Henry Poole & Co

Infobox_Company
company_
company_name = Henry Poole & Co.
company_type = Private
foundation = London, England (1806)
location = flagicon|UK London, England
key_people = James Poole, Founder
Angus Cundey, Owner
Simon Cundey, Director
industry = Retailer
products = Clothing, Fashion
homepage = [http://www.henrypoole.com/ www.henrypoole.com]

Henry Poole & Co is a gentleman's bespoke tailor located at Unicode|№15 Savile Row in London. The acknowledged 'Founders of Savile Row' and creators of the Tuxedo, the company has remained a family-run business since their establishment in 1806. They opened first in Brunswick Square, in 1806, originally specializing in military tailoring, with particular merit at the time of the Battle of Waterloo. Their business moved to Savile Row in 1846, following the death of founder James Poole.

Henry Poole ran the business until his death in 1876, and was succeeded by cousin Samuel Cundey, whose legacy continued, for five generations, to the present-day owners Angus Cundey and son Simon. In the two centuries, the tailors have enjoyed great success and endured extreme difficulties, but survive to this day as the typification of excellence in bespoke men's tailoring. The company still holds many Royal Warrants, and services the Lord Chamberlain's office with court dress, with their livery department even creating uniforms for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. The company are also credited with the creation of the tuxedo.

The company makes regular visits to mainland Europe, the U.S. and other international locations, including Henry Poole outlets in Japan and now China. In 2006, the company celebrated their bicentennial with a refurbishment of their premises and 2007 saw a re-issue of a suiting material made famous by Winston Churchill, a Henry Poole customer who ordered his first suit 100 years ago.

The Tuxedo

In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales to wear at informal dinner parties at Sandringham. In 1886, a Mr. James Potter of Tuxedo Park, New York visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince’s tailors, Henry Poole & Co.

When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Park Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club “stag” dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America. ["The Henry Poole Story: The Tuxedo". [http://www.henrypoole.com/henry_poole_story/the_tuxedo.cns Henry Poole and Co.] ]

Warrants

HIM The Emperor Napoleon III 1858

HRH The Prince of Wales 1863

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh 1868

HRH The Crown Prince of Prussia 1868

HM Queen Victoria 1869

HM The King of the Beligians 1869

HRH The Crown Prince of Denmark 1869

HRH The Prince of Teck 1870

HRH Prince Christian of Schleswig–Holstein 1870

The Khedive of Egypt 1870

HRH Prince Oscar of Sweden & Norway 1871

HM King Amadeus I of Spain 1871

HRH Prince Louis of Hesse 1871

HRH Crown Prince of Russia 1874

HIM The Emperor Pedro II of Brazil 1874

HIM Tsar Alexander II of Russia 1875

HM The King of Hellenes 1877

HRH The Crown Prince of Austria 1878

HM King Umberto I of Italy 1879

HIM Emperor Wilhelm I of Germany *

HIM Tsar Alexander III of Russia 1881

HG The Duke of Genoa 1891

HG Friedrich, Grossherzog of Baden 1891

HG The Duke of Aosta 1892

HRH Prince Emanuel of Savoie 1892

HIM The Shah of Persia *

HM The King of Denmark 1893

HM King Edward VII 1902

HRH Prince Albrecht of Prussia 1903

HH The Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda 1905

HIM The Shah of Persia 1906

The Khedive of Egypt 1910

HM Queen Alexandra 1911

HRH The Prince of Wales 1922

The Imperial Household of Japan 1923

HM King George V 1928

HM The King of the Bulgarians 1936

HM King George VI 1940

HIM Emperor Haile Selassie 1959

HM Queen Elizabeth II 1976

ee also

*Savile Row

References

Stephen Howarth: "Henry Poole: Founders of Savile Row - The Making of a Legend." Godalming: Bene Factum, 2003. ISBN 978-1903071069

External links

* [http://www.henrypoole.com Company web site]
* [http://www.henrypoole.com/henry_poole_story Historical background information]