The Year That Was, and The One That Will Be
2022 was a great year at Favourbrook, and while it wasn't without some issues, mostly related to pandemic supply chain hangovers, we dressed a record number of grooms and mothers of the bride, so it was definitely the year of matrimony and long may that continue!
Black Seaton Cashmere |
Ivory Randwick Double-Breasted |
Carnaby Coat Dark Grey |
Staying on the wedding front, one trend that we did see emerge with some prominence was the black tie wedding, as well as the formal wedding switching to black tie for the evening's dinner and dancing. We're fans of both, particularly the latter since you can enjoy the formality and tradition of morning dress, before drawing a line under the official ceremony and having a great big party in slick and glamorous eveningwear!
Burgundy Velvet Single-Breasted |
Library Jacket Black |
Midnight Hampton |
One of the highlights of the year was undoubtedly Royal Ascot, where we continue in our role of Official Licensee for Menswear. It is a great honour, and one that we are extremely proud of, hence it was wonderful to see so many Favourbrook morning suits and waistcoats at Ascot this year. Our team had a thoroughly good time there. Didn’t back a single winner, of course! We're very much looking forward to being on the shoulders of Ascot goers once again this year, and will soon be releasing our perennial Ascot collection which will contain a few tweaks and changes, including updated waistcoats.
Pale Blue Gabardine Wool Double- |
Powder Blue Bees Silk Single- |
Speaking of waistcoats, our Piccadilly Arcade store is now fully restored after a brief hiatus underwater. It seems that the Victorian plumbing had given up the ghost, but all is now well. We have one of the largest waistcoat collections in the world and a vast array of formal accessories, too, so do give it a visit if you are looking to spruce up your formalwear options.
Womenswear continues to build on its excellent reputation for stunning quality formalwear coats and dresses. We're very eager for you all to see the new Spring/Summer 23 collection. As I write this I've just been informed of an impending 'Beast from the East' so apologies if it all sounds a bit premature, but Spring engagements are not that far away and it always pays dividends to have one's wardrobe well-stocked with options. No doubt it will be another busy wedding year too.
Carnaby Coat Black |
Cream Cord |
Cream Cord |
On the menswear front, Spring/Summer 23 will include some beautiful new linen suiting, while the womenswear collection will feature our perennial silhouettes in new luxury fabrics, brought to life by a vibrant colour palette and busy botanical prints, which are very much on-trend this season if you keep up with the runway shows.
It was also a busy year for Favourbrook in the press, where we were lucky enough to garner quite a few column inches. It's always rewarding and very interesting to see how stylists interpret our collections, and we're always grateful for the exposure. Hopefully 2023 will provide many more such moments.
Of course, there is the small matter of a Royal Coronation in May, which will no doubt provide a number of opportunities to get dressed up for the occasion. If the news is to be believed, then King Charles will be breaking with tradition and changing the dress code, with the need for peers to wear formal coronation robes, which include a crimson velvet cloak and a stoat’s white winter fur, expected to be relaxed in favour of morning suits. There will no doubt be plenty of opportunities to wear our finery before, during, and after!
Naturally we're looking forward to all of the perennial seasonal events, from the Cheltenham Festival and the Boat Race early on in the season, to Wimbledon, the Proms, the Edinburgh Arts Festival, Glorious Goodwood, and the World Bog Snorkelling Championships at the back end of the season. (Ok, we slipped that one in to check if you were still reading, but it is actually a thing that happens in Llanwrtyd Wells, mid Wales!) We hope to see many of you this summer in your Favourbrook looks!