Brand History
In 1913 Hawes & Curtis Ltd. was founded by two accomplished outfitters, Mr. Ralph Hawes and Mr. George Frederick Curtis, who opened the first store at 24 Piccadilly Arcade. From the beginning the heritage brand has been acclaimed by aristocracy and Hollywood's elite including the Duke of Windsor, Lord Mountbatten, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire.
Hawes & Curtis was the Duke of Windsor’s shirtmaker of choice and in 1922 he awarded the company with its first Royal Warrant. Hawes & Curtis specifically developed the iconic Windsor collar for him, which became an integral part of British fashion. The Windsor collar, also known as the full cutaway collar, was designed to match the wide Windsor knot made popular by the Duke. Today it is one of the essentials of contemporary shirt design.
In the 1930s, Hawes & Curtis created the backless evening waistcoat. When worn the waistcoat always remained in position under the tailcoat and was renowned for its comfort. Fred Astaire allegedly approached Hawes & Curtis to have one made of his very own, only to be regretfully refused due to the high demand for such garments from the British aristocracy.
By 1934 Hawes & Curtis had acquired seven shops situated on Jermyn Street and the Piccadilly Arcade with 12,000 regular account customers.
As a result of Hawes & Curtis’ commitment to impeccable service and product excellence, the brand was awarded four Royal Warrants. Officially granted to Hawes & Curtis in 1922 was the Royal Warrant of HRH the Prince of Wales, followed by the Royal Warrant of HRH King George VI in 1938. In 1948 Hawes & Curtis received a third Royal Warrant appointed by HRH King George VI. HRH the Duke of Edinburgh awarded a fourth Royal Warrant in 1957 which remained until 1985.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, Hawes & Curtis maintained a strong presence in the menswear fashion industry thanks to its managing director Mr. E.H. Watson who was the chairman of the British Fashion Council.
In 2002, award-winning businessman and entrepreneur, Touker Suleyman, bought Hawes & Curtis for £1 and has subsequently transformed it into a globally renowned and multichannel business.
In 2006 Hawes & Curtis launched its website, offering entire collections to a global audience and bringing Jermyn Street to the world.
Today Hawes & Curtis is famous for its quintessentially British menswear and womenswear ranges. Thanks to its rapid international expansion and prominent online presence, Hawes & Curtis is an internationally recognised brand attracting customers from around the world.