Cooper & Stollbrand and Private White VC shop review

Where is it?
Private White VC
Cottenham House
1 Cottenham Lane
Salford
M3 7LJ
www.privatewhitevc.com

History:
The brand, Private White VC, takes its name from current managing director James Eden’s great grandfather Jack White. A WWI war hero and recipient of the Victoria Cross, his links with the clothing industry saw him progress from the bottom to become the eventual owner of Cooper & Stollbrand Ltd, Private White VC’s manufacturer.

Three years ago, James Eden left his job in London to buy the business which he already had a huge emotional investment in. Reminiscing on his childhood, he said: “Whilst my friends were out enjoying themselves I’d be in the factory”

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The company prides itself as being ‘Britain’s bravest manufacturer’ who has fought to become a clothing pioneer with a lot of grit and determination. It was nearly 100 years ago that Jack White stitched his very first garment as a teenage apprentice and in 2011 the brand is as strong as ever.

What do they sell?
James described the brand as offering “an everyday wardrobe for the British gentleman”. Garments include outerwear, jackets, knitwear, jerseys and shirts with prices ranging from £55 for a cotton waffle shirt to £395 for a double-breasted overcoat.

Clothes are handcrafted in their Salford factory and fabrics and trims are regionally sourced where possible.

Cooper & Stollbrand manufacture specifically designed clothing for popular shops such as Topshop, Fred Perry, Selfridges, All Saints, Aquascutum, Paul Smith and ASOS. In order to get their own collections out to the public, they also sell clothing directly from the same Salford factory under their brand name Private White VC.

Columbo lime front

Who shops there?As a menswear brand, garments are suitable for all males but the main demographic fall in the 28-55 age bracket.

Why go there?
Private White VC’s creative director, Nick Ashley, has worked with the factory for many years. Having previously been head of brands at Dunhill and as the son of clothing giant Laura Ashley, he knows the menswear industry inside out.

James said: “We have great character and great integration in our garments” and he believes the brand remains popular because it offers the romance of buying clothes directly from the manufacturer as opposed to purchasing from a “faceless monster of a brand”.

Future:
Plans are underway for a pop-up shop on Lambs Conduit Street in the capital with a Notting Hill store set to open in the near future too. Whilst these expansion plans will help the brand grow, James’ main aim is “to continue making functional and practical menswear”.

Verdict:If you’re looking for quality, hand-crafted British menswear then I can’t think of anywhere better. Having recently been featured on Channel 4’s documentary ‘Made In England’, the brand has been brought to the attention of a wider audience with their pledge to produce truly British garments appealing to many.

As a company with so much history, it’s admirable how they’ve maintained their high standards to create clothes that are perfectly apt for 21st century Britain.