45—MARYLEBONE JOURNAL
STYLE
left 11 years later, the company was a household name: Monsoon. This success led to another bout of brand reinvention for two young men who had opened a store in Fulham to make enough money to support their love of outdoor sports. Seven years and 185 shops later the charmingly titled Fat Face was well and truly established, with the owners able to attack as many waves and slopes as they wanted. Now it’s the turn of Fenn Wright Manson – a brand founded in 1974 by Colin Fenn, Trevor Wright and Glynn Manson. And the selling point? What Louise calls the ‘Nirvana Wardrobe’ – which regulars will be pleased to hear has nothing to do with the Seattle grunge band. Effortlessness is the name of the
game, with a splash of cosmopolitan chic for those with a taste for continental elegance. The pieces can be dressed up in heels – Jimmy Choo or otherwise – and dressed down with boots and a cardigan. They are tailored for all occasions. “When I grow up, I want a wardrobe where there’s only 20 things but they’re all quite perfect,” she muses, picking out a light floral summer dress and sighing. “I think all of us open the wardrobe doors and think, oh god! Is this it? My life’s work of shopping and all it’s come to is this!” It’s this thinking that gives Fenn
Wright Manson devotees something to get excited about. Louise is not sat behind a desk, holed away in her office. She’s in the thick of it, and her enthusiasm is quite infectious. After the Marylebone redesign she organised focus groups of regular customers to discuss the imminent collection. “They never hold back. They tell you the good stuff and the bad. We don’t want to leave behind the people who love us at the moment, but they do want us to be updated.” As with the details of the shop
itself, it’s the detailing in the clothes that really gives the new style direction some wallop. It’s not long before Louise is up again, making
a beeline for a cardigan – “I’m always looking for that bit of sparkle that lifts a tee shirt or a jumper” – and twirling the fabric to set the sequinned stripes shimmering. This, blended with immaculate cuts
means Louise and her team are onto a winner. “We want surprises, so when you’re trying something on you think, oh! I didn’t know that was going to be there,” she explains, before darting back towards a ruched black evening dress and beaming. “Look, you’d immediately think, I couldn’t possibly wear that, but it’s actually incredibly flattering. Ruching hides a multitude of sins, and we’ve all got sins to cover!”
LINKS
Fenn Wright Manson 95 Marylebone High Street 020 7486 6040
fennwrightmanson.com
Of course it’s mainly about the
clothes, but the future is not just woven from top notch fabric. With a brand such as Fenn Wright Manson the possibilities are endless. Candles, body lotion, soap, fragrances, sunglasses, watches, luggage – Louise pauses and laughs suddenly. “I’m going to have to buy a B&Q!” It’s all part of the plan. Soon
the woman seeking the Nirvana Wardrobe will be able to fully immerse herself into the Fenn Wright Manson lifestyle. “It’s funny,” says Louise, as she sits back down, “everyone says: ‘Hmm yes, I kind of recognise the name, but I can’t tell where from. I think my mum used to like them’, or: ‘Oooh do they do lovely linen things or silks?’ It’s all positive, and that nostalgia is a great thing to build on.” With this sparky CEO at the helm, Fenn Wright Manson is finally getting the polishing it deserves.
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