Our ongoing collaboration with the estate of Alexander Girard continues with Jacks (1961), a print developed during his tenure as Head of Fabric and Textile Design at Herman Miller. Created at a more established moment in his career, the design reflects a fully realized exploration of pattern, color, and the broader role of textiles within modernist interiors.

The print draws from the familiar form of children’s jacks game pieces, rendered in a abstract geometric pattern that balances playfulness with structure. This approach places Jacks within a broader mid-century context, where artists and designers blurred the line between fine art and everyday objects. Aspects of Bauhaus, futurist, and modernist abstraction can be seen in its reductive forms and rigid composition, while the grid-like layout nods to Girard’s interest in creating textiles as architectural elements.

To continue Girard’s emphasis of quality craftsmanship, we had Jacks meticulously reengineered by our Italian partner mill on a summer-weight 100% cotton poplin. Each color was matched to its original Pantone, and extra care was taken to ensure pigments hold fast and resist bleeding. This is the first time Jacks has been printed on clothing.

Formal or casual, tucked or untucked, our easy-wearing shirts are an obvious choice for all occasions.