Charles Tyrwhitt

Charles Tyrwhitt
Private
Industry Clothier
Founded London, United Kingdom, 1986
Headquarters London, United Kingdom
Key people
 Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler (Founder)
Products Clothing
Website www.ctshirts.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt (also known as CT Shirts) is a multi-channel British menswear retailer, specialising in formal men’s shirts, shoes, suits, knitwear and accessories, as well as lines of womenswear and a casual range.

Charles Tyrwhitt was founded as a mail order company in 1986 by Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler while he was a student at Bristol University.[1] Wheeler has said that he started the business simply because he thought he "could make a shirt better than anybody else".[2]

In 1997, the company opened its first store on Jermyn Street, London, notable for its history in British shirt making.[3] Charles Tyrwhitt’s flagship store is now at Nos. 98–100 Jermyn Street.

Tyrwhitt uses a high MSRP, high discount model (also called high-low pricing).

History

Charles Tyrwhitt was founded as a mail order company in 1986 by Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt Wheeler, while he was a student at Bristol University. The company began operating out of a small space on Fulham Road, London, before expanding the business with retail and e-commerce stores. Beginning as a gentleman’s shirt makers, the offering has since expanded to include suits, shoes, knitwear, accessories and a collection of business casual wear. Charles Tyrwhitt now includes a selection of womenswear.

Style

Charles Tyrwhitt focuses on well made ‘proper’ clothing, with a British style.

Many items are sourced and made in the UK, including shoes, suits and jackets, in addition to Italian made ties and knitwear.

They were the first Jermyn Street retailer to offer a ‘slim fit’ shirt, and now offer an ‘extra slim fit’ as well as their ‘classic fit’. Customers are given the option to customise their shirts, trousers and jackets. This can be altering sleeve/trouser lengths, adding pockets or monogramming shirts.

Current Operations

Charles Tyrwhitt produces a regular series of brochures every year. They also have a large online store, with sites dedicated to the UK, Germany, US and Australia that sell the full product range.

Charles Tyrwhitt now has 23 stores, 8 of which are in London, 9 in UK, with a further 6 internationally – including Washington, New York, and Paris.[4]

Sale Model

Charles Tyrwhitt sells the vast majority of merchandise at significant discount from its published retail price. In the U.S., a non-iron dress shirt retails for $160, while 4 shirts for $200 or even less is a common price. Prices have been seen as low as $29 per shirt on CTshirts.com. It has been reported that online sale prices can be honored in the New York City retail locations.[5]

Customer Service

Charles Tyrwhitt uses an independent customer feedback service called Feefo.[6] This allows some customers (those willing to provide the company with their email address) to give feedback on the service they experienced from Charles Tyrwhitt that is then published as a live feed on the Charles Tyrwhitt website. These reviews are unedited on the Charles Tyrwhitt website. As of Nov 2014, Charles Tyrwhitt has a 97% positive customer service rate.[7]

The customer service centre is currently based in London, England. Customers calling from the US and overseas will also be put through to a customer service representative in London.

Unconditional Guarantee

Charles Tyrwhitt offers a six-month ‘no quibbles’ guarantee on all its products, no matter what condition items are returned in. For goods bought in the sale the guarantee is 14 days, due to the fast turnaround of stock necessary during these periods.

Awards

Charles Tyrwhitt has received awards for their customer service in recent years. Most notably Charles Tyrwhitt was awarded 1st place for customer service in the 2011 Sunday Times Profit Track 100 awards.[8]

Charles Tyrwhitt earned awards at the Top 50 Companies For Customer Service Awards, including Best Web Chat, Best E-Retailer, 2nd place for Calls and 3rd for best overall customer service.[9]

Notable customers

David Cameron has shown his support for British Fashion at a reception to celebrate the start of the London Collections for Men. Tieless, in a Richard James suit, Charles Tyrwhitt shirt and Oliver Sweeney shoes.[10]

The president of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America, David Archibald, buys his suits from Charles Tyrwhitt. "Charles Tyrwhitt’s styles are quite traditional yet quite comfortable. I travel a lot and the suits jump in and out of suitcases – all the while allowing me to look as I should."[11]

References

  1. ↑ Interview with Nick Wheeler in The Times
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ http://mensclothingdealz.blogspot.com/2013/12/charles-tyrwhitt-shirts.html
  6. ↑
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ http://www.fasttrack.co.uk/fasttrack/events/pt100awards.html
  9. ↑ http://www.callcentre.co.uk/page.cfm/link=361
  10. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2258863/Blame-Sam-style-crimes--David-Cameron-says-wife-doles-clothes-like-food-prisoner-shopping-trips-lets-know-pants-M-S.html
  11. ↑ http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/75a617ae-64b7-11e2-934b-00144feab49a.html#axzz2Ko91wQHs
Customer reviews