisions
Collar shape, depth and proportion, the cuff and the weight of the interlining are chosen by the client.
One maker
Each shirt is made by a single shirtmaker in the house's workshop in Saint-Gaultier. Allow about thirty days.
The house since 1838
Joseph-Christophe Charvet opens on rue de Richelieu: the first shop in Paris devoted to shirts.
Appointed shirtmaker to the Jockey Club.
The house moves to 25 Place Vendôme.
The silk-knot cufflink is introduced.
Denis Colban, the house's main fabric supplier, buys the firm and keeps it in French hands.
Move to 28 Place Vendôme, the present address.
Anne-Marie and Jean-Claude Colban take over the management.
Chanel acquires the house. The Colban family stays on through the transition.
28 Place Vendôme, floor by floor
As described in published accounts of the shop. The arrangement may have changed.
Silk accessories: ties, scarves and silk-knot cufflinks.
Children's shirts.
Ready-to-wear blouses.
Bespoke shirts, with the walls of fabric.
Ready-to-wear shirts and at-home clothing.
Men's tailoring, with some 4,500 bolts of cloth.
Before you go
Do I have to come to Paris?
For a bespoke shirt, yes. Fittings usually take a couple of appointments over three to four days; the finished shirt can be shipped.
What does a bespoke shirt cost?
From about €480, as reported in late 2025. Ask the house for current prices.
Is there a minimum order?
No. A single shirt is enough.
Can a worn shirt be repaired?
Yes. The house replaces frayed collars and cuffs and remakes ties on request.
Where can I find pre-owned pieces?
At Sanpetuna, when they come in. Each piece is inspected by hand before it is listed.
How to reach the house
28 Place Vendôme
The only shop the house runs itself. Shirts are made to order here, from a single piece.
When you get in touch, mention that you found the house through Sanpetuna.