Fledgling fashion firm wins expanded brief with JD Sports
Womenswear items from the Manchester-based fashion firm Il Sarto will be sold in up to 25 JD Sports stores across the country as of Spring/Summer 2020.
The company’s ‘cool-casual’ products are currently available in five of Bury-based JD’s stores, including shopping centres in Manchester, Leeds and Kent.
Il Sarto was set up in May 2018 and sells branded, fitted clothing for men and women, influenced by Italian tailoring.
Founder Brad Howard said: “In the Summer of last year we started off selling our womenswear products in three JD stores, then five, and as of next year it will be up to 25.
“The progress we’ve made in such a short amount of time is amazing and we’re currently working on the ranges that will be sold in the stores next year.
“As a brand we know we must now step-up in every way possible, including with our designs, some of which will be exclusive to JD.
“It’s one of the biggest brands we could be working with.”
The streetwear brand sells its products online and wholesales its items to other retailers, such as Footasylum.
It started out as a menswear brand and four months after it launched Il Sarto began creating womenswear ranges.
Twelve months after it was founded, shares in the company were bought by the co-owners of The Couture Club, another Manchester-based fashion firm, and its products are sold in The Couture Club’s stores.
Mr Howard, who is also a professional model, added: “Our style is clean cut and subtle, just like much of the fashion in Italy – Il Sarto means ‘the tailor’ in Italian.”
He added: “We have six in-house designers who have done a fantastic job with our collections so far.
“The good thing about working with The Couture Club is their progress has been huge and any mistakes they might have made along the way we benefit from learning from.
“I work closely with the co-founders, Ross Worswick and Scott Shashua, and our products feature in their campaigns.
“With our new partnership with JD the pressure is on, it’s all about delivery now, I know our products are good enough.”
