AVERYBRITISH
COUNTRY ESSENCE & URBAN FLAIR Affair
EQUINE Fashion
Butler Stewart is a quintessentially British heritage designer fashion
brand that is transforming tweed with their exquisite tailoring
and passion for contemporary styling. Our Editor, Noelle Vander
Brink, took the opportunity to speak to Anna Butler, their inspirational
Designer and Founder to discover more about this emerging
luxury label and the driving force behind its global success.
Butler Stewart was established by Anna Butler back in 2015
with a desire to create tweed tailored separates which filled
a gap for those discerning customers who were looking for
country clothing that easily crossed over into their town life, as
Anna explains:
“I’ve always designed for the customer who loves the essence
of country tweed, yet wants clothing which can move with ease
from rural to urban life. I don’t want my clients to feel that our
clothing designs are restricted to wear only in the great British
countryside. Our clients live and work all over the world,
and that’s the beauty of Butler Stewart; it has no barriers or
limitations. Personally, I’ve always worn tweed for meetings in
the city and love the way you can dress up or dress down this
quintessentially British look if the tailoring is right.”
Quality tailoring is at the heart of Butler Stewart’s designs.
Savile Row in London is infamous with traditional tailors and so
it makes sense that a Savile Row experienced tailor is executing
Anna’s designs;
“The cut and finish of the garments are particularly crucial to
the brand’s reputation” Explains Anna:
“We’ve developed an excellent reputation for delivering garments
which are exquisitely cut and finished. Having worked
with high-end brands before setting up Butler Stewart, I
recognise the importance of delivering garments that make
the customer look and feel great. Butler Stewart garments are
designed to stand the test of time with their classic cut and
beautiful finish.”
A familiar name on the British show circuit, the label has a
loyal following both in the UK and overseas, including many
customers who return every season to ‘update’ their wardrobe
with Butler Stewarts’ new season additions.
Focusing on limited edition runs is particularly crucial to the
brand, ensuring that they retain the exclusivity that their customers
enjoy, coupled with their exceptional customer service,
which is at the core of their business ethos.
Their clientele ranges from 25-70 years old, which again
showcases the beauty of their clothing; elegantly timeless and
never out of fashion. Stylish equestrians are also high on their
customer base including top professional riders who choose to
wear Anna’s clothing at profile events in the trot-up;
“Here in the UK, 5* events such as Badminton Horse Trials and
Burghley Horse Trials have a long-standing affiliation with fashion
when it comes to spotting the ‘most stylish’ combination
in the trot-up. It’s like a fashion show with horses for many of
the spectators and gives us a fantastic opportunity to showcase
new styles in front of a global audience.”
The brand is passionate about using the finest British Milled
tweed, and all their tweed is selected on the basis that it is
100% British wool.
“We feel strongly about supporting the British wool trade. And
for us, nothing compares. The finish, the feel of the garment
has to be outstanding. Our clothes are designed to last, and
the tweed we use adds the longevity of the garment and gives
a timeless appeal that goes beyond a season’s wear.” Explains
Anna.
This love of textiles goes back some 200 years through the
Butler family with Anna’s relative founding George Courtauld
& Co, a company manufacturing fabric, clothing and artificial
fibre in the 18th Century. Many of the distinctive linings used
today in Butler Stewarts’ beautiful garments are made from viscose
(an artificial silk) which George Courtauld & Co acquired
a patent for in 1904. The fabric was highly successful and was
responsible for transforming Courtaulds into the world’s leading
man-made fibre production company.
“I am immensely proud of my family history. To know that
one of my direct ancestors was also a leading light in textile
manufacturing in his era is just fantastic and I hope to establish
Butler Stewart as a brand that will also continue to withstand
the test of time.”
We’re pretty sure it will, Anna.
34 www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com
Anna Butler, Founder &
Designer, Butler Stewart
/www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com