So when was the last time someone mentioned Jaeger to you?.......that's what I thought. Me too. But Jaeger is poised to become the newest revived fashion line that somewhere in its 125 year history, lost its way.
Burberry did it. The once dull and dowdy fashion line became chic. Jaeger used to be the old ladie's brand in the 50s and 60s. It was the British county set and 'good quality'. It really
was good quality, it was just dull.
Until the 1970s, the Jaeger label was less expensive than Paris couture, but sought after for its sophistication and style. They were 'adult' clothes; well tailored, practical and reflecting the fashions of the day but not over-the-top.
Jaeger 125 is a new book detailing the company's history. In 1880, the German hypochondriac Dr Gustav Jaeger published a book promoting perfect health by wearing wool next to the skin. This gave birth to a craze for wool-jersey long johns and thus the British firm called Dr Jaeger’s Sanitary Woollen System Co Ltd began. Their supply of long johns to war troops was a mainstay, but in the 1920s they tried fashion emphasizing wools: cashmere, angora, alpaca, camel hair. That camel-hair coat you have (or always wanted) was a Jaeger invention.
The 1930s saw its first store opening on Regent Street specifically tailored to the middle class who could not afford to travel to Paris for their couture. Jaeger was the next best thing to a Savile Row suit. When Jean Muir joined the company in 1956 the label started to attract a younger clientele. However, somewhere along the way those loyal customers did not stay with the Jaeger brand and they found themselves with a warehouse of double knits.
However, today within the throes of a real recession, the Jaeger label is again showing its smart and intellectual style. For the consumer who wants to spend wisely and not have a throwaway wardrobe, Jaeger can easily become the new Burberry. Their latest catwalk show garnered rave reviews.
Items now available at jaeger.co.uk
