Viyella is an old name in British fashion - always familiar. I became curious about the brand recently when I saw that they had used an older male model in their advertising. Any company which recognises that older men are interested in, and buy, good clothes gets my support - so here we are.
Viyella began in 1784 when five Nottinghamshire businessmen founded a spinning mill in Pleasley Vale. By the 1860’s the company had established itself as a producer of high quality yarns. In 1894 Viyella cloth was born – a combination of soft wool and crisp cotton. In 1960 the company received the Queen’s Royal Warrant; it was bought by the Austin Reed Group in 2009 and aims to build on the core values of the brand and produce exciting contemporary collections.
In my search for style I look for classics with a twist. I like the way Viyella have achieved this, with bright colours and restrained, but not too conventional, styling. An emphasis on quality means that these are grown-up clothes, made to last. The emphasis is on British country, casual and sporting styles, with boating blazers, bright chinos, linen jackets and quilted outerwear.
See Viyella's website to buy online or in-store and at Austin Reed.
