“I’ve always felt powerful in a shirt,” Jonas Riegal, Creative Director of JLR, declares as we sit down in his brand’s flagship boutique. “Ever since I was a child, it has been the most core ingredient to how I dress, beginning as a uniform for boarding school and then naturally extending to a uniform for life when my parents created JLR.” Founded in 1995 (when Riegal was twelve years old), by Véronique and Jean-Laurent Riegal, the brand was born to continue a passion that had shaped the family for decades before. “My father’s parents started a women’s shirt factory and business when they moved to France, so quality shirting became ingrained in my father’s cultural identity. After he met my mother, they tried and tested other types of businesses together, but shirting was what my father knew and loved, so that’s what led to the original creation of JLR.”

Evidently the symbol of a long-term family legacy, the brand’s meticulous business model specialises solely in made-to-measure shirts. Custom tailored to each element of a client’s upper-frame, JLR’s success lies in its ability to serve unique pieces which promise to last nothing short of a lifetime. “Our community of customers come from all corners of the globe, and range from lawyers and doctors to business owners,” Jonas describes. “Their lifestyles may differ, but one thing that connects them is the understanding that a custom-made shirt is a companion for life: as much of a piece of armour as a suit. But that’s not to say it has to restrict you; in fact, comfort is key to feeling powerful in any formal garment, as it opens up the possibilities of places you can wear it. Our objective at JLR is to dress men for the boardroom and beyond.”

The spectrum of possibilities for designs with JLR are clear as soon as you step into the brand’s inaugural store, located in Paris’ illustrious 8th Arrondissement. A historic home to the city’s most luxury addresses, JLR has been based here ever since its inception, and has since opened two more stores across the River Seine in the 6th and 16th. “When it came to opening this first store, my parents wanted to be in a prime luxury location with a lot of traffic – somewhere you could see the shop and stop easily,” Jonas says. “We’re distinctive from outside thanks to our extensive range of fabrics on display.”

A large selection of those fabrics are sourced from Thomas Mason, as pointed out by Jonas when asked about his personal preferences. “I’m a huge fan of the classic cotton shirt, and as one of the first factories to manufacture this material, I’ll always recommend Thomas Mason’s options to clients,” he states. “We never go under a certain quality level with our choices; the lowest ply we have is 100, and this then goes up to 300 with a bunch of levels in between.” As for his go-to textural pick? “It’s got to be Thomas Mason’s herringbone, as it’s a very bright fabric and doesn’t wrinkle much, so it accommodates a lot of scenarios. This is the texture I’ve long turned to when crafting my day-to-day shirts.”

After selecting a fabric from the myriad of options available, Jonas and his team work to take each individual measurement for the perfect fit, and the client then chooses the colour, collar and style of cuffs in accordance with their taste. “These days, we’re finding that more and more people want their initials embroidered on the cuffs, which we love to do as it really gives each shirt a personalised finish,” Jonas says. “People are also prioritising more comfort with their clothing since the pandemic, so this has allowed us to sell a broader collection of styles, which we’re really happy about. Aside from the classic dress shirt, we have the weekender shirt, which maintains a really good structure without a tie. Then there’s the cuban shirt, which is an excellent casual option as it’s detailed with four pockets and therefore expresses more of a safari stance. This is popular with our clients today, as well as designs made from denim.”

Shirts are stitched at JLR’s factory in Normandy, with a production time of three to four weeks. A fast turnaround considering the unique nature of each garment, it has been a key factor in garnering the brand’s loyal clientele. Jonas Riegal’s personal style convictions have also played a good part in its success. “When it comes to clothing, I prioritise timeless silhouettes and enduring quality – two factors people associate Paris with a lot,” he says. “While we do have a goal to develop JLR with stores in other countries, our business is wholeheartedly French, so we’ll always make sure to serve the most exceptional service to reflect Paris’ classic cultural identity. Ultimately, our shirts at JLR are like canvases of the city, because they stand the test of time. I think there’s real power in that.”

Photography by Mike Cornelus