Subscription boxes are becoming mainstream, particularly for the ladies market, make up, fragrances, accessories, Gin etc. However, less so within the Menswear sector, socks and underwear examples are starting to become more common place but a brand who really want to cut through the menswear market to stake their claim in it is The Essential Gentleman. With more and more of us having to start to return to the traditional office environment and which that we are beginning to see the return to more pre-pandemic form of dress, so no more trackie bottoms, say goodbye to your all day everyday loungewear.
The notion for this concept happened back in 2020 when founder of The Essential Gentleman, Hugo Warren, while shopping for a new tie to wear to a job interview. After working abroad for a few years, he struggled to find classic, affordable, and well-made men’s accessories when I returned to the UK.
So, he set about sourcing materials and finding some talented craftspeople to partner with. On the way he added other accessories – working on the notion, that if he could make an affordable silk tie then why not a pocket square to compliment it? If you’re wearing a tie and a pocket square, then you need a decent pair of cufflinks…. and so on.
Nonetheless, the age old problem of, capital came into play, so how could Hugo order small runs of an item at a low price without negatively affecting the producer or my eventual customer.
The solution was pretty simple. He had to first find out what offcuts and materials his suppliers had, then design a box of accessories around that material. Maybe get a tie stitched in that fabric, and then source other products to compliment it. The atelier turns their spare stock into profit, and then he can offer affordable products to the customers.
So, working to these principles and offering a commitment to their customer that – “I’ll pay a fair price to the people I work with, I’ll take no more than I need for myself (to feed my dogs.” The Essential Gentleman, makes a great present idea for the guy who has everything or that quirky hard to buy for male.
