The Rise of the Fourth Conglomerate

As you may have already noticed, British heritage is big news at the moment. Everyone’s trying to get a little piece of Britain, no one however as much as Li & Fung it would seem. 

When we think of conglomerates we obviously jump straight to the likes of LVMH, however Li & Fung are causing a stir in the industry and are looking to become big news. China is constantly emerging, Li and Fung is a trading empire founded in Hong Kong. William Fung along with his brother Victor Fung are slowly but surely buying up the whole of Savile Row. 

The family already controls Gieves & Hawkes, Hardy Amies and Kent & Curwen and now they have recently purchased Savile row tailor Kilgour, who has dresses a-listers from Daniel Craig to Jude Law. Fung Capital, a venture capital arm of Li & Fung, is said to acquire a third brand from Savile Row within the next six months to form part of its new portfolio called Savile Row Brands. It seems the Far East are really looking in to investing in British Heritage and I feel this may just be the beginning of an Asian take over.

Vivienne Westwood Collaborates with Top Heritage Brands

Legendary (and slightly crazy) British designer Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with 5 quality British brands to create a small collection of mens accessories. British heritage is getting a real push at the moment and this latest collection just emphasizes that. The collection is a celebration of quality, craftsmanship and the brands that pride themselves on being ‘Made in Britain’. One of the most notorious names teaming up with Westwood is prestigious luggage manufacturer Globetrotter. The tartan-lined suitcases come with leather luggage belts and straps in Westwood’s distinct squiggle print, and are finished off with foil embossed luggage tags. The other brands collaborating with Westwood are Gloverall; known for their duffle coats, Lock & Co esteemed London hatters, Johnstons of Elgin known for their quality scarves and Pantherella who produce socks, so keep your eyes open boys for your head to toe Vivienne Westwood fix. The collection will be available from www.viviennewestwood.co.uk from November.  

Sunspel: Selling Heritage

British clothing label ‘Sunspel’ have created a short film entitled ‘A Day in the Life of a British Clothing Factory’, the title says it all really. 
It beautifully demonstrates the (small) manufacturing base that some people forget we still have in the UK. Moreover it’s an intimate reminder of the sometimes forgotten relationship between what we wear and the lives of the people who actually sit down and make our clothes. Sunspel have been a classic British clothing manufacturer since 1860 so they’ve got quite some history behind them, this film sells their heritage perfectly, and gives a private peep in to the precise and devoted production of their garments.
If you’ve got a couple of minutes to spare take a look.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BRITISH CLOTHING FACTORY from Sunspel Clothing on Vimeo.