Henri Lloyd
| Industry | Clothing manufacturing, Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1963 by Henri Strzelecki |
| Headquarters | Manchester, England |
| Products | Clothing |
| Website | http://henrilloyd.com |
Henri Lloyd is a British clothing manufacturer established in Manchester, England in 1963, that specialises in making clothes for sailing, yachting and golfing.
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[edit] Company Information
Henri Lloyd's headquarters are based in Manchester, England. They have 40 stores spanning UK, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. In recent years, Henri Lloyd has added a hand-crafted footwear collection, a Boys collection and a younger denim-focused brand, called HL Jeans Co, which launched in 2008.
In March 2009 Henri Lloyd signed a commercial partnership with Brawn GP Formula One Team as Official Supplier of Clothing and Footwear Technology.
[edit] Personal history
The original Henri Lloyd, Henri Strzelecki was a soldier in the Polish Army. In 1946, Mr Henri was awarded both Polish and British military medals. Settling in Manchester at the end of the Second World War, Strzelecki or ”Mr Henri” as he became known, studied textiles and design before working with local clothing companies in Manchester.
In 1985, Mr Henri was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, This followed in 1986 and 1987 by two Queen's Awards for Export Achievement.
[edit] Corporate history
In the 1960s, Mr Henri realised the potential of a technical fabric, Bri-Nylon. Forming Henri Lloyd Limited in 1963, Mr Henri pioneered the use of these technical fabrics, closures and safety features within sailing clothing. Henri Lloyd’s innovations include the first non-corrosive zip made of nylon, the introduction of a Velcro closure in waterproof garments, and the hand taping of seams as an alternative to varnishing.
In 1966, Sir Francis Chichester, the first man to circumnavigate the globe single-handed, wore Henri Lloyd. In 1979, the Transglobe Expedition, the first round the world journey via the poles, was led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who also wore Henri Lloyd’s gear.
Henri Lloyd’s focused on innovation and developing new technology. In 1994, his high performance breathable foul weather gear used Gore-Tex for the first time, and it went through over 22,000 hours of round the world testing at sea, before it was sold to customers. In 2001 Henri Lloyd’s TP3 Reflex Jacket and Hi-Fit Trouser won the Design Award METS, at the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam.
The mid 1990’s saw the launch of Henri Lloyd Black Label. This collection linked Italian inspired sportswear with technically innovative fabrics and was designed by Massimo Goggi. The label was so successful, that it was recognised as defining fashion at that time, and in 1997 Henri Lloyd was awarded as Fashion Brand of the Year in the UK.
Henri Lloyd’s collections now include men’s, women’s and footwear. Remaining loyal to its sailing roots, Henri Lloyd now also successfully attracts a wider demographic.
