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THE CREATION OF AN ICON

John Smedley has become something of a generic term. To refer to a 'Smedley' is to highlight what seems to be a piece of knitwear of an especially fine gauge: the finer the gauge, the closer and smoother the knit. But not all 'Smedleys' are Smedleys. There is a reason why John Smedley's knitwear, and not that of other manufacturers, has become so iconic.

For a start, it is the timelessness of our knitwear - ours are traditional designs updated for 21st century living. Then there is the quality of our garments and the materials they're made from. When we say fine gauge, we mean fine gauge: 24 gauge is where most manufacturers stop, and where we start, ultra fine 30 gauge being the speciality, for which John Smedley is recognized.

The yarn we use is produced using the specially- sourced long fibres required for worsted spinning, handled with age-old craftsmanship, spun with space-age technology. In 1877 John Smedley was one of the first in the fledgling knitwear industry to install one of the newfangled 'Cotton's Patent' knitting machines. The company is as up with the times now as then. Our garments are considered no less luxurious today than they were over a century ago either. Indeed, since then we've worked out how to blend other natural and noble fibres, including cashmere and silk. It's a talent for knitwear that we like to think is unsurpassed. That's why we don't feel much need to shout about it. The best kind of marketing? Anyone who has worn one of our products.

The proof is in, if not the pudding, then at least the wearing.