The Dewhirst story dates back to the nineteenth century yet speaks of constant innovation. In 1880, one Michael Marks began his commercial journey when he borrowed just £5 from a wholesaler, Isaac Dewhirst, to launch a chain of penny bazaars across Leeds.
Our History
As well as providing seed funding Mr Dewhirst introduced Mr Marks to a cashier working within Dewhirst's wholesale business – Tom Spencer. The result was one of the most enduring success stories in the apparel industry's history. That first £5 now has pride of place on the wall of our central headquarters – an evocative reminder of our roots as a company.
Isaac Dewhirst quickly became a preferential and significant supplier for the Marks and Spencer chain, but always retained the independence of his own business. Even today his pioneering outlook and determined spirit continue to influence the deeply embedded values of the Dewhirst brand.
Today Dewhirst honours our history with a commitment to creative and technical advancement, coupled with competitive quality and value. More than a century's experience in innovation drives our ability to deliver value adding solutions for the modern apparel industry.
We have proven our capacity to flex to a fast moving market via a global infrastructure, a highly responsive portfolio of services and a growing number of specialist divisions. Whilst our responsibility to enduring client relationships remains as strong as it has always been, we are constantly moving forward with an expanding client base of high street fashion retailers who depend on us to meet the demands of today's marketplace.