For more than 85 years, Scabal has occupied a distinctive position in the world of menswear—not as a fashion house chasing seasons or trends, but as a custodian of cloth. Founded in Brussels in 1938, the family-owned company has built its reputation on producing some of the world’s finest suiting fabrics, controlling every step of the process from raw wool to finished textile. In an industry increasingly driven by speed and scale, Scabal’s commitment to quality, responsibility, and made-to-order craftsmanship has allowed it to remain relevant across generations.
A Legacy Woven in Cloth
That philosophy was on full display in India during The Surrealism Soiree, where Scabal unveiled a showcase that brought together heritage fabrics and the surreal imagination of Salvador Dalí. The logistical challenge of transporting original artworks halfway across the world was significant, admits Gregor Thissen, executive chairman of Scabal, but one the brand felt compelled to take on. “Even getting the paintings to India was a bit of a nightmare, logistically speaking—getting them through customs and everything. It was a bit of a challenge, but they came in just in time,” he said while speaking exclusively to Robb Report India.
At the heart of Scabal’s longevity, Thissen believes, is an unwavering adherence to core values rather than fleeting relevance. “The fact that we’ve stuck to our values over the years has really allowed us to stay on top of the game,” he says. Chief among these is quality. “When you ask about values, the first thing that comes to mind is quality—intrinsic quality of the product.” This commitment is reinforced by Scabal’s control over its entire value chain, from sourcing wool to weaving cloth in its own factory. “We know which wool goes into it, how it’s spun, woven, finished, and so on. That’s really part of our core values,” he says.
Values That Have Endured
Responsibility, too, is deeply embedded in Scabal’s DNA. The brand operates on a make-to-order model, deliberately distancing itself from fast fashion. “Our business model itself is responsible—we only make to order. We don’t do fast fashion,” Thissen says. For Thissen, responsibility extends beyond environmental concerns to include people—both customers and craftsmen: “We treat them with respect, and for our customers, it’s about giving them what we promise. Transparency and authenticity are very important to us.”
When it comes to defining the perfect Scabal fabric, Thissen speaks in sensorial and technical terms. “One is comfort—the feeling when you touch a fabric. You immediately know whether it’s good or not,” he explains. Durability and wearability matter just as much, as does colour—a deceptively complex aspect of textile creation. “Colour is very intricate. You can get it just right or completely wrong,” he says. Practical considerations also come into play, particularly for the modern, well-travelled customer. “A good fabric recovers very quickly, and that really comes down to the wool you use,” he adds.
That recovery, he explains, is determined by the natural curvature of wool fibres. “If you have elasticity in the fibre, you’ll have elasticity in the yarn and in the cloth. That’s what allows the fabric to recover quickly.” It is this attention to material science that underpins even Scabal’s most imaginative creations.
Where Craft Meets Imagination
Beyond technical excellence, Scabal has consistently explored the emotional dimension of dressing through creative storytelling—most notably in its long-standing dialogue with the work of Salvador Dalí. “The second is the creative side—giving the cloth emotional value,” Thissen says. Whether through diamond dust, lapis lazuli stone particles, or painterly references, the aim is to elevate fabric beyond function. “It’s about taking the cloth beyond being just a cloth and associating it with a reflection or concept.”
Lapis lazuli, for instance, appealed to Scabal not only for its legendary associations but also for its visual power. “Beyond that legend, it also has an incredible deep blue colour,” he smiles. These layers of meaning, Thissen suggests, give the wearer something intangible—an emotional connection that defines quality at its highest level.
That definition has evolved subtly over time. Having joined Scabal in 1991 and becoming Executive Chairman in 2013, Thissen views dressing today less as accumulation and more as choice. “What I would add today is the element of time and freedom—the freedom to choose and the time to have something made.” In an era of immediacy, the ability to slow down—to select a fabric, to have a suit made—is, to him, the ultimate indulgence. “That freedom—to choose something that truly corresponds to you and the occasion—is real.”
India, he notes, is uniquely receptive to this philosophy, particularly when it comes to expressive fabrics like the Dalí collection. “Indian customers aren’t afraid to be bold, especially for weddings, but also in general.” This cultural confidence made India a natural destination for the showcase—one where heritage, craftsmanship, and creativity intersect.
Dalí’s works themselves, Thissen admits, took time to fully appreciate. “Dalí is not for everyone,” he says candidly. But with deeper engagement came admiration for the painter’s technical brilliance and intellectual depth. “He wasn’t just eccentric—he was an outstanding painter.” More compelling still was Dalí’s contemplation of fashion itself—its past, present, and future. “There’s a tremendous amount of intelligence in these works, which isn’t obvious at first glance but becomes fascinating once you dive deeper.”
Translating that complexity from canvas to cloth is no small feat. “That’s the job of our design team, and it’s not easy,” Thissen says. By extracting colours, shapes, and compositional elements from each painting, the team ensures that “each fabric is closely related to its corresponding painting.” The result is not a literal translation, but a woven interpretation—one that requires deep knowledge of weaving techniques and textile design.
This willingness to embrace creative risk, Thissen explains, was inherited from his father, who first initiated such collaborations. “Every time you introduce what might seem like a crazy idea, you’re taking a risk.” Yet it is precisely this openness that has kept Scabal dynamic. “Bringing edgy ideas to the table stimulates creativity…that openness is really embedded in our DNA.”
Looking ahead, Thissen sees Scabal’s future as a careful balance between continuity and evolution. While new product categories and geographies may emerge, the fundamentals will remain unchanged. “What will never change is our commitment to excellence, quality, and proper sourcing.” Fast fashion is firmly off the table. “Our trajectory remains true to our values.”
For the next generation—possibly one of his four children—the challenge will be navigating modernity without diluting heritage. “You have to do both,” Thissen says. “That’s the task for the next generation.”
