A Legacy of Style and Service: The Story Behind County Clothes
Tucked among the historic streets and market towns of Kent and Sussex, County Clothes has quietly stitched its way into the fabric of the region’s independent menswear scene. Founded in 1976, the business began not as a bold corporate venture, but as the outcome of something much rarer in retail, a genuine connection between shopkeeper and customer.
It was in Canterbury where Bryan Weller, then managing a menswear store, first met Robert Mid-lane, a regular customer with an eye for quality and an appreciation for personal service. Their shared belief in the value of face-to-face retail sparked a partnership, and when Robert offered up his own retail space on St. Margaret’s Street, the first County Clothes store was born. Nearly fifty years later, that very shop still welcomes customers through its doors, carrying with it the same ethos of hand-picked quality and outstanding service.
County Clothes hasn’t stood still. In 1990, a second store opened in Tenterden, ushering in a new chapter for the company. It also marked the arrival of John Lambert, who would go on to become Managing Partner and guide the business into its next era. Since then, County Clothes has steadily expanded, adding stores in Reigate, Sevenoaks, Bexhill-on-Sea, Royal Tunbridge Wells, and Herne Bay.
This growth, however, hasn’t come at the expense of character. Every County Clothes shop maintains a commitment to personal service, with knowledgeable staff ready to advise customers not just on fit and style, but on making choices that last. The group’s collaboration with bespoke tailoring specialists ETCH further reflects its desire to blend tradition with modern refinement.
A recent nomination for Best Independent Menswear Retailer at the Drapers Awards and a sponsorship with Kent County Cricket Club show that County Clothes is both rooted in its heritage and engaged with its community.
In a retail world often dominated by fast fashion and online algorithms, County Clothes remains something of an anomaly: a business built on trust, craftsmanship, and relationships. It’s not just about the clothes it’s about the experience of buying them, the people who guide you, and the sto-ries that are woven into every stitch.
www.countyclothesmenswear.co.uk
