Sunspel's truly worldwide reach

The Sunspel (http://www.sunspel.com/us) story begins in the English city of Nottingham of the founder, Thomas A Hill, after whom the British clothing company was once named. However, this was in the 1860s, a time of pioneering Victorian entrepreneurial and industrial zeal and in a century when the British Empire was very much at its peak. Sure enough, Hill and his descendants quickly made use of these advantageous conditions in the development of a clothing dynasty on which the sun has never set.

Today, Sunspel enjoys a not insignificant international reach, with its development of a dedicated US website for its quality mens clothing being just one event to demonstrate this. Nor has the firm ever truly lacked a global outlook, as from the very start, it depended on imported cotton of the highest order in its creation of durable and comfortable underwear for the British market. That cotton was soft, lightweight Egyptian cotton, which having been crafted into the finest undergarments, was eventually exported across the planet.

As the first few decades of the existence of Thomas Hill Ltd passed, revolutions in education and travel increasingly left even the most humble Victorian civilian curious about the most far-flung corners of the world. The infant company of 'Old Thom' certainly played to this curiosity, designing clothing that could be comfortably worn close to the body to aid the burgeoning spirit of international exploration. His son, Thomas Arthur Hill, was to be particularly instrumental in making the most of the Far East market that emerged as the 19th century became the 20th.

These new export markets included China, India and Malaya, with complicated embroidery being used to distinguish Sunspel's quality clothing from the increasing competition of other incoming firms. Although such lucrative overseas opportunities were to wane later in the new century, Sunspel was continuing to make its influence felt on the world stage, donating uniform items and underwear to troops and medical services during both World Wars. The company's association with the military only increased at the conclusion of hostilities, as the late 1950s saw it beginning to supply the RAF with issue undergarments.

However, it was by the middle of the 20th century that the company, which finally adopted its present moniker in the late 1930s, was in many ways reaffirming its role as a supplier of the finest heritage clothing for civilians. Sunspel clothing became increasingly synonymous with the most prestigious international fashion stores and boutiques, with the Long Eaton factory in which the firm still operates backing up a long-standing reputation for fabric innovation in its development of cellulock fabric.

By the time Nick Kamen arrived in his crisp pair of white Sunspel boxers in an effortlessly iconic Levi's Launderette advert that aired throughout Europe in the 1980s, the reputation of Sunspel's (http://www.sunspel.com/us) luxury clothing was already assured - in its native Britain and in the eyes of admirers across the world.   

Editor’s Note: Sunspel US (http://www.sunspel.com/us) is represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Please direct all press queries to Louise Byrne. Email: louise@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.