I love a chunky piece of knitwear and those produced by Stanley Biggs had caught my eye. Their vintage style marketing, eye catching designs and colours grab the attention and I was able to try out a couple of their beautifully made jumpers.
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| Wearing the Stanley Biggs Shackleton roll neck jumper |
I tried the Stanley Biggs Shackleton roll neck in a much-admired Celtic green (above) and the collared Birkin jumper in a steely blue. Both are British-made, chunky, well-made and fit true to size. Paired with jeans, cords or tailored trousers they look good with brogues or boots.
I asked Stanley Biggs's founder, Sophie Bainbridge, to tell me more about the brand, its background and name, how she selects and designs products and her plans for the future:
GF: Hi Sophie, you are the owner of Stanley Biggs Clothiers, how did you come to start the brand?
SB: I suppose it came about when my husband and I started going out in 2013. We both wanted to be self employed so, along with normal plans of settling down, we always had running our own business in the forefront of our minds.
The ‘what’ and ‘how’ was something that always remained elusive to me, but Gary always knew he just lacked the confidence to take the leap. He is an incredibly talented graphic designer and historian and, with my go-to attitude and sales skills, we combined our talents and founded The Old Time Design Company in 2015.
The company focuses on a very niche market of high-quality reproduction and vintage inspired items from the 1940s era. It also serves as an outlet for our mutual love of history. It was an instant success and by the start of 2018 we were in a position where we could consider both of us going self-employed.
We had set a target of five years before we would consider this, so this really came as a surprise, we were two years ahead!
I was terrified by the idea. What was I going to do?! I had not thought about it at all! We had a house to pay for, places to visit, vintage cars to run… so, we ignored it and carried on as before. Then one evening in November, after a particularly gruelling week at work, I had what can only be described as an epiphany. That sudden realisation of, “What am I doing?? If I don’t do this now, I never will and no one else will do this for me.”
So, the next day I handed in my notice and planned to leave in December 2018 – To do what I still had not the faintest idea! While I figured this out, I set all my energies to review and expand The Old Time Design Company. Part of this review led to a long list of ideas that sat outside the existing business. That is effectively where the concept for a vintage inspired clothing brand was born.
By the end of March 2019 Stanley Biggs Clothiers was ready to launch.
Stanley Biggs - photo credits below
GF: Who was Stanley Biggs and how did you come to name the business after him?
SB: My husband and I share a keen interest in the Battle of Arnhem that occurred in September 1944. We regularly visit the little town of Oosterbeek that was caught up in the battle. There is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located there, and every year we visit to pay our respects.
My great grandmother was Elizabeth Biggs, so along with other family names, I looked for the name ‘BIGGS’ in the register. That is when I came across Private Stanley Douglas Biggs of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was born in London in 1919 and served in 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance as a Medical Orderly.
Since my first visit in 2012 I have visited the cemetery every September and lay a red rose at his grave, along with four others. It has become a small tradition of mine. Sadly, this year I will not be able to attend myself, but there will be red rose laid at his and the other’s headstones.
I mentioned I love history; well I began to research the men whose graves I visited. Luckily, the Battle has been thoroughly researched and I was incredibly lucky to be able to piece together a concise history of what happened to Stanley. There is even film footage of him during the Battle. I suppose because he has always been ever present in my association with the period, his name was never far from my thoughts… When it came to naming the brand, it was an easy decision.
GF: The word 'vintage' appears many times on the website - what inspired you to have a very vintage feel to the collection?
SB: If Stanley Biggs Clothiers was a stick of rock, the word running through its core would be 'Vintage Inspired'. Fashion by nature is more circular than people think and it is only from having an appreciation and knowledge of past styles and fashions, you realise just how many ‘modern’ brands and styles are unwittingly influenced by past tastes and trends.
To me, knowing the history of a specific style or pattern is just as important as knowing where and how each garment is made. Not only do we know where the fabrics are woven, dyed, milled etc and where the items are manufactured, we know the history of how that style was developed and its various incarnations over all that time.
