A Touch of Class: Story of Austin Reed by Berry Ritchie
This history is about an ambitious entrepreneur with an exceptional talent for marketing. Austin Reed appreciated the opportunity offered by the expansion of office workers in the City who needed to dress as smartly as their wealthy masters, at affordable prices. A central theme is the evolution of 20th-century men's fashion, and its changing social context. It ranges from business clothes and white tie and tails to sports wear. It describes the impact on fashion of radical change in the 1960s and the emergence of women's power dressing in the 1980s. A further strand is Austin Reed people - a family business based on mutual loyalty between management, staff and customers. The founder inspired in his staff dedication to excellence in quality and service. The book contributes to the history of fashion, society and advertising graphics.