Why Turnbull & Asser Is Still The Definitive British Shirtmaker Designing And Creating Clothing With Integrity And Skill

Turnbull & Asser is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book. 

Turnbull & Asser: Great British Brand 2024

‘Turnbull & Asser is the definitive British shirtmaker, founded in 1885 by John Arthur Turnbull, in St James’s, London, later establishing premises on prestigious Jermyn Street, where it still greets customers today. Each garment crafted by industry artisans in our English workrooms is a signature of our sartorial elegance, made for individuals who appreciate superior quality and craftship in everything from shirts to knitwear and sleepwear. We offer ready-to-wear and made-to-measure services in-store and online, as well as offering bespoke masterpiece shirts at our stores in Bury Street, London and East 57th Street, New York.

Designing and creating clothing with integrity and skill is at the heart of what we do. Over the years, loyal customers have trusted our staff, our product quality and the long-term value of our clothing. A Turnbull & Asser shirt is made from 34 individual pieces of fine cloth and iridescent mother-of-pearl buttons according to preference. Rigorous quality checks at all stages of manufacturing ensure the finished product is of the highest possible quality. 

Five core values are at the heart of our business: we are family-run and the relationship with longstanding staff members, suppliers and customers is of utmost importance and enables unparalleled personal service; integrity, creativity and quality ensure an unrivalled level of craftsmanship and innovative design; and our fifth core value centres on sustainability, aiming to minimise our long-term environmental footprint. These personal, human values distinguish us more than technology.

These values and qualities were recognised by HM King Charles III when – as HRH Prince Charles – he bestowed his first Royal Warrant in 1980. His Prince of Wales plumes grace our labels and insignia. Some 800 Royal Warrant holders range from traditional craftspeople to multinational companies. Regardless of size or specialisation, holders unite in their commitment to impeccable service and craft excellence.’

Turnbull family

Five Proudest Moments

1. We are proud of our history as a whole. We are proud of our ability to preserve our authenticity through the past century, to keep true to what our founder, Mr Turnbull, had in mind.
2. Making the very first oilskin available for soldiers and nurses, signaling versatility in the use of our manufacturing and resources to face world wars.
3. The fiercely competitive phase from the seventies to the noughties: our managing director always kept an open mind to imagine how a British brand with so much history could look at the whole world as a market.
4. We have a long-standing Royal Warrant for shirt-making that was granted in 1980 by HRH Prince of Wales – the first warrant our then-Prince ever gave. And we are obviously very proud of having been the first company awarded a Royal Warrant in 1919 as HM Queen Alexandra’s glovemaker.
5. The past two years were devoted to deep and thorough research, study, and a recovery of our own roots and origins, to bring our identity back to the forefront with a new creative direction.

What I’ve Learnt…

• Cherish and nurture the loyalty of skilled and experienced staff, both in the stores and in the workshop.
• Discerning customers must be offered clothing the way they want – whether ready-to-wear, made-to-measure or bespoke – but it must always bear the same signature of quality.
• A family-run business treats staff, suppliers and customers alike as valued members of that family.

TURNBULL & ASSER

71-72 Jermyn Street St James’s, London SW1Y 6PF

+44 (0)20 7808 3000

turnbullandasser.co.uk

@turnbull_asser