Celebrating 235 years of our British Craftsmanship

2019 marks the 235th year of John Smedley, the oldest and most iconic still manufacturing knitwear factory in the entire world. In celebration of this momentous birthday, the brand will curate a year long series of events and product launches, each dedicated to showcasing the brand’s passion for British craft in all its forms, uniting craftspeople from across the entire British Isles in a global celebration of quality, fibre and the strive for perfection and constant perseverance that unites artisans the world over. Beginning at London Craft Week on May 1st, the brand will introduce their partnership with The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST)– a charity which supports the training and education of British craftspeople. Throughout this partnership the two organisations will work together to bring the stories of 10 craftspeople -each a QEST scholar, to the masses via a series of exhibitions within St James’s Market Pavilion across 2019-20, and a continuous programme of workshops and retail activations where each month John Smedley’s retail stores within London and Japan will be transformed to tell the story of each craftsperson, articulating their personal journey and showcasing their products which will be available to purchase exclusively at John Smedley stores.