Henri Lloyd is one of those rare brands that manages to exist in two worlds at once. Founded in Manchester in 1963, it started as a pioneering force in performance sailing gear. Its home city may not sit on the coast but anyone who knows their history will realise that need not be a barrier. Look at the Manchester Ship Canal for evidence of that.
The Henri Lloyd story begins with Henri Strzelecki, a Polish war veteran who made Manchester his home after World War II. With a background in textiles and a sharp eye for innovation, Henri set out to create sailing gear that could withstand the brutal conditions of the open ocean. This was an era when evolution in outdoor gear was fast-moving, and technical fabrics were still in their infancy. Henri Lloyd was among the first to introduce seam-sealed waterproofing, nylon zippers that wouldn’t corrode in saltwater, and Velcro fastenings for quick adjustments—features that seem standard now but were groundbreaking at the time.
The brand quickly earned its stripes among professional sailors and by the ‘70s, it had become the go-to for world-renowned skippers like Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the latter being the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world.
As with all good technical gear, it didn’t take long for Henri-Lloyd’s appeal to expand beyond its comfort zone.
By the ‘80s and ‘90s, its clean designs, premium materials, and subtle branding made it a staple for the style-conscious youth, particularly in the mid-80s. Famously beloved by the Italian Paninari scene, Henri Lloyd began a journey that wasn’t always of their own making and ended up rubbing shoulders with the likes of