Lee Marsh x Hainsworth Capsule Collection

Leading textile mill Hainsworth has unveiled its latest collaboration with a leading British menswear designer. The 230-year-old Yorkshire mill has collaborated with Saville Row bespoke tailor Lee Marsh. Marsh, whose clients include Prince William, Prince Harry, Colin Firth, Johnny Depp, Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, was inspired by the mill’s contemporary fabrics. His new – and first – ready-to-wear collection features a capsule collection of garments that can all be mixed and matched.

Fabrics used by Marsh include the mill’s Light Grey Melange Lightweight Melton, Bright Blue Melton and Ren Field Grey. Lee began his career as a tailor 18 years ago after attending London School of Fashion and has worked for some of the finest names in the business – including Henry Poole, Gieves & Hawkes and Huntsman. He says: “I fell in love with Hainsworth’s fabrics when I was working for Gieves & Hawkes so I’m delighted to be collaborating with them myself for the first time. Their heritage and history closely matches the history of a Saville Row suit. “Until now I’d only ever used their Grey Melange Melton as an under-collar suit fabric but I had this great idea to use it to make a whole suit. It’s such a soft and moveable fabric that it’s perfect used this way. It’s also a warm fabric so it’s just right for winter wear.

“What I also love about the fabric is that it’s so clean and wrinkle-resistant you can literally pack it in your suitcase and any creases will drop out as soon as it’s hung up – perfect for anyone travelling.” Marsh has designed the grey suit so it can be interchangeable and worn with the blue blazer or green bomber jacket. He says: “I’ve designed the collection so you can wear the suit trousers with the striking blue blazer and a pair of trainers if you want to.

“The green bomber jacket combines the classic tailoring of a double breasted jacket with a traditional bomber. Hainsworth’s Ren Field Grey fabric from their True Heritage Collection is such a lovely fabric to work with and allowed me to give the bomber the soft yet structured look I was after”. Hainsworth is increasingly working with a number of leading high fashion designers. Other fans of their fabrics include Christopher Raeburn, Jenny Schwarz, Jackie Lee, A Sauvage and Baartmans & Siegel. At the recent London Collections: Men, organised by the British Fashion Council, Hainsworth fabrics had a presence in the shows on most days. The campaign included a photo shoot setting Hainsworth fabrics against some of London’s most iconic landmarks, reinforcing the Mill’s connections with Britain’s capital of fashion.

Avery Parker

The collection is due to launch in store and online in September 2015. Click here to visit the Lee Marsh website.