Dora Black / 28 October 2013 / Categories: Shops, Clothing

Next

Next has around 700 stores, of which 540 are in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and around 200 are in continental Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Next is the largest clothing retailer by sales in the United Kingdom, having overtaken Marks & Spencer in early 2012. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

The company was founded by Joseph Hepworth in Leeds in 1864 as a tailor under the name of Joseph Hepworth & Son.

In 1982 Hepworth & Son acquired Kendall & Sons Ltd, a Leicester-based rainwear and ladies fashion company from Combined English Stores. The intention was to redevelop the Kendall's stores as a womenswear chain of shops. Terence Conran, the designer, was Chairman of Hepworth's at this time and he recruited George Davies, who went on to become Chief Executive of Next.

WHO'S MAKING THESE CLOTHES?

I don't go into Next very much these days. I've had a few dealings with the company's head office particularly Simon Wolfson's office and don't really like the way they do things if I'm honest.

That aside I was given a £10 gift certificate recently and thought I'd pick up some socks for the winter.

In the Thurmaston store there were two packed displays full of socks but I could not find one pair made either of wool, cotton or any other natural fibre or blend. Every pair I looked at and I looked at every single pair were acrylic or polyester and I could not find a pair under £12, some pairs were £14, some £16 for two pairs. I couldn't believe I couldn't find a a pair of socks or knitted slippers under a tenner.(particularly when the materials were manmade)

I scoured the store to spend my £10 without adding money to it. I found the cheapest pair of rayon/viscose leggings, paper thin and no stretch for £9 (horrible) or costume earrings (that make your ears go green) for £4.50, Christmas wrap for £7 and cards came in under budget but that was about it. I left the store with nothing. I will have to wait for the Next sale to spend my gift card.

When the Next brand was launched the name was synomymous with great design and amazing quality, Terence Conran was the boss and you would expect to find natural fibre in well designed socks for a little higher than average price.

Now it appears to me they have settled on delivering OK design, inferior quality materials made overseas and for me I expect more from from a premium British brand.