Turnbull & Asser
British luxury shirtmaker and retailer known for bespoke shirts, distinctive collars, ties, and royal and cinematic associations.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Turnbull & Asser is a British luxury clothing retailer and shirtmaker whose identity is closely associated with bespoke menswear, Jermyn Street, and the traditions of London gentleman's outfitting. The business began in 1885 in the St James's district of London as a hosiery enterprise founded by John Arthur Turnbull and Ernest Asser. Its location placed it among private clubs, established haberdashers, and affluent customers, and the company adopted the name Turnbull & Asser in 1895. After Turnbull's death, the firm moved in 1903 to 71–72 Jermyn Street, the address that became central to its public identity. The company expanded beyond hosiery into a broader clothing and haberdashery operation during the twentieth century. Between the 1920s and 1970s, its assortment developed to include bespoke and ready-to-wear shirts, clothing, sportswear, accessories, and ties. Its historic Quorn symbol, a hunting horn topped by a Q and associated with the Quorn Hunt, was used across products such as the Quorn scarf. Although the brand has traditionally served men, its commercial identity is broader than a single shirt silhouette: it combines made-to-measure services, ready-to-wear collections, formalwear, casual pieces, neckwear, and accessories. Turnbull & Asser's signature house style is represented by its Classic T&A collar, a semi-spread collar with a deep point and outward flare intended to sit over the collar bone. Its ready-to-wear shirts have also been associated with a three-button cuff. Shirts and ties continue to be made at the company's Gloucester factory, while bespoke services are offered through a dedicated store on Bury Street near the Jermyn Street flagship. The company also operates a New York City store, reflecting its long-standing relationship with American customers. The brand has a particularly strong place in popular culture. In 1962, it supplied shirts and ties for Dr. No, the first James Bond film, helping establish the association between Turnbull & Asser and Bond's formal wardrobe. Its shirts were subsequently used in additional Bond films, including productions featuring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. The turnback, or “cocktail,” cuffs associated with Sean Connery's Bond became one of the most recognizable examples of the company's design language in film. Royal patronage has been another important part of the brand's positioning. Charles III, formerly the Prince of Wales, has purchased Turnbull & Asser shirts since his youth. In 1980, when he received the authority to grant royal warrants, Turnbull & Asser was the first recipient of a warrant issued by him. The warrant later passed from Paul Cuss to Steven Quin and, in 2024, to James Cook. The company has also supplied suits made through the former Chester Barrie factory in Crewe. Turnbull & Asser has pursued international growth cautiously. It sold ready-to-wear shirts in the United States through department stores from 1974 and used New York trunk shows to reach American clients. It briefly operated in Toronto, opened a Beverly Hills shop in 2003, and later opened a New York location at the World Trade Center station before closing those additional sites. In 2018, the company reported a £1.2 million loss and received a £1 million equity injection from owner Ali Fayed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, its Gloucester workroom was redirected toward medical-grade uniforms for National Health Service personnel. Today, the business remains positioned as a high-end British specialist whose value rests on craftsmanship, bespoke service, heritage, and culturally recognizable associations rather than mass distribution.
History
Turnbull & Asser was established in London in 1885 by John Arthur Turnbull and Ernest Asser. The original business operated as a hosiery concern under Turnbull's name in the St James's area, a district already associated with elite clubs, haberdashers, and formal men's clothing. The firm adopted the Turnbull & Asser name in 1895. After John Turnbull's death, the business moved in 1903 to 71–72 Jermyn Street, establishing the address that remains its principal historic association. During the first half of the twentieth century, the company developed from a hosiery and haberdashery business into a more comprehensive clothier. From the 1920s through the 1970s it added bespoke and ready-to-wear shirts, sportswear, clothing, ties, and accessories. The Quorn hunting-horn emblem became a recognizable house mark, and several products were identified with the Quorn name. In 1915, during the First World War, the company developed an Oilsilk Combination Coverall & Ground Sheet, a raincoat that could also serve as a sleeping bag for British military use. The 1960s brought a particularly visible cultural moment. Turnbull & Asser catered to customers associated with Swinging London and supplied shirts and ties for Dr. No, released in 1962. The film established a durable link with James Bond, especially through the button-fastened turnback cuffs worn by Sean Connery's Bond. The company later supplied shirts for further Bond films, including entries starring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. This cinematic relationship helped transform technical shirt details into widely recognized elements of the brand's image. The company also cultivated an American customer base. From 1974 it sold ready-to-wear shirts in the United States through Bonwit Teller and Neiman Marcus, and later held trunk shows at New York's Grand Hyatt. It briefly operated a store in Toronto from 1979, opened a Beverly Hills location in 2003, and later opened a New York store at the World Trade Center station. The Beverly Hills and World Trade Center locations subsequently closed, leaving London and New York as the principal retail locations described in the reference material. Turnbull & Asser's royal relationship became formalized in 1980, when Charles, then Prince of Wales, granted the company a Royal Warrant. He had purchased its shirts since his youth, and the warrant was the first one he issued after receiving authority to grant such appointments. The warrant was associated with Paul Cuss, then Steven Quin from 1999, and James Cook from 2024. The company has also supplied suits made by the former Chester Barrie operation in Crewe. The modern business combines a Jermyn Street flagship with a nearby bespoke store on Bury Street, a New York shop, and shirt production at its Gloucester factory. Its signature Classic T&A collar and three-button cuff remain important house-style references. Financial pressure became public in 2018, when the company posted a £1.2 million loss and received a £1 million equity injection from Ali Fayed. During the COVID-19 response, the Gloucester workroom was devoted to producing medical-grade uniforms for NHS personnel. The brand remains active as a specialist luxury retailer centered on British shirtmaking, bespoke service, heritage, and carefully controlled international reach.
