Bespoke Clothing:Layout 1 19/05/2009 12:39 Page 46
COMPANY PROFILE
Team spirit
Debbie Eales visits Team Colours whose winning formula and ability to adapt has seen the
Hertfordshire-based family firm conquer the teamwear and bespoke clothing market
L
osing is just not an option at Team Colours. being a catalogue manufacturer and moved into strengths in this area is the company’s design and
Since Stanley Rogers and his wife Pearl sportswear,” said Rosemary, “we were asked, as manufacturing flexibility. As well as introducing
founded the company in the late ’70s, the manufacturers, whether we could make up a new ideas and design concepts, customers can
business has been totally transformed. netball dress and some tracksuits.” have garments made to their own specifications,
This Hertfordshire-based family firm was forced Rosemary thought the traditional polo shirt and giving their teams a unique and distinctive look.
into making significant organisational changes, as skirt combination was in need of updating. Taking They do have a knack for spotting an opportunity.
its core business – manufacturing garments for the lead from a trend that began in New Zealand New for 2009 are ideas that are of particular
the major catalogue companies – evaporated and Australia where netball is extremely popular, interest to the promotions industry. Bespoke ties
overnight. They simply could not compete with Far Team Colours produced a and polo shirts are proving to
East companies offering the same for less. stylish all-in-one netball be popular. And recently,
Some quick thinking was required. And, dress. they’ve just added bespoke
surprisingly, the key to prosperity was staring “The girls Down-Under are a hooded sweatshirts.
them in the face, thanks to the founders’ lot more into netball so we Rosemary says: “It’s not
daughter, Rosemary Carter – now the company’s followed their lead and rocket science, really.
MD. It was Rosemary’s passion for netball that produced a netball dress Picking up on the
revived the family fortunes and provided the for a local team. At first, ‘hoodie’ trend, I had the
cornerstone for a thriving company that has everyone laughed, but idea that if we made it
created a productive niche for itself as a by the next season, the bespoke, it would take
manufacturer of forward-looking bespoke new style had taken off off. The bespoke
sportswear, school and leisurewear. and all the girls were hoodies are doing
Now 84, Stanley is still a steadying presence in wearing dresses. extremely well for
the wings, while the day to day running is truly a There’s no substitute us.”
family affair. Rosemary’s daughters both have key for word of mouth,” Flexibility in
roles – Sara as accounts manager and Lucy as said Rosemary. design is also
sales manager. These days, the winning the day.
“If we look at the point where we changed from company’s main This is evident in
business is in the the vibrant colours of
Stanley Rogers, who
manufacture and the clothing they
founded the company with supply of teamwear produce. Pointing to a
his wife Pearl
for a long list of bright yellow and electric
sports, from football, blue hoodie, web and
rugby, hockey, marketing manager Sam
cricket and Kinyanjui says: “With
basketball, to more some of the larger
specialised activities such brands, they might make a
as martial arts, rounders garment in a prescribed number
and even baseball. The list of colourways, limiting the
is being added to all the options available to the
time, with netball still leading customer. But if your colours
the field as the core sport. are pink and green, Team
“We have recently added Colours will make it for you.
bowls to our range of bespoke That’s the bespoke nature of
clothing as they’re slowly the business, and of course
moving away from all whites. In the same flexibility applies to
addition, I’ve also received a sizing.”
request for orienteering He adds: “Typically, a
garments,” said Rosemary. customer might come to
The bespoke nature of us with a tracksuit for
their business is example and ask can you
proving to be a winner make this for us. And of
within the printwear course we can. This
and promotions experience enables us to
industry. One of the key respond positively when
| 46 | June 2009 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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