English shirting revives in Aus

A partnership between veteran retailer Nelson Mair and the owners of menswear store Harrolds has revived a time-honoured English shirting brand in Australia.
Rhodes & Beckett was founded in 1908 in Cairo, Egypt by London tailors Charlie Rhodes and George Beckett, but had lain dormant for many years until current Australian director Nelson Mair - previously merchandising director for Country Road before working for Harrolds - rediscovered it on a buying trip in Egypt.
With Harrolds founders brothers John and Theo Poulakis looking to re-invent their shirting business, Rhodes & Beckett represented an "exceptional opportunity", said Mair.
"We felt there was a gap in the market for an aspirational, quality offer for the executive market. A lot of retailers have a good offer priced between $120 and $150 but it's not merchandised in a very attractive manner and the shirts are often made in China from cheaper Italian fabric.
"Finding Rhodes & Beckett and realising there was an opportunity to buy the entire brand was a real boon. We've been able to fit out the stores using all the old photographs that capture the history of the brand."
Constructed from premium Egyptian cotton, Rhodes & Beckett men's shirts are available in regular, regular long, slim and slim long fits, while the women's offer ranges from size four to 14.
Priced at around $159, shirts feature French or normal button cuffs with a double barrel design and two button fastening, extra long tails, and double stitched yokes.
"Not only is Egyptian cotton by far the best in the world. The shirts are all manufactured in Egypt, which, because of its history as an English colony, has maintained an excellent tailoring tradition."
Rhodes & Beckett also offers a range of men's suiting, hand-canvassed in Egypt and priced from $790 to $890.
Italian silk ties and cufflinks complete the men's offer, while a women's suiting range is also in the Rhodes & Beckett recently launched an online store and four Melbourne outlets; two in Collins Street, and one each at the GPO and Chadstone shopping centres, as well as two Sydney stores at Westfield Bondi Junction and Sydney Central Plaza shopping centres.
The retail concept would soon weave its way back to the land of its birth, Mair said.
"Ultimately our aim is to have 15 to 20 stores in Australia. In terms of exporting, the UK and the US are very attractive prospects."