Henry Poole & Co

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Henry Poole & Co.
Private
Industry Retailer
Founded London, England (1806)
Headquarters London, England
Key people
James Poole, Founder
Angus Cundey, Owner
Simon Cundey, Director
Products Clothing, Fashion
Website www.henrypoole.com
Henry Poole & Co on Savile Row, London (2014)
File:Savile Row- Tailoring at Henry Poole and Co., London, England, UK, 1944 D21869.jpg
Customers examine the wares of Henry Poole and Co. in their 18th century showroom on Savile Row (1944)
File:Savile Row- Tailoring at Henry Poole and Co., London, England, UK, 1944 D21864.jpg
A view of the workroom at Henry Poole and Co., showing tailors at work on various types of jacket, including a naval officer's jacket, second from right on the rear row. The men are all sitting on the workbenches. (1944)
File:72MM 14 DominicJames 2550 (a).jpg
The model David Gandy wearing a bespoke suit by Henry Poole & Co (2014)

Henry Poole & Co is a gentleman's bespoke tailor located at №15 Savile Row in London. The acknowledged 'Founders of Savile Row' and creators of the Dinner Jacket, the company has remained a family-run business since their establishment in 1806.

History

The business opened first in Brunswick Square, in 1806, originally specializing in military tailoring, with particular merit at the time of the Battle of Waterloo. Their business moved to Savile Row in 1846, following the death of founder James Poole. Henry Poole ran the business until his death in 1876, and was succeeded by cousin Samuel Cundey, whose legacy continued, for five generations, to the present-day owners Angus Cundey and son Simon.

The company still holds many Royal Warrants, and services the Lord Chamberlain's office with court dress, with their livery department even creating uniforms for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. The company are also credited with the creation of the Dinner Suit. In 2006, the company celebrated their bicentennial with a refurbishment of their premises and 2007 saw a re-issue of a suiting material made famous by Winston Churchill, a Henry Poole customer who ordered his first suit 100 years ago.

The Tuxedo

In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales to wear at informal dinner parties at Sandringham. In 1886, a Mr. James Potter of Tuxedo Park, New York visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham House. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince’s tailors, Henry Poole & Co.

When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club “stag” dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America.[1]

Warrants

Henry Poole has had customers who belonged to royalty and the highest aristocracy. Amongst the many customers who issued official warrants or were regulars were:

  • HIM Emperor Napoleon III 1858
  • HRH The Prince of Wales 1863
  • HRH The Duke of Edinburgh 1868
  • HRH The Crown Prince of Prussia 1868
  • HM Queen Victoria 1869
  • HM The King of the Beligians 1869
  • HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark 1869
  • HRH The Prince of Teck 1870
  • HRH Prince Christian of Schleswig–Holstein 1870
  • The Khedive of Egypt 1870
  • HRH Prince Oscar of Sweden & Norway 1871
  • HM King Amadeus I of Spain 1871
  • HRH Prince Louis of Hesse 1871
  • HRH Crown Prince of Russia 1874
  • HIM The Emperor Pedro II of Brazil 1874
  • HIM Tsar Alexander II of Russia 1875
  • HM The King of Hellenes 1877
  • HI&RH The Crown Prince of Austria 1878
  • HM King Umberto I of Italy 1879
  • HIM Emperor Wilhelm I of Germany
  • HIM Tsar Alexander III of Russia 1881
  • HG The Duke of Genoa 1891
  • HG Friedrich, Grossherzog of Baden 1891
  • HG The Duke of Aosta 1892
  • HRH Prince Emanuel of Savoie 1892
  • HIM The Shah of Persia
  • HM The King of Denmark 1893
  • HM King Edward VII 1902
  • HRH Prince Albrecht of Prussia 1903
  • HH The Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda 1905
  • HIM The Shah of Persia 1906
  • The Khedive of Egypt 1910
  • HM Queen Alexandra 1911
  • HRH The Prince of Wales 1922
  • The Imperial Household of Japan 1923
  • HM King George V 1928
  • HM The King of the Bulgarians 1936
  • HM King George VI 1940
  • HIM Emperor Haile Selassie 1959
  • HM Queen Elizabeth II 1976

See also

References

  1. "The Henry Poole Story: The Tuxedo". Henry Poole and Co.
  • Stephen Howarth: Henry Poole: Founders of Savile Row - The Making of a Legend. Godalming: Bene Factum, 2003. ISBN 978-1-903071-06-9

External links


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