- 2024
Royal Warrant passes to James Cook
[1]James Cook becomes the current holder of the company's Royal Warrant after Steven Quin's tenure.
- 2020
Gloucester workroom supports NHS response
[1]The Gloucester workroom is dedicated to producing medical-grade uniforms for NHS personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2018
Owner provides equity support
[1]After reporting a £1.2 million loss, the company receives a £1 million equity injection from Ali Fayed.
- 2003
Beverly Hills store opens
[1]Turnbull & Asser opens a Beverly Hills location as part of its international retail expansion; the store later closes.
- 1980
Charles grants the company a Royal Warrant
[1]The then Prince of Wales grants Turnbull & Asser his first Royal Warrant.
- 1974
Ready-to-wear US distribution begins
[1]The company begins selling ready-to-wear shirts in the United States through Bonwit Teller and Neiman Marcus.
- 1962
First James Bond film association
[1]Turnbull & Asser supplies shirts and ties for Dr. No, beginning its long-running connection with the James Bond wardrobe.
- 1915
Military raincoat and ground-sheet garment developed
[1]During the First World War, the company develops an Oilsilk Combination Coverall & Ground Sheet for British military use.
- 1903
Move to Jermyn Street
[1]Following John Turnbull's death, the company moves to 71–72 Jermyn Street, its historic flagship location.
- 1895
The Turnbull & Asser name is adopted
[1]The business changes its name from John Arthur Turnbull to Turnbull & Asser.
Products and positioning
High-end British luxury shirtmaking and heritage menswear, combining bespoke craftsmanship, traditional London outfitting, royal patronage, and film culture.
Shirts
Bespoke shirts
The company's core luxury offering is its bespoke shirt service, associated with London shirtmaking and the dedicated Bury Street store. Customers can select cloth, collar construction, cuffs, and other details, with the garment produced to individual measurements. The service represents Turnbull & Asser's strongest differentiation from mass-market and conventional premium ready-to-wear brands.
Shirts
Ready-to-wear shirts
Turnbull & Asser's ready-to-wear shirts translate the house's traditional proportions and construction into a more accessible format. The Classic T&A collar, a semi-spread design with a deep point and outward flare, is promoted as a signature. A three-button cuff is another recurring house detail, while the broader range reflects the company's historic emphasis on formal and refined menswear.
Accessories
Ties and neckwear
Ties have been an important part of the Turnbull & Asser assortment since the company's development into a full clothier. The brand supplies formal neckwear designed to complement its shirts and tailoring, and its ties formed part of the wardrobe supplied for James Bond films. Historic accessories such as the Quorn scarf also connect the range with the company's heritage symbolism.
Tailoring
Suits and formalwear
Beyond shirts, the company offers formal clothing and suits as part of its broader clothier proposition. Reference material notes that Turnbull & Asser suits have been made through the former Chester Barrie factory in Crewe, Cheshire. This extends the brand's positioning from specialist shirtmaker into complete high-end British menswear while retaining its emphasis on traditional tailoring.
Apparel and accessories
Sportswear and accessories
During the twentieth century, Turnbull & Asser expanded into sportswear and accessories in addition to shirts, ties, and formal clothing. The category reflects the historical evolution of the business from a hosiery and haberdashery shop into a broader luxury clothier. Specific current product lines and launch dates are not established in the supplied reference material.
Marketing campaigns
- 1962James Bond wardrobe collaboration
United Kingdom · International
Turnbull & Asser supplied shirts and ties for Dr. No, creating a lasting product-placement and cultural association with James Bond. The relationship later extended to selected Bond films featuring Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
Outcome. The association helped make the brand's shirts, particularly its turnback or cocktail cuffs, recognizable beyond specialist menswear audiences.
Brand decisions
2020
Repurpose Gloucester production for NHS uniformsStrategyBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic created urgent demand for medical garments and uniforms.
Action taken
The company dedicated its Gloucester workroom to making medical-grade uniforms for National Health Service personnel.
Aftermath
The production shift demonstrated the company's ability to redirect its workroom toward public-service manufacturing during an emergency.
2018
Owner provides equity injection after reported lossStrategyBackground
The company reported a £1.2 million loss in February 2018.
Action taken
Owner Ali Fayed provided a £1 million equity injection.
Aftermath
The capital support helped sustain the business, although the supplied material does not provide later financial performance.
Reported loss and equity injection. £1.2 million loss → £1 million equity injection (2018)
1974
Expand ready-to-wear distribution in the United StatesStrategyBackground
The company identified growing American demand for its products and had begun using New York trunk shows to reach customers.
Action taken
Turnbull & Asser began selling ready-to-wear shirts through Bonwit Teller and Neiman Marcus.
Aftermath
The move established a sustained US commercial presence that later included additional stores and continued New York retail activity.
1915
Develop military multifunction garmentOtherBackground
The First World War created demand for practical garments and equipment suitable for military use.
Action taken
Turnbull & Asser developed an oilsilk raincoat that could also function as a sleeping bag and ground sheet.
Aftermath
The product became a documented example of the company's adaptation of its manufacturing capabilities beyond civilian luxury clothing.
Sources2 sources
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