We at Britannical are big believers in doing one thing well – and that one thing for us is making coats. We’re perfectionists, in fact, and our modest goal is producing the very best children’s outerwear in the world.
From the highest quality wool cloth to the most special buttons, from immaculate tailoring to sumptuous satin linings, attention to detail is our signature, and ensuring that your child has a coat that both you and they will treasure is our motivation.
You could say that it’s in our fabric. With over 120 years of heritage in London coat making, we’ve learned a thing or two, and the principles we bring to our production have changed very little. In a world where fast fashion, synthetic fabrics, and offshoring are the order of the day, and degrading labour practices are all too common place, we handcraft our coats ethically in the heart of London. We use time-honoured tailoring techniques, and we only use the finest natural and sustainable wool cloth. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Yet, despite looking to the past for our principles, we stand for a very modern form of British luxury. The past inspires our designs and tradition influences our craftsmanship, but we have never wanted to merely recreate styles from a bygone era. Our goal is to revitalise and refine the traditional so as to create coats that have a desirability and relevancy today and in the future.
Britannical, in short, is about modern heritage - keeping one foot in the past, but eyes straight ahead!
]]>Pieces from our Kensington, Chelsea, Clerkenwell, Fitzrovia, and Bayswater coat collections are available for purchase at this popular luxury shopping destination.
And we're pleased to report that they're already getting noticed - not least by Milk Japon, which has recently featured our coats in its Autumn/Winter 2019 style recommendations.
You can follow our adventures in Japan on Instagram @britannical_japan
]]>For over two centuries the Ince family have been making umbrellas in London's East End, using the finest craftsmanship. It is no less than a 6th generation East London manufacturing business and has grown to export its beautiful umbrellas across the world. Incidentally, Britannical's family roots in the fine tailoring trade originate from the same area - although they only date back to the late nineteenth century, and 4 generations so far!
The brief for the photoshoot was challenging: Quintessentially British umbrellas that would capture our mini models' imagination, that were fine enough for children to carry, and that would look fabulous on camera. The team at James Ince Umbrellas 1805 certainly rose to the challenge, supplying the most beautiful rainbow of Ladies Solid Stick Umbrellas to suit the diverse palette of our upcoming Autumn/Winter collection.
Our models loved the umbrellas and so did the camera, which just goes to show the beauty of British brands working together to showcase their craftsmanship! But don't just take our word for it, have a look at the results:
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The Bayswater trenchcoat boasts our signature attention to detail and high luxury finish. It, like all our pieces is made from start to finish in our London workshop. It's also made from high-performing water repellant British cotton cloth - making it both a stylish and a practical piece for a young lady's spring/summer wardrobe!
The Bayswater will be released for sale in April and is already available for pre-order on our website. There's no excuse not to step into spring in style!
]]>While we have attended trade shows since our launch, this will be our first time at Playtime Paris and we can't wait.
We'd love for you to come and see us at stand New Now 12. Don't hesitate to get in touch to make an appointment so that we can give you our undivided attention. We speak fluent French as well as English!
]]>This year our Kensington girls coats are to the fore in beautiful shades of Serpentine Blue, Pillar Box Red, and that Royal Duck Egg colour variation too. Our star boys piece is the Marylebone coat. An immaculately tailored pea coat in rich Portman blue with understated red detail to the underside of the collar and cuff bands.
Our luxury accessories range from handworked leather belts to woven silk neck ties, luxury knitted hats and our signature college scarves - all handcrafted in Britain of course.
Our goal is to create gifts that will not be forgotten. We hope to help create some happy memories for little boys and girls this festive season!
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We're delighted to announce that Britannical has been named among the Top 30 British-made coat brands Make it British...and we're the only dedicated children's clothing brand on the list!
Make it British has long been recognised as the leading proponent of manufacturing in Britain so it is a great honour to be recognised by it as an all-British children's outerwear specialist.
Our new boys Marylebone coat is the piece that features in Make it British's listing - a style that has proved particularly popular with our American and Japanese customers on account of its intricate cut and subtle two-tone detail.
To read the full post on Make it British's Top 30 British-Made Coat Brands click here.
]]>The distinctive two-tone Kensington gallery coat in myriad shades of fine British merino cloth. The vibrant Fitzrovia tailored pea coat. The intricate Marylebone unisex pea coat in navy with subtle red tipping.The collection showcases our emphasis on attention to detail, authenticity, and true luxury.
