We are highly anticipating the arrival of SEH. Kelly, a brand that specialise in production here on home turf using British Mills and factories to produce high quality workwear inspired garments that exemplify refinement and style. We didn't feel there would be any better way than to interview them ourselves to find out who they are, why they're doing it and how they're going about it as well as a few other things along the way. The pieces really are fantastic in the flesh, and the garments they have produced are a real tribute to the British clothing industry. This is by no means an easy task they have burdened themselves with, but to see two people doing it for all the right reasons, and most importantly, enjoying themselves along the way is something we advocate at the store, and the people (Sarah and Paul) behind the brand played as much a role in the very quick decision made to stock these guys. We hope the road from here is long and look forward to working closely with them over the next couple of years. Enjoy reading.
First of all, can you tell us who is behind the brand, a little about your background, and what inspired you to start your own label?
There's two of us: Sara Kelly and Paul Vincent. We've worked in the clothing industry in London for the best part of a decade, most recently for a house on Savile Row.
Savile Row was a terrific place to work; inspirational, day-in day-out -- partly because of the associated craft of bespoke tailoring and the fame and heritage of the houses, and partly because we were privileged to work alongside some of the best mills and factories in the country. This was what really spurned on the founding of the label: the chance to do something new -- to make garments more suited for everyday wear -- with all those people and establishments encountered during our time on the Row.
'Made in England' represents quality and heritage now, but British clothing industry has had its ups and downs over the past century. What is the state of English mills and factories today and does this fill you with hope for the future of the industry?
Happily, there are many mills and factories across the country that are thriving: long-running establishments that do what they do incomparably well, and have done for many years.
Others have fallen behind, struggle for regular trade, or have ceased trading completely. This has sadly been the case for decades. It's something we encountered during our time on the Row, and several times during the first 12 months of the label, too.
Nonetheless, right now, we work with some great establishments; places which provide expertise and standards that you really won't find anywhere else in the world. And our contacts list is by no means exhaustive -- we're sure there's plenty more to learn.
So, yes, it has taken its knocks over the years, but the industry's by no means down and out.
We understand that everything you use is produced here in the British Isles. How difficult is something like this to achieve? You must have spent a long time on the road.
It's not the most expedient route, no, but we find it nothing but a pleasure. And it's a constant learning experience.
We do travel a fair bit -- in the past few months, to the Cotswolds, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and up to Cumbria -- and while some mills and factories are tucked away and are rarely the easiest places to hunt down, doing so is probably the best part of the job.
We've been very fortunate, over the years, to make a good bunch of acquaintances in domestic industry. They've been unfailingly supportive in the past 12 month, and we've found that the more you scratch the surface, the more you find.
How does this collection compare to your expectations when you created the brand?
What some might see as a downside to the approach are the limits placed on cloths and, in particular, trims. But the challenge is a good one. It means there are some things you'll never be able to do, but that makes you look closer at and get the most from the materials you do have to hand. It keeps us focused and helps maintain a certain continuity and simplicity to our methods. It suits us well, and in that sense, the collection is close to what we expected, yes.
Brands have tried to keep their clothing production close to home in the past, and many have failed with attempts to keep price points low and the closure of factories. Do you feel this is a fundamental ethos in the maturation of SEH. Kelly?
It is fundamental and always will be. It's our sole reason for starting up. It's not a jingoistic thing; we just happen to take pleasure from working with English mills and factories, and happily, they're not far from our doorstep.
Price-points and other issues we just roll with. It'll never be the most profitable approach to making clothes, but we find it very rewarding in other ways. We have full faith in the establishments we have alongside us today, and have no reason not to be confident that we'll work with steadily more in the months and years ahead. Plenty of reasons to be cheerful, all told.
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