British heritage brand N.Peal has announced that its first US store will open in New York City on 19 February. Located at 952 Madison Avenue, the new store will be at the heart of the Big Apple’s luxury retail district.

With a history going back to 1936, the specialist cashmere retailer is one of Britain’s most iconic luxury brands, with its cashmere jumpers worn by icons ranging from Marilyn Monroe to James Bond. The Madison Avenue store will take N.Peal’s total number of stores up to seven.

“2018 is set to be a stellar year for British luxury brands, and especially for N.Peal. Recent years have seen us open new stores in Piccadilly, Mayfair and Covent Garden and launch a US retail website. We’re proud to announce the introduction of the New York store to the growing N.Peal family, and deliver a slice of British luxury to the US market,” commented Adam Holdsworth, Managing Director of N.Peal.

History

The N.Peal founder, Nat Peel, was inspired to launch his own range of British luxury clothing after being stationed in the Shetland Isles while in the military. Noticing the high quality of wool produced from Shetland sheep, he began selling sweaters knitted from the wool in the flagship Burlington Arcade store in London’s Mayfair.

Following the end of the Second World War, Peal introduced cashmere to the production process. The N.Peal brand soon gained a cult following in the United States, with silver screen stars ranging from Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to Cary Grant and Ava Gardner sporting the iconic cashmere knits.

N.Peal’s movie star allure hasn’t dimmed, with the makers of the Bond franchise commissioning a series of specially-made cashmere jumpers for the character James Bond quintessentially British superspy in the 2012 film Skyfall and 2015 Spectre.

Control of cashmere process

Today, N.Peal’s luxury cashmere knitwear and accessories are designed in London and made with cashmere carefully selected from Mongolian goats. It is N.Peal’s control of the cashmere process, from goat to garment, that have ensured its reputation for quality, the company explains. “Following a successful 2017, in which sales soared to £15 million, the time is right for us to launch our exciting Madison Avenue store that will in turn support online growth,” added Mr Holdsworth.

The launch is also a personal success for Adam Holdsworth, who bought the business in 2006, quickly rebuilding the brand by focusing on its British heritage and high-quality supply chain. “As N.Peal goes from strength to strength, it’s clear that British luxury has a firm hold in the international market, a position that can only increase as heritage brands like N.Peal expand overseas,” he said.

www.npeal.com