Each immaculately tailored piece in the collection is handcrafted in the heart of London – just a stone’s throw from where our founder's family set up a tailoring shop in the 1880s – and each is made using all-natural cloth from Britain’s oldest woollen mills.
Which piece will you choose?!
]]>In preparation for each season, our design team leafs through reams of archival material from Victorian and Edwardian Britain, whether fashion magazines or high society portraiture, photographs of the royal family or couturiers' advertisements to find coat styles that would appeal to modern audience across the world.
The next step is adaptation and modernisation. The inspiration for one of our pieces usually comes from several historical outerwear styles, so our design team works hard to fuse together elements of the designs that they have retrieved from the archives.
Our aim, as our founder Rachael puts it, 'is never to simply re-make classical British coat styles, but rather to revitalise them so that they are relevant and desirable to parents and children today'.
Take our Kensington coat, for example. The original inspiration for this AW18 piece came from a mixture of Victorian gallery coat designs and images of Edwardian seaside fashions captured from an imported 1912 edition of the Gazette de Bon Ton.
In other words, what we do is to bring the past to the present for future generations, one coat at a time!
]]>In a series of snowy scenes that were captured last week during the first snowfall of the winter in the UK, the photo story follows little boy Oak's adventures in his winter wonderland whilst wearing our classic Marsden coat in Airforce Blue, our College Scarf in the Modern Life colour way, and our Argyll Bobble Hat in Royal Blue. Photographer Natasha explained her clothing choices for the photoshoot:
'Having a desire for British heritage with quintessential British style, and adding some festive sparkle, the special edition Marsden coat in airforce blue from Britannical was the perfect choice'.
View the images from the shoot here.
The full photo story can be found here.
]]>Admission is free, entertainment will be plentiful, and the festive treats will be delicious.
We're going to be showcasing our AW17 collection & running some very festive promotions to get you in the holiday spirit!
If you'd like to reserve one of our pieces or make sure that we bring along just the right size for your special little one, please don't hesitate to drop us a line: info@greatbritishbabycompany.com
]]>The competition, which was hosted at the Swiss Embassy on Thursday afternoon, saw nine UK companies pitching their plans for international growth to a panel of expert judges. Our plan focused on growing our presence in China, South Korea, and Japan via both select e-commerce platforms and luxury children's clothing boutiques. It was devised to ensure that our uniqueness and integrity as a brand, the absolute luxury of our garments, our heritage message, and, of course, our quintessential Britishness are increasingly known and appreciated in these three markets. We intend to action our export strategy in Asia Pacific alongside building our presence across Continental Europe, North America, and the UAE.
What can we say?! We love little ones across the world to enjoy our unique British luxury!
For a report of the event click here
]]>In a childrenswear market where synthetic and non-sustainable fabrics prevail, we are big believers in the benefits of all-natural wool cloth for little ones. Our Bloomsbury coats are made from the softest British-made lambswool fabric and, with their pure silk linings, keep little ones warm during the winter and cool during the spring.
Our ever-popular Bloomsbury coat in Cut Grass Green cloth - one of our more quirky British classics - was the piece chosen by the Curator of Wool Fusion for the childrenswear section of the installation. What better colour to show The Great British Baby Company's commitment to natural, sustainable, and ethical fashion?!
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We were featured alongside twenty fellow homegrown companies in a piece celebrating all things British in the baby clothing market. We're flattered to be in such good company.
Our Bloomsbury coat in English Rose Pink was the piece that was included in the post - and it has become somewhat of a signature of the brand. Our first supply for AW17 has all-but sold out within three weeks of being on sale, with the little magenta number travelling to lucky little girls across Europe, the USA, and Australia. But fear not - another lot of Bloomsburys are on their way next week. Hurray!
]]>WGSN's childrenswear expert Allison Goodfellow-Ash singled us out among the brands that exhibited at Bubble London, writing:
'The Great British Baby Company wowed me with the signature Classic Heritage British Look, offering up the finest British materials and craftsmanship to produce each piece. Each item uses premium cloth, sourced from mills across the British Isles often with more than two hundred years of history. Each is made from start to hand-finish in British workshops by skilled men and women. The hand feel of the outerwear pieces is exquisite'.
We are very pleased to receive this recognition by such an influential force in the global fashion industry.
Allison's full article can be found here.
