Crombie (brand)
Encyclopedia
Crombie is a British fashion company, which produces high-end clothing and accessories. Crombie is most famous for its luxury coats – so much so that the word ‘Crombie’ is sometimes used by other companies to refer to their own coats produced in the style of Crombie’s most famous three-quarter length (usually wool) overcoats, although the Crombie company has been known to take legal action to prevent this trademark word from being used generically.
Crombie was founded in Aberdeen
, Scotland
in 1805, making it one of Britain’s oldest brands. Crombie has manufactured from several different mills in Scotland and England over two centuries, initially at Cothal Mills in Aberdeen, and most famously from 1859 at Grandholm Mill also in Aberdeen. In 1990, production at the Grandholm Mill ceased, and was moved to other mills in Scotland and England. (The A-listed Grandholm factory site was converted into a residential project by the Cala Group in 2005. Part of the mill is now an Indian restaurant called The Spice Mill, which has maintained the original elements of the factory.)
Crombie began as a producer of luxury cloth, which it sold to cloth merchants and direct to London tailors. By the 1850s, Crombie had won quality awards from Queen Victoria and Napoleon III at the Great Exhibition in London and the Exposition Universelle in Paris respectively. Later, Crombie expanded from simply manufacturing the fabric for other producers, to creating coats under its own name.
A key factor in Crombie’s expansion, from the 1860s onwards, was the receipt of military contracts. Crombie supplied ‘Rebel Grey’ cloth for the Confederate Army in the American Civil War
, and also supplied officers’ uniforms to the British Army
and Royal Air Force
in World Wars One and Two.
Starting in the late 1960s or early 1970s, Crombie-style coats were popular within the skinhead
and suedehead
subcultures, although very few skinheads would have been able to afford a brand new Crombie coat. Crombie coats were also fashionable among mods
, who saw them as a stylish item of clothing that enhanced their clean-cut image. It was an alternative to the popular fishtail parka or trenchcoat.
Crombie has long marketed itself at international statesmen and royals. It has enjoyed particular success in Russia, where Crombie began supplying to the Tsarist court from 1880, and even in 1984 it was observed that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev
was wearing a Crombie coat when he visited Britain that December. Crombie lists King George VI, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Dwight D Eisenhower and John F Kennedy among its historic customers. From 1995-2004, Crombie also held the Royal Warrant
as a supplier to the Prince of Wales
.
The company continues to trade today, and currently has three stand-alone stores: in London
, Manchester
and Edinburgh
. Crombie also has concessions in certain House of Fraser
stores, and sells some of its most premium coats exclusively in Harrods
. Crombie also sells over its website.
The founding Crombie family sold their interest in the company in 1928, to another British textile family, the Salts (famous as the founders of Saltaire
in West Yorkshire). After the Second World War, Crombie became part of Illingworth Morris – at that time Britain’s largest woolen textile company, of which British actress Pamela Mason
was the majority shareholder. In the 1980s the company was taken private by its Chairman. Crombie is also known to hold the rights to the Tommy Nutter
brand name, having backed him financially in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Crombie was founded in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1805, making it one of Britain’s oldest brands. Crombie has manufactured from several different mills in Scotland and England over two centuries, initially at Cothal Mills in Aberdeen, and most famously from 1859 at Grandholm Mill also in Aberdeen. In 1990, production at the Grandholm Mill ceased, and was moved to other mills in Scotland and England. (The A-listed Grandholm factory site was converted into a residential project by the Cala Group in 2005. Part of the mill is now an Indian restaurant called The Spice Mill, which has maintained the original elements of the factory.)
Crombie began as a producer of luxury cloth, which it sold to cloth merchants and direct to London tailors. By the 1850s, Crombie had won quality awards from Queen Victoria and Napoleon III at the Great Exhibition in London and the Exposition Universelle in Paris respectively. Later, Crombie expanded from simply manufacturing the fabric for other producers, to creating coats under its own name.
A key factor in Crombie’s expansion, from the 1860s onwards, was the receipt of military contracts. Crombie supplied ‘Rebel Grey’ cloth for the Confederate Army in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and also supplied officers’ uniforms to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in World Wars One and Two.
Starting in the late 1960s or early 1970s, Crombie-style coats were popular within the skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
and suedehead
Suedehead
"Suedehead" was the debut solo single from Morrissey, released in February 1988.The single charted higher than any of the singles released by his former band The Smiths, reaching number five in the UK Singles Chart. It charted at #30 in The Netherlands and at #8 in New Zealand...
subcultures, although very few skinheads would have been able to afford a brand new Crombie coat. Crombie coats were also fashionable among mods
MODS
MODS may refer to:*Metadata Object Description Schema*Microscopic Observation Drug Susceptibility assay*Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome*Microsoft Office Document Scanning...
, who saw them as a stylish item of clothing that enhanced their clean-cut image. It was an alternative to the popular fishtail parka or trenchcoat.
Crombie has long marketed itself at international statesmen and royals. It has enjoyed particular success in Russia, where Crombie began supplying to the Tsarist court from 1880, and even in 1984 it was observed that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
was wearing a Crombie coat when he visited Britain that December. Crombie lists King George VI, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Dwight D Eisenhower and John F Kennedy among its historic customers. From 1995-2004, Crombie also held the Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
as a supplier to the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
.
The company continues to trade today, and currently has three stand-alone stores: in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. Crombie also has concessions in certain House of Fraser
House of Fraser
House of Fraser is a British department store group with over 60 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891 it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century, but after the Second...
stores, and sells some of its most premium coats exclusively in Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
. Crombie also sells over its website.
The founding Crombie family sold their interest in the company in 1928, to another British textile family, the Salts (famous as the founders of Saltaire
Saltaire
Saltaire is a Victorian model village within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England, by the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal...
in West Yorkshire). After the Second World War, Crombie became part of Illingworth Morris – at that time Britain’s largest woolen textile company, of which British actress Pamela Mason
Pamela Mason
Pamela Mason was a British actress, author, and screenwriter who appeared in a number of British films.-Early life and career:...
was the majority shareholder. In the 1980s the company was taken private by its Chairman. Crombie is also known to hold the rights to the Tommy Nutter
Tommy Nutter
Tommy Nutter , was a British tailor, famous for reinventing the Savile Row suit in the 1960s.Born in Barmouth, Merioneth, he was raised in Edgware, Middlesex, where his father owned a local High Street Cafe. After the family moved to Kilburn, Nutter and his brother David attended Willesden...
brand name, having backed him financially in the late 1980s and early 1990s.