Thomas Pink

Thomas Pink is a retail clothing business which started in London in 1984. The concept was created by three Irish entrepreneurs, brothers James, Peter and John Mullen. The company was named for an 18th century London tailor who was known for making much sought-after red ('pink') hunting jackets.

The first Thomas Pink shop was in the borough of Chelsea, London. Its original Black Label shirt is tailored on an authentic block and made from 38 separate components, with a 14-piece, hand-turned collar.

In 1989, it finally acquired a store on Jermyn Street, a street notable for its resident shirtmakers.

The full range of shirts has grown considerably and now takes in classic and contemporary styles and over 250 ready-to-wear designs for men and women. Their made to order service, Personally Pink, enables customers to have a shirt designed to suit their specific requirements. Pink also sells hand finished silk ties and accessories, including a collection of small leather goods by Bill Amberg, one of Britain’s foremost leather designers.

Thomas Pink now has shops all over the world, and is particularly popular in the United States, where it opened its first store in 1997.

Thomas Pink’s main competitors include Ted Baker and Paul Smith, who both offer collections of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. From a retail perspective Thomas Pink faces competition from the likes of Charles Tyrwhitt and T. M. Lewin, fellow Jermyn Street shops, and also faces stiff competition from the likes of KJ Beckett and other online retailers.

To reduce costs, Thomas Pink's production was moved from Northern Ireland (The Shirtmaker’s Guild) to a factory in Morocco.

In 2001, the Mullen brothers sold their majority share to LVMH.

External links

* [http://www.thomaspink.co.uk/ Thomas Pink Corporate Website]