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Leo said of The Great British Baby Company:
'I love everything about this brand, and in particular its history and British heritage. Their simple garments are beautifully made from the most noble, natural materials, with the best craftsmanship and cloth, which is sourced from mills across the British isles, with more than 200 years of history'.
We are honoured to have been chosen from a range of beautiful eco brands and receive recognition for our commitment to making garments that preserve not only the environment but also Britain's rich textile production history.
My Baba's blog post on our prize can be found here.
]]>But that is not all the excitement for us at Bubble London. Our managing director and head designer, Rachael Attwood has also been shortlisted for the Perfect Pitch competition. On Sunday 29th January, Rachael, as an emerging Bubble designer, will have ten minutes to convince an audience of industry experts that The Great British Baby Company is a brand to be reckoned with. Hold onto your hats...!
We wish the very best of British to everyone involved in these exciting competitions.
]]>We will be offering special pricing and order quantities for new customers as well as the chance to order exclusives and limited editions.
Details of tickets can be found here.
]]>Writing about our coats, the Babyccino team commented that 'the detailing [is] sharp and nostalgic, colours deep and bold, and the fabrics – divine!' High praise indeed.
Details of our pieces and our brand on the Babyccino website can be found here.
]]>We have created a range of special edition children’s silk neck ties, bowties, and girl’s neck bows in ECPAT UK’s signature purple, which we will be selling via our online shop from Tuesday 8th November. All profits from the sale of the items will go to ECPAT UK to support its invaluable work.
ECPAT UK campaigns to protect children from child trafficking and transnational sexual abuse. It supports children everywhere to uphold their rights and to live a life free from abuse and slavery.
For more information, please see: www.ecpat.org.uk
By purchasing one of our fundraising items for a little one in your life, you will be giving the precious gift of childhood to many.
]]>In what is going to be Britain's largest pop-up department store, we will be offering previews, giveaways, and special prices across our AW16 collection - not least on Saturday 1st October, which is this year's 'Buy British Day'.
We hope that you can come along. We would love to meet you, and introduce you and your little one to our collection in person!
More details about the event can be found at www.bestofbritannia.com & www.buybritishday,com
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Vogue GB, Tatler, Angels & Urchins, CWB, Baby London, Little London, Baby Hampshire, Sussex Life, and the House of Coco...
And that is just October!
Our Bloomsbury girls coat has received particular attention on account of its delicate cut and on-trend colour ways. (See www.angelsandurchins.co.uk, October issue) Whilst our Marsden coat, which is part of our collaboration with the historical cloth manufacturer AW Hainsworth, has been proving a firm favourite with our customers on both sides of the Atlantic.
We are looking forward to what November brings!
]]>As the descendent of London tailors on one side of her family and Welsh woollen mill owners on the other side, she explained that her commitment to producing fine British-made clothing was her way of continuing a legacy and she highlighted the key role of family, heritage, and culture in British manufacturing.
To read the full article, please click here.
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What started as a passion for modern adaptations of traditional children's wear designs and a commitment to preserving Britain's heritage for the next generation, has grown up into a brand that is founded on integrity, quality, and simplicity. We pride ourselves on showcasing time-honoured British luxury in the truest sense through pieces that also celebrate the vibrancy of modern childhood.
These are exciting times for us. AW16 brings with it the launch of a new collaboration with the historical British cloth company, AW Hainsworth in a number of special edition coat designs. It also brings with it exciting new collections that showcase the best of British craftsmanship and heritage.
We invite you to join us on our new journey and we hope that you enjoy the ride!
]]>Over the next few weeks, we will be adding a new luxury accessories collection to our shop, comprising pieces that have been made exclusively for us by true British craftsmen and women. From woven pure silk bowties to handmade leather belts, our accessories feature colours and patterns that complement our coats and say 'Long Live Childhood!', the British way.
We will also be broadening our range with a selection of daywear designs, from pinafore dresses to waistcoats, that complement our signature coat styles. All of these pieces are using our premium British cloth, of course!
Another new departure for this Autumn/Winter is the launch of our bespoke service. In response to popular demand, we now offer three grades of customisation on all our garments for customers who are looking for that extra extra special something.
Check back to our shop regularly over the following weeks to watch these developments unfold.
]]>The Smith family. The college of childhood. The order of debonair. It is up to you to decide what our stripes stand for, but wear them with pride your little one must!
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