Hear the word ‘corduroy’ and you might think, ‘Brown, mustard, schoolmaster, country, cold weather…’ And you’d be totally justified. Yet in one brief visit to Anna Mason’s London atelier, my world (of work, as a fashion writer) was turned upside down. Mason’s handling of corduroy sealed the deal for me committing to this column today.

Corduroy is historically linked to heavy-duty clothes that can withstand long days of hard wear. It has been used in such sporting garments as breeches and hunting jackets. In terms of modern-day fashion, it peaked in the 1970s with an anti-establishment, free-spirited vibe: think burnt-orange flares.

Today, these vanilla corduroy jogging pants (vanilla corduroy?!) are a refreshing point of difference. The pockets are a feature, but cut in such a way that they don’t create bulk. The elastic at the rear of the waistband offers support without overzealous ruching. Side-zips at the ankle are a sweet detail, elegant with heels.