A glance through Henry Poole & Co’s ledgers reveals an astonishing array of aristocrats, statesmen, politicians and industrialists: famous names who shaped Britain and the wider world through the turbulent years of the twentieth century. Among these, there is no greater name than that of Sir Winston Churchill.
Churchill first walked through the door of Henry Poole & Co in December of 1905, placing an order for costly Ministerial Uniform and beginning a relationship of some sixty years during which we would meet his requirements for his various uniforms, frock, morning and lounge suits, and even his artists’ smocks!
A few weeks ago we received an intriguing request for Sir Winston’s measurements, to aid in the sculpting of a wax effigy for the new Churchill Exhibition at Blenheim Palace. This initial request has led to us working with the exhibition’s designers, Me&C Creative and the sculptor Jethro Crabb, who’s new and eerily lifelike effigy offers visitors to the palace the closest opportunity to be photographed with the great man himself.
Throughout the war years Churchill, when not dressed in his “siren” suit, tended to favour either formal lounge morning suits or else a soft grey chalk stripe flannel; a suiting still made specially for us today and known to our customers simply as the “Churchill Stripe.” Both of these were made by us several times over for Sir Winston, and more recently for Gary Oldman in his Oscar-winning portrayal of Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” To read more on how we dressed Gary Oldman in the Darkest Hour please click here. Of these, the lounge suit was the preferred choice for the Blenheim effigy and as with the sculpture itself, every effort has been taken to reproduce the materials, cut and tailoring techniques of the time exactly, to ensure the completed figure does justice to our most famous twentieth century client.
The new Churchill Exhibition opens at Blenheim Palace on 17th May.
For more information and tickets please visit Blenheim Palace website directly by clicking here.
