Prince Charles’s favourite shirtmaker has hired its first female creative director

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16th Oct 2019

It isn’t easy buying clothes when you’re royalty – or James Bond.

For one, you value discretion – you’d prefer privacy while you try things on. Second, you’re very particular about what you like – you have an image to uphold.

That’s where Turnbull & Asser come in. They’ve been making bespoke menswear – with a speciality in shirts – since 1885. In that time, they’ve dressed the likes of Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, Pablo Picasso, American president Ronald Reagan, and more. When Prince Charles – a fan since childhood – gained the power to issue Royal Warrants in 1980, his first was to Turnbull & Asser. They’ve also designed pieces worn by James Bond in several of the 007 movies and created the ties worn by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, amongst other film work. Devotees aren’t just men, either: actress Lauren Bacall frequently wore silk Turnbull & Asser shirts, for example. And they also don’t only do menswear; Sophia Lauren wore Turnbull & Asser pyjamas in A Countess from Hong Kong.

Yet the London-based label has never in its 134 years had a female creative director – until now.

“We have a talented team of creative thinkers and designers here,” says Becky French, who took the helm in February. “We are looking to harness elements of Turnbull’s history and nod to the past, but really it is about taking the values of craftsmanship and creativity, along with an elevated luxury taste level, to move things forward.”

“We have a lot of smart, ambitious, creative women and men in the business, and equality is important to us all.”

The label recently launched its first collection under French, who “grew up in a small town in the West Country” and worked under Ralph Lauren in New York (“Ralph loves Turnbull & Asser, and it was seen as a real source of English inspiration and exceptional quality,” she says) before returning to the UK in 2006 to join Aquascutum, later founding accessories label Marwood (in 2010) and freelancing for brands including Paul Smith before joining Turnbull & Asser in early 2018 as head of design. “A lot of this collection is still based on the business shirt, which we are known for, and we revived colour and fun in our shirts’ stripes and checks,” she explains.

But some changes are already evident. “The most important developments are in new fits. The collection features a lot more outerwear, where we have explored classic styling with functional fabrication. Every design at Turnbull should be purpose-driven and suitable for a modern lifestyle – that includes travel, cities and the countryside.”

Still, with customers like Prince Charles, French says a balance must be struck between adapting to changing times and tastes with still providing particular garments particular clients expect. “We need to move things on gradually. We can’t just do a massive facelift and expect to take people along with us – it would alienate loyal customers who we value dearly.”

And yet, like shifting gender roles and the culture itself (including James Bond, if Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comments on less sexist portrayals of female characters once the spy franchise’s latest outing arrives in cinemas in April 2020 are anything to go off), so too does French say Turnbull & Asser is changing. “Everyone is adapting to modernity, and society’s changing expectations when it comes to lifestyle and dress. We have to respond to social change in order to be relevant.”

French is currently focussing on launching a silk shirt collection, among other projects. Yet the classics are just that for a reason. French says it’s vital to also continue making what they’re known for, especially when some clients prefer things shaken, not stirred – or have “His Royal Highness” at the beginning of their name.

“Customers should come to Turnbull & Asser and find reliable, beautiful, classic pieces alongside some playful, confident and bold surprises. We have always offered choice, and this is something we all feel is important to continue.”

But, she adds: “It is important to be forward-thinking and progressive, otherwise we won’t last another 130-odd years. We haven’t been around this long by staying the same.”

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