The Cathcart Story
12 Years of Classic British Style
For many years Cathcart London has been an established presence in the menswear industry, and the trusted choice of style enthusiasts from all walks of life and all corners of the globe.
As the market and trends have shifted more towards slow fashion and natural yarns, Cathcart London has hit its stride and grown into the foremost purveyor of classic British style, offering timeless apparel in a modern context. In recent years, the rise of sportswear and the decline of the suit has collided with renewed interest in timeless style from bygone eras, as men place emphasis on classicism, by way of learning about the history of menswear, investing in quality garments and observing the details of the rich history of dress codes, textures, colours and yarns.
From its humble beginnings as the first brand to offer authentically styled early 20th Century polo shirts, Cathcart’s debut has accelerated the renewed interest in classic style and since then has gone on to dress thousands of stylish men and women around the world. This explosion has attracted Hollywood costume designers, TV personalities, rock bands, jazz musicals, West End shows and, of course, those who simply appreciate timeless style. The influence of the brand has stretched far and wide. It has worked with some of the best makers in the world to deliver unique, classic menswear that hitherto has been impossible to find on the market. Cathcart offers just about everything a man requires, from classic tailoring to footwear, and from denim jeans to accessories of all kinds.
A Family Business
Cathcart London is a collision of one man’s interests and influences: founder Simon's love of suits that was sparked by seeing the elegance of Bryan Ferry in the 1970s, at a time when most of his schoolmates avoided any thought of fashion; His love of old movies, and the fashions worn by the stars of the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood, from the elegance of the suits worn by Douglas Fairbanks Jnr to the casual stylings of Steve McQueen. Or his love music from the early jazz age up to sixties surf and garage bands and how their sound and their style were a perfect complement to each other and informed a generation of youth for over 100 years. From Savile Row to luxuriously casual styles of the French Riviera; from cowboy denim to leather biker jackets; from the ‘Apache’ gangs of early 20th Century Paris to London’s ‘wide boys’ in their bold pinstripes and patent leather shoes; Mods and Rockers; Teddy Boys and Punks; it was all part of Simon’s love for how important style was for men hoping to make their own mark on the world.
Since Simon established the brand over 12 years ago, his sons George and James Cathcart have since joined the firm. They have gone on to launch popup stores, most recently in Notting Hill, London, and have turned what was a small business into a respected global brand in the realm of classic menswear, documented by The Rake, GQ, New York Times, and Pitti Uomo.
Both brothers were born and raised in London and can be found training on the judo mat and playing tennis on the weekends. James recently studied for a Masters at Imperial College London, studying business and competed for the university's polo club. A keen traveller, he's always on the hunt for rare vintage pieces and quality fabrics.
Classic Silhouettes
At the very heart of this mission to make men dress more confidently remains the fundamental notion of fit. Cathcart’s jackets offer the customer room to move, allowing space in the chest, shoulders and waist for a comfortable fit, whilst retaining a sense of elegance and style. The full chest, nipped waist and wide skirt of Cathcart’s jackets emphasise the shape of the body, creating a classically tailored silhouette. As part of this, the brand’s signature style of a rear belt and pleats remains a favourite among customers. After all, if this style allowed golfers of yore to play golf whilst wearing a suit jacket, it’s a feature that will certainly stand up to commuting and a day in the office.
Crucially, the brand’s trousers are designed to sit at the natural waist. Unlike most modern trouser makers, who favour low waisted trousers with little space for the seat, Cathcart’s trousers are constructed to allow for the natural shape of the body, meaning they are comfortable for all your daily activities. They hark back to the days when tailors and patternmakers understood that the hips and seat are naturally wider than the waist, and that – when seated - the trousers shouldn’t constrict the thighs or groin. The desire to ensure that Cathcart’s trousers sit comfortably on waist means that they come with a variety of methods for adjustment and support, including belt loops, buttons for braces, side-adjusters or a rear cinch. Not only does Cathcart offer trousers that are well fitting, but the brand also reintroduced wider hems and shirts with longer collars, leading with a style that the fashion industry is now beginning to follow.
Spectacular Fabrics
Whilst the brand emphasises the importance of clothes designed to fit the male form, the design team know that there is so much more to creating a fantastic outfit. The modern mainstream suits, with their smooth and shiny exteriors, lack the classic appeal of fabrics that have texture, pattern and subtlety in their weaves. Whether it's the softness of luxurious feel of a worsted flannel, the reassuringly cosy texture of tweed, the density of herringbone cotton weaves, of the eye-catching appeal of a flecked Donegal tweed, Cathcart’s designers know that there’s the perfect cloth for every occasion, regardless of the weather or the location. After all, the UK is home to the most famous and well-respected cloth mills in the world; mills where their expert weavers know how to get the right balance of yarns and colours to create beautiful fabrics. Not only that, but if Cathcart can’t find the perfect cloth, in the perfect weight, they weave it themselves, utilising the expertise of mills in the UK or across the world.
Of course, this wonderful variety of fabrics helps take the well-dressed Cathcart customer beyond the world of the suit. The glory of a mix-and-match outfit of separates, in which contrasting yet complimentary jackets and trousers allow for the freedom of mixing colours, patterns and textures, is at the heart of mastering the art of being well dressed. The understanding that a pair of well-cut grey worsted flannel trousers is the bedrock of creating a well-coordinated smart-casual outfit, is at the heart of the brand’s identity. And the customers understand this as well, meaning that wide-hem ‘Ellington’ trousers and the narrow-hem ‘Astor’ trousers, remain a constant feature of the shop, appearing season after season to the delight of customers.
From this solid grey base, you can build a perfectly coordinated outfit, safe in the knowledge that mid-grey compliments whatever colour you want to put it with. Black shoes? Tan shoes? White shoes? Yes, they all work with grey flannel trousers. It’s the same with jackets: a navy-blue blazer, a brown tweed sports jacket, a cream summer jacket? Perfect. And, of course, once you are comfortable creating an outfit based on grey flannels, it’s time to experiment with cream flannels in summer.