UK. British shirtmaker T.M. Lewin has opened its first UK airport store at Manchester T1. The 110sq m outlet offers a full range of tailored men’s suits, shirts, ties and cufflinks. Womenswear includes shirts, suits, knitwear and accessories, while a variety of casual shirts aims to appeal to holidaymakers.
T.M. Lewin Chief Executive Geoff Quinn said: “Manchester is one of the UK’s busiest airports and we’re absolutely delighted to have opened there this summer. We have just announced annual sales of over £83 million and sales in the first three months of the new financial year were up by +27%. With the opening of our first airport store we will be able to reach more customers and offer travellers business wear at affordable prices.”
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Photos by Michael Fryer |
The store aims to keeps a firm eye on the brand’s heritage, with framed newspaper cuttings and original catalogues among the memorabilia on display celebrating founder Thomas Mayes Lewin. As well as inventing the detachable-sleeved surgeon’s shirt, in 1905 Lewin introduced the groundbreaking “˜coat shirt’, with buttons down the front rather than styled like a smock and pulled over the head.
And, looking to the future, T.M. Lewin sees travel retail as part of its expansion plans. “Hopefully we’ll become synonymous with airports one day, in the same way that we have with railway stations,” Director Robert Isaac told The Moodie Report at the store’s VIP launch on Tuesday. The retailer has stores at stations such as London Euston, Victoria and Waterloo in London, and in Leeds.
Among the items on sale are several new ranges for autumn. The brand new Red Label traditional suits are tailored in classic designs, including plain weaves, pinstripes, herringbones and Prince of Wales checks, with the emphasis on durability and practicality.
The 100% cotton Non-Iron shirts come in a variety of styles and colours targeting “the discerning traveller and time-strapped man”, while fully fitted John Francomb shirts can be worn for both business and casual wear, characterised by contrasting fabrics inside the collar and cuffs, different button tones and ribbon in the collar.
For women, the focus for the season is on soft knits, statement coats and classic tailoring. The collection includes a raspberry fitted coat, bold striped shirts in red or black with white collar and cuffs, and a purple and black textured version of the popular spring lime and green coat. Also introduced is the Love Lewin Collection, which features frills, neck bows and prints.
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The Manchester Airport outlet is the seventh opened by T.M. Lewin in 2010, and takes the network to 81 branches and nine concessions, with plans for around ten further openings before the end of the year.
ABOUT T.M. LEWIN
The company was founded in 1898 in London’s Jermyn Street, the home of the bespoke tailored shirt, and until 2000 operated from four stores in and around London.
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