Hackett London – Best of British

Part of the AWWG group of brands and the home of British menswear, Hackett London is known for its excellence in craftsmanship and a distinction for detail. Inspired by quintessential British menswear, Hackett specialises in classic English tailoring for the modern man. Here, RLI spends sometime with AWWG CEO Marcella Wartenbergh to learn more about this brand that remains true to its origins.

The Hackett London story began forty years ago when Jeremy Hackett opened his first store selling second-hand clothes on the King’s Road in Chelsea. It was here that he began creating his own garments by merging traditional styles with contemporary cuts, perfect for those seeking Savile Row expertise without the associated cost.

“Today, the brand boasts over 1,000 points of sale across the globe and offers a range of products and services including: made-to-measure, personal tailoring and bespoke services available at our store at 14 Savile Row,” explains Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO of AWWG.

At the beginning of this year the business has 55 own-brand stores across the globe, 36 full-price stores and 19 outlets across eight countries along with 36 franchise stores globally.

Always looking for new opportunities to grow, one of their most recent openings is the new flagship shop on Barcelona’s famous Passeig de Gràcia. The new shop is housed in an impressive heritage-listed building with distinguished art deco details at the entrance. Inside, the full London essence of Hackett is evident, where tailoring permeates the space and blends with the neoclassical columns of the original building.

Another remarkable opening of which the brand is very proud is its site at the Battersea Power Station (BPS), a major development which opened last October. The emphasis on design and innovation at BPS matched perfectly with their own values of British heritage and DNA.

Future Hackett stores are due to launch at 69 New Bond Street in London, which will be a 2,350sq ft unit that will offer a premium collection, as well as a range of tailoring services in-store. An additional UK store will launch in Manchester.

Outside of the UK, a new site will open in Spain in the Caleido shopping centre which is situated in Madrid’s financial district and another will be unveiled in Paris. Meanwhile, the DACH countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland represent a key trio of markets for AWWG and there is a transformation plan to lead the growth of its brands in this region. AWWG has opened recently in Germany for Hackett new stores in Düsseldorf, Berlin, Baden-Baden and Wiesbaden. In addition, Mexico and the Middle East are markets where they have plans to expand via their partners, with a new flagship store in Mexico City.

“Our goal is to continue to grow and expand our brands in the markets where we are already present. We keep on working on our plan for the development and expansion in new markets such as the Middle East, India and Latin America. In the long term, we will consider other markets such as Korea and Japan where we have strong partners. The reputation, acclaim and the brand’s distinctive style are just a few of the reasons customers in these customers will identify with them,” explains Wartenbergh.

As Marcella moves onto talking about new products and initiatives, she highlights that nowadays trends are innumerable and how important is that Hackett follow the trends that are closest to their DNA and consumer.
An example of this is their Spring-Summer 2023 collection which combines functionality and flexibility in a fashion-forward collection that reaches towards the future, while staying true to its heritage. The brand has incorporated three new capsules into its catalogue: Hackett Sport, a selection of premium athleisure wear that accommodates the active lifestyles of modern men; Resort, a colourful collection for the warmer months and Savile Row, an exclusive range available at select stores, crafted using the best in European fabrics.

“Success for this brand involves staying true to our identity by offering a personalised service, thus transforming the purchasing process into an experiential service for our customers. The customer experience starts from the moment they enter our stores, where he identifies with the brand and its values, connects with the brand and is advised by our professional who know in detail all the pieces of the collection and what the customer needs,” Wartenbergh says.

Something that is important in the modern world is having a strong social media presence and the brand certainly possesses this. They use social networks to reach new audiences and to transmit the values and heritage that set them apart from other brands. They also work hard to create high-quality content that engages their community, to generate an emotional connection through a digital experience that emphasises storytelling as well as product. Their objective is to continue increasing brand awareness and to grow their community in key markets by staying aligned with new trends on the platform.

Sustainability is another key factor for brands in 2023 and at Hackett they aim to produce high-quality, sustainable fashion, so they maximise its use of responsible materials. They focus on BCI cotton, recycled polyesters and nylons as well as starting the journey on improving animal derived materials such as wool and leather. A high quality of craftsmanship guarantees longevity of garments, supporting less clothing wastage and raw material usage. “Today’s consumers are much more aware of sustainability. It is commitment as a group to work towards a sustainable business model that delivers results.”

The company stands out from the crowd by combining traditional styles with modern cuts in a uniquely British style, according to Marcella and will continue to do so moving forward.

“Hackett is a symbol of all that is best in British style today; with a reputation that still exceeds its rapidly growing retail and wholesale footprint. The company is now an established global brand offering ‘Essential British Kit’ to customers across the world,” Wartenbergh concludes.