John Partridge sub-brand making use of Apparatus

Traditional British clothing manufacturer John Partridge, inventor of the duffel coat, is unveiling an urban sub-brand, John Partridge London, as it attempts to engage with a stylish youth audience.

Designed by Apparatus, the John Partridge London identity will be officially launched in early December.

Interiors specialist Found Associates meanwhile presents final concepts today for John Partridge London concessions within high-end department stores. John Partridge chief executive David Wilkinson says he is in talks with around 15 stores, including Selfridges, Liberty and Harrods. The John Partridge London identity will be unveiled publicly before the interiors concepts, to present department stores with a coherent proposition, Wilkinson adds.

Found Associates director Richard Found says the company hopes the concessions will open early in the new year. ‘They will be contemporary, designed to appeal to young, style-conscious trend-setters,’ he says.

The news follows this week’s opening of John Partridge’s flagship store, designed by Caulder Moore, in London’s Piccadilly (sketches pictured). The company is looking at a further two standalone sites, ‘likely’ to be in London, according to Wilkinson.

The Piccadilly store is influenced by the style of the 1930s, says Caulder Moore creative director Ian Caulder. It includes a giant chrome propeller and polished teak finishes. ‘We have included vintage 1930s photography alongside contemporary light fittings and materials such as seagrass,’ Caulder adds.

The store will sell a clothing collection that incorporates the duffel coat, including the original 1890 design as well as the latest version in a variety of colours.

John Partridge, which was first introduced in 1869, hopes to pull off a renaissance similar to that achieved by other traditional British brands.