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Category Archives: Fashion and Clothing
Greenwoods – ‘For Mens Wear’
From a single hat shop in Bradford, Greenwoods expanded to become the largest privately owned men’s outfitter in Britain. It was a ubiquitous presence in high streets from the 1930s until 2019. The story begins in 1860, when the Greenwood … Continue reading
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Alexandre, Alexander the Great Tailor, and Claude Alexander ‘The Scottish Tailors’
The need for uniforms during the Great War gave multiple tailors the opportunity to develop their manufacturing facilities. Its aftermath, with a renewed demand for ‘civvies’, allowed them to build up chains of shops offering affordable ‘bespoke’ tailoring, made in … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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The Bon Marché in Victorian Britain
The name Bon Marché (meaning cheapness or a good bargain) has featured on high streets throughout the British Isles for 150 years, but was especially fashionable in the last quarter of the 19th century. The modern clothing chain Bonmarché, founded … Continue reading
Posted in Department Stores, Fashion and Clothing
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The Fifty Shilling Tailors and John Collier
The Fifty Shilling Tailors was one of the most successful ‘wholesale bespoke tailors’ on the British high street through the 1920s, 30s and 40s. In later years, when it became impossible to sell a made-to-measure suit of clothes for a … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing, Spotter's Guides
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Foster Brothers
Circumstances surrounding the founding and naming of Foster Brothers, the men’s clothing retailer, are rather mysterious. When the founder, William Foster (1852-1914) died, his obituaries noted that he had opened his first shop with his brother in Pontefract in 1876. … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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A Brief History of Wallis
The Wallis chain of women’s fashion shops was a familiar presence on British high streets for 97 years. It started out as a standard ‘costumier’, selling dresses and coats – called ‘mantles’ in the trade – including furs. The first … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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Multiple Multiples: Disentangling the Story of Millets
Millets, the outdoor retail specialist, has maintained a strong presence on the British High Street for over 100 years. Recently I began to dig into Millets’ company history for my forthcoming book on chain stores. Before long I had stumbled … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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The Story of Dorothy Perkins
Dorothy Perkins, like Etam, started out as a specialist in ladies’ underwear and lingerie. As with Burton, Dorothy Perkins’ stablemate in the Arcadia retail group, the commonly related history of the company doesn’t always fit the evidence. The usual version … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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Spotting Historic Shopfronts: Baldock
A plum spot on the Great North Road meant that the small market town of Baldock in Hertfordshire became an ideal staging post for people journeying north from London. From the 17th century onwards it was chock-a-block with coaching inns, … Continue reading
The Story of Dunn the Hatter
Introduction Dunn & Co. was the most recognisable chain of men’s hatters throughout the first three-quarters of the 20th century. By the late 1920s it was also a men’s outfitters. A failure to keep up with changing fashions – which … Continue reading
Posted in Fashion and Clothing
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Building Our Past 