Every November for the past five years we’ve hosted a quail hunt for our top customers followed by a field party in the Virginia countryside. It’s an honor to give back to our most devoted customers, and especially in a way that feels true and authentic to our brand. To commemorate the
6th Annual Ledbury Quail Hunt, we brought back the popular Whitfield Hunting Shirt we originally released in 2015. The shirt was designed by our founder and CEO Paul Trible, who was inspired by his love of hunting while growing up in Virginia. Virginia Living recently awarded the shirt a "
Made in Virginia" award recognizing innovation and entrepreneurship in the Commonwealth. Here, we learned more about the style from Paul.
What is the origin of the name "Whitfield," and does it have significance?
The hunting shirt is named after my niece, Whitfield, who was born on the day the shirt was launched back in 2015. Now the
Ledbury Quail Hunt is part of her extended birthday celebration.
Her namesake was my wife's grandfather who spent his life hunting in Rockbridge County. Now at two years old, my niece loves the outdoors, so the name is a perfect fit.
How has your experience as a hunter influenced the overall design and function of the Whitfield?
I have been hunting with the same three friends for the better part of a decade. We all like to hunt and we all like our clothes, so they were the perfect sounding board for ideas.
The main feedback was to keep it simple, because simple things tend to last longer. Reinforce it in the places that matter (the right shoulder and elbow padding) and use a natural fabric that breathes and moves. Lastly, cut it to fit. It should still look good while remaining functional.
What distinguishes this shirt from other hunting shirts?
I shoot with my grandfather’s Browning Belgium. My bird jacket was passed down from my wife's grandfather. I wanted to create a hunting shirt, made by hand in our workshop in Richmond, that I would be proud to pass down to future generations.
Hunting is often misunderstood, but for me, it's about getting outdoors for fellowship with nature, family, and friends. Timeless pieces are small reminders of the generations past that sparked our love for the land.
How does the 2017 version of the Whitfield differ from the original style?
The only change from the original release was that we switched up the fabric. We lightened it up a bit with an army green color to blend in with the high grass of the fields where we hunt out in Goochland.
