Jeremy Hackett is a name which has become synonymous with British Style and the best of British tailoring.  After set up his Business in 1983 with the first store bearing the Hackett name, on the Kings Road. Selling vintage men’s clothes and accessories, discovered in house clearances and antique markets, Hackett soon gained cult status amongst London’s sartorially inclined. Word quickly spread abroad and soon Americans and Japanese, as well as French, Italians and other Europeans, were making the journey to the “wrong end” of the King’s Road in search of “le style Anglais”. It soon became apparent, however, that market demand would always exceed the supply of vintage men’s clothes and accessories, so Hackett and decided that the answer was to reproduce new clothes made from natural fibres in traditional English styles.

Today, Hackett has continued its expansion with Galeries Lafayette in Paris being added to the prestigious list of department stores alongside Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Hackett franchises have opened stores in Geneva, Zurich, Kuwait City, Johannesburg Airport, Cape Town, Amsterdam, Pozuelo (Madrid), Knokke (Belgium), Brussels, Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Shanghai, Shenyang and Kuala Lumpur.

As well as the development of the stores’ look and feel, the Hackett clothing and accessories collections were refreshed by taking inspiration from the early DNA of the brand and the new slogan “Essential British Kit”. Key additions to the collection included the “Hackett Mayfair”, “Aston Martin Racing” and “Little Britons” ranges.

The Hackett Mayfair collection embodies the lifestyle of the late 1950s and early 1960s gentleman. Inspired by the iconic photography of Bailey, O’Neill, Donovan and Duffy, the signature streamlined tailoring takes London’s legendary Savile Row as its starting point. What began as a single suit has now evolved into a full range of formalwear and gentlemen’s club-style accessories: all presented under its own exclusive Hackett Mayfair logo of bowler hat and crossed umbrellas.

2012 proved to be a very successful year for Hackett. In June 2012, Hackett was one of the pioneers of the British Fashion Council’s new men’s fashion week – London Collections:Men. Launched to showcase the UK’s wealth of menswear talent, the Hackett London collection was successfully premiered to international buyers and press. Now in its fifth season, the Hackett show is one of the most anticipated during the biannual event and an established fixture on the LC:M schedule.

For it’s Autumn 2014 show Hackett experienced perfect serendipity, the right location, at the right time, with the right collection. It celebrated the age of stylish travel, a global traveller, the collection styled the different characters of ‘The Leading Man’ on his global travels.

In our exclusive insight Jeremy he describes his Spring/Summer 2015 collection as, “We are well recognised for our sporting sponsorships so we have built the collection around Spectator Kit, what to wear for instance to the polo or Henley or to watch Aston Martin Racing or what would be perfect to wear to a tennis tournament ( coincidentally I am writing this between watching the tennis at Queens our latest sponsorship )”. Anyway enough of me.

If you could have invented anything what would it be ?
Although I am not personally on Facebook I wouldn’t have minded inventing it.

If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret ?
That I never learnt any foreign languages, to be honest I still struggle with English.

Favourite hotel in the world ?
Over the years I have been to New York quite regularly and I stay at The Carlyle where the service is perfect and the cocktail bar even better.

If you could collaborate with one brand who would it be and why ?
I really like watches because it is one of the few accessories men can wear so I would like the opportunity to collaborate with say, IWC. The Mark 15 Pilots watch was the first that I owned.

If you could give your teenage self advice, what would it be ?
Believe in yourself because if you don’t why should others. Also have a good financial partner.

How did you get into the industry, what was your big break ?
My father once said to me ” If you don’t pull your socks up you will end up working in a shop”. Fortunately that is exactly what happened. Clothes at the time were one of the few things that I had an aptitude for. When I opened Hackett in 1983 it was more as a bit of fun and a way to sell some second hand kit, and when I started to make new clothes it was the birth of the brand and I haven’t looked back since.

If you could only wear one brand/Designer for the rest of your life who would it be ?
Being able to have my clothes made by a good tailor would be my ideal as I could determine the outcome.

Who is your style icon ?
David Hockney who dresses as well as he paints.

What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe ?
At the risk of repeating myself I would consider the navy blazer to be a vital part of any man’s wardrobe. It can be dressed up or down.

Who would do you ideal diner guests and why ?
Stephen Fry, he is so engaging and would make any dinner party swing and the fact that we dress him for the BAFTA’s is by the way. Sorry that’s it,back to the tennis.

 HACKETT MAYFAIR COLLECTION FOR AUTUMN 2014