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COMPANY PROFILE
The rise and rise of Henbury
Without question, 2009 was a testing year for many businesses, but for Henbury it was a year
for expansion with seven new brands joining the existing portfolio. Debbie Eales spoke to
Henbury's managing director, Katie Stewart, about the challenges and opportunities the
company faces in 2010.
W
e're on Henbury's home territory. Our started. It's a classic."
meeting in an Edinburgh hotel is not a Being based in a funeral parlour is often a talking
million miles from Henbury HQ – a former point and Katie recalls how Henbury inadvertently
funeral parlour. replicated the funeral parlour theme on their first
Henbury's portfolio more than doubled overnight trade show stand.
when it took on the former Lea Sportswear brands "It did look like a funeral parlour actually - with
last Autumn. purple flock walls and green sofas and a bar with
"We were eight; now we are 15," Katie tells me as bar stools and white lilies!"
we settle down for a chat about Henbury's evolution Henbury has always adopted a "retail" style of
and future plans. approach to its image, says Katie. "One of the
My catch-up with Katie and her team comes shortly problems we had in the beginning was that people
after Henbury's participation in the successful thought it was more expensive than it actually was."
PenCarrie roadshow. Within two years, Henbury launched a second brand
"Gosh it was busy. I don't think there was a Skinnifit.
moment when we had no one on the stand," said a "At the time, we felt there was no one doing ladies'
delighted Katie, recalling the last day in Exeter. T shirts but in the retail market they were
Henbury, of course, is famous for flagship brands everywhere. Girls were buying children's T shirts. I
including Henbury, Finden+Hales and Skinnifit. remember people using age 11-12 Fruit of the Loom
The latest acquisitions bring other big hitters to the T shirts as promotions shirts for girls," remembers
stable, including Tombo, Front Row and Tour Katie.
Collection. "So we started Skinnifit with an interlock T shirt in a
But how did it all begin? one-size-fits-all, which featured in the range until
"Henbury started in October 1997 and we first this year.
launched the collection in January '98," recalls As the retail market evolved, the brand followed suit
Katie. "It was launched because we thought with different products in a variety of fabrics. "Our
there was a gap in the market for a more best selling ladies' T shirt now is our SK101," Katie
stylised range of polo shirts which gave a tells me.
better level of quality and design but which Are you continuing to take your lead from the High
also fitted into the required price bracket." Street? I ask.
Their first offering, a polo shirt took off. "Very much so. It's much more fashion-orientated
"We're fortunate that our cotton polo now. It's a younger market," says Katie. "Saying
shirt was picked up quite quickly and that, it (the brand) can be for anyone from 18 to 65.
within three years, it became the best So it's got to fit all shapes, sizes and ages. But it
selling cotton polo shirt in the UK does appeal to a younger market and quite a lot of
market," adds Katie. it goes into retail.
Other products were added, including "You have got to be on top of the trends," she
the 65/35 "the big volume polo" and adds. "I think that now the printwear market is
the range was developed to include responding because people are travelling to shows,
woven shirts, trousers, knitwear and more travelling around Europe and you are picking off
recently, jackets. ideas."
"So it's become a fully coordinated range," It wasn't long before Skinnifit added a men's range.
says Katie. "We do a little bit of children's Initially it was called SFM because, according to
wear but what we have always tried to do is Katie: "We didn't think that men would want to
offer products that are different from the rest wear a brand called Skinnifit!
of the market. We don't try and copy. We look "But we quickly worked out that people didn't
for opportunities that we feel we can appreciate the fact that SFM was Skinnifit so we
advance." changed it. About 50 per cent of our Skinnifit brand
According to Katie, the printwear market sells in Europe, so it's very much European-led."
has changed dramatically over the last 10 Skinni Minni followed for children and, says Katie,
years. the brand has had a very good start.
"It's gone from a basic polo shirt and T In April 2007, Henbury had the opportunity to
shirt to what it is today - 2,500 products, acquire Finden+Hales, Larkwood and Towel City.
from towelling bath robes to blow-up "That was just the beginning of the whole
jackets!" she comments. teamwear thing happening in the market place,"
Henbury is a well established name in recalls Katie. "We were lucky that we were able to
the market. "The name Henbury came from a reinvent the brand (F+H) with new products and a
village in Cheshire," recalls Katie. "It's quite new direction and that has gone fantastically well
an unusual name - it travels quite well. And and it continues to grow."
The Front Row FR93 sailing jacket has gone
the logo hasn't changed since we first Interestingly, Finden+Hales has been around longer
down a storm.
| 54 | February 2010 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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