95 Charlie, British Millerain, and a New Logistics Partner for Lockwood
Some weeks are steady, and some weeks you look back on the Sunday night and wonder how you fitted it all in. This was very much the latter. Here's what's been going on.
First Samples of the 95 Charlie
This week we'll be seeing the first samples of our new men's hoodless jacket, and I can't wait to get my hands on them. The plan is to make it in waxed fabric, alongside a lighter-weight summer variant, so it earns its place in the wardrobe all year round rather than just through the colder months.
The working title is 95 Charlie. It's modelled in recognition of one of the leaders I served under in the military. 95 Charlie was his call sign when he was my Company Sergeant Major in Support Company of the Coldstream. A great leader and someone I learned a lot from, so it's only right that a jacket built to do a proper job, with no fuss and no frills, carries his name. More to come once those samples are in.
A Branding Meeting With the Whole Team
On Wednesday we got everyone together online for a branding meeting: marketing, PR, and the three directors, myself, Ruth and James. Lockwood is growing quickly, and making sure everyone is pulling in the same direction on how we look, sound and present ourselves matters more now than ever. A really productive session.
Up to Manchester: British Millerain
Thursday we headed up to Manchester to visit British Millerain, talking through the jackets we're producing, including the new hoodless jacket. We wanted to see their processes first-hand, from their printing to their fabric manufacturing output, and to source some fabrics while we were there.
We were shown around the factory by a lovely gentleman named Mike, and it was brilliant to find out that some of the people working there already follow the company and knew who we were. That makes me very proud, and it says a lot about the British manufacturing community we're part of.
Holland Country Clothing: Our New 3PL Partner
From there we went over to see Matt Holland at Holland Country Clothing, who are going to be our third-party logistics partner, our 3PL. They'll be handling all of our shipping as we scale.
That's another big milestone for Lockwood. We've reached the point where the business has grown too big for us to manage everything ourselves, which is exactly the kind of problem you want to have. We visited their current warehouse, had lunch, then went over to see the new warehouse they're moving into over the coming months, which is much bigger. We finished the day at their shop, which is really nice and well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.
A Rare Weekend Off
Over the weekend Ruth and I had something we don't get very often: a weekend to ourselves. We took the time to recharge our batteries, and after the last few weeks we both needed it.
Another Milestone Hit
Last week we hit a huge milestone at Lockwood. We've been tracking our milestones from the very beginning, and seeing the speed at which we keep beating the previous ones is very comforting for the future of the business. That's down to every one of you who has chosen to buy better and buy British, and it makes me very proud.
What's Coming
First samples of the 95 Charlie hoodless jacket, in waxed and lighter-weight variants
Fabric decisions following our visit to British Millerain
Shipping moving over to Holland Country Clothing as our 3PL partner
More from the team as the branding work takes shape
If you believe in buying better, buying British, and buying things that last, you're in the right place. Every piece is made right here in the UK, built to last, and backed by our guarantee. Have a browse of the full range while the weather's turning.
