- Huw Hughes
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Pink Shirtmaker has reportedly closed its flagship store on Jermyn
Street in London.
The LVMH-owned brand reopened its store when the UK’s lockdown was
lifted on 15 June but has now closed it permanently, according to This Is
Money. The future of its two stores at Heathrow are also reportedly
uncertain.
The shirtmaker, originally called Thomas Pink when it was founded in
1984 by brothers, Peter, James and John Mullen, was rebranded to Pink
Shirtmaker back in November 2018 as it looked to reposition itself into a
more upmarket tier.
The “new chapter” in the brand’s story was led by new president and
chief executive Christopher Zanardi-Landi and creative director John Ray,
who was formerly creative director of menswear at Gucci. “[The pair] want
to reaffirm the brand’s identity to focus on what it does best: create
shirts that are built to the best standards, harnessing the commitment and
talent of a dedicated team,” LVMH said in a statement on its website.
The company also announced a new AW19 campaign, called A Life in the
Pink, featuring its new brand ambassador, British actor Matthew Goode.
But formalwear brands have been hit particularly hard in recent months
by the cancellation of formal events due to Covid-19 and by the growing
pivot from consumers towards more casual workwear.
In July, it was revealed that British formal menswear retailer TM Lewin
would permanently close all 66 of its stores after falling into
administration. The company’s assets have reportedly been bought back by
its owner Torque Brands through a pre-pack deal which doesn’t include its
store estate, The Telegraph reported.
Photo credit: courtesy of Pink Shirtmaker