The historian in me has not been able to resist learning as much as I can about the history and development of a specific style we choose to adopt. Every style has a tale, and that forms part of its identity. To finish, we name our garments after historic people or places allowing us to merge history to create our own unique narrative.
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| Stanley Biggs co-owner Sophie Bainbridge |
GF: Tell us about the products you sell. How do you select the styles, materials and designs?
SB: Well, each garment is meticulously developed. For us, it all begins with research. Research of the style, materials and designs, their origins and purpose. Then come the questions. Can that style be made honestly? Would it work in modern day? Can we take elements and amend without loosing its identity? Does it need amending at all?
From this, the right design and materials become apparent. Of course, sometimes the material will dictate the design and vice versa but you just go back to asking those same questions until you reach the finished product. This sounds obvious to say, but it is too easy to forget just how important the fabrics are in achieving the finished article. It is all very well getting a pattern drawn and cut, but if the weight and weave of the fabric is wrong, the garment can look entirely different to what you intended.
I suppose it is a rather unconventional way of developing and creating an item but if we cannot make something that is honest and know can stand the test of time, then it simply won’t be added to the collection. We have set our standards high and intend to keep it that way.
GF: You mention that many products are manufactured in the UK. Is this important to you? If so, why?
SB: Yes, we do have a high proportion of UK manufactured items, in fact most are made in the Midlands. The Midlands has a long and varied history in clothing manufacture; you won’t be surprised to hear that I have researched all this thoroughly as well!
I think it is a real shame that this is still a unique selling point for many clothing companies, especially by those who call and market themselves ‘British’ brands. UK manufacturing has existed for hundreds of years. Yes, it is smaller than it was, but it is very established and, in some cases, still considered to be the best in the world.
Take for example, the wool industry in the UK; the Ancient Britons were spinning and weaving wool way back in the Bronze Age (2500BC) and the process has changed little since. This small industry’s reputation is second to none but needs all the support it can get to remain true to itself. It represents a part of British history that should not be lost or forfeited.
Having said that, the brand is about inclusivity and celebrating the best in our history. We be foolish to turn away the opportunity to work with what the rest of the world has to offer. That goes for designs and styles as well. Our collared jumpers (the Birkin, Wallis and Stanley) is based on a Belgian design from 1936 for instance.
I would say that it is more important to us to work with the best in the industry and to use the finest materials available, regardless of where in the world they are located. It just so happens that Britain has a wealth of resources available and we are proud to champion that.
GF: Are there any products that you plan to sell in the future that you don't now?
SB: You are the first to hear of the new shirts that will be launched in the future. Simple and elegant in their design, our shirts embrace the 1930s style once more. That era provides so much in way of inspiration, it really is where modern clothing was established. We are currently in the middle of their creation and are enjoying going through the fabric and button selection. I will be sure to share the first look with you when its ready.
GF: How do you see Stanley Biggs developing as a business over the next few years?
SB: Without wanting to sound predictable, I am going to say ‘expansion’. We will be carefully adding to the range, in our own time, and with all the same care and consideration as before. We are actively speaking to stockists all over the world, meaning you won’t have to shop online if you don’t wish – a nice change after this last year!
We are also adding to the team who work behind the scenes; adding talent and skills that will only improve the products our customers enjoy. To think that the brand has become a part of their ‘every day’, their style, their look, is just… well, quite astounding!
If you think about it, it is highly personal. So, as we continue to grow, we need to keep sight of our own identity and values. Especially in this new era where more people are more considerate of what they wear and why.
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To browse Stanley Biggs products go to their website here.
This is an unsponsored feature. I was sent two products for review. All views on the products are mine alone.
Photo credits:
Stanley Biggs AW20 - Aimee Spinks Photography
SB Autumn2020 - Russell Cobb Photographer
Sophie Headshot - Flywheel Photography
