page_title: Kent & Curwen
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kent & Curwen / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Kent &amp; Curwen Advertisement in 1985
context_page_description: Kent & Curwen is a British menswear retailer, founded in 1926 in London by Eric Kent and Dorothy Curwen. Kent & Curwen first made its name supplying ties to universities in Oxford and Cambridge. The brand went on to introduce a cricket sweater in the 1930s.
  The Three Lions Herald trademark was registered in 1982.
  Kent & Curwen is now owned by the Hong Kong conglomerate Trinity Ltd. The current creative director is Daniel Kearns.
context_section_description: 1926 - Eric Kent and Dorothy Curwen established E.W Kent & Curwen in London. They began as a manufacturer of regimental, club and college ties, supplying Oxford and Cambridge universities.
  October 1931 - Eric proposed to Dorothy whilst travelling through Europe. They married the following year
  1932 - The company bought a knitwear factory in London to manufacture its first cricket jumpers. In the 1930s, E.W Kent & Curwen dressed the Hollywood Cricket team.
  23 June 1937 - E.W Kent & Curwen was registered as a limited company becoming simply Kent & Curwen Ltd., trading on Silver Street in the City of London.
  12 February 1939 - Eric Kent died suddenly, aged just 46.
  1940s - Kent & Curwen moved from Silver Street during WWI due to bomb damage, to Warwick Street in the West End.
  18 December 1972 - Dorothy died at her home on Sussex Coast.
  1973 - Kent & Curwen moved from Warwick Street to a leasehold premise on Domingo Street.
  1975 - Jane Bourvis joined the company, eventually becoming the Director for Knitwear Sales and Design.
  Early 1980s - Kent & Curwen opened their own store at 39 St. James’ Street, close to Piccadilly Circus. They also became the costumes sponsor of the Oscar winning film Chariots of Fire.
  December 1982 - Kent & Curwen was taken over by a Swiss trading company called Giselle. Through this merger, the company was introduced to the Japanese company, D'Urban, with whom a trading agreement was formed.
  Mid 1980s - Kent & Curwen began to explore the export market, exhibiting at trade shows in New York and Paris. In 1986, they opened on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills. In Asia, Kent & Curwen opened across Singapore and Hong Kong.
  1990s - Tie manufacture was down.
  2000s - Moving into the 21ˢᵗ century, each of the stores closed in quick succession, including the St. James store in 2002, leaving Kent & Curwen no obvious retail presence.
  2006 - Kent & Curwen opened a new flagship store on Conduit Street.
  2008 - Kent & Curwen acquired by Trinity Limited of Li & Fung Group with headquarter in Hong Kong.
  February 2010 - Kent & Curwen opened a new shop at No. 2, Piccadilly Arcade.
  2015 - Kent & Curwen started a 5-year global business partnership with David Beckham.
  2016 - Kent & Curwen appointed Daniel Kearns as Creative Director.
  2017 - They opened a second London shop at Convent Garden.
caption: Kent & Curwen's Advertisement in 1980s
exif: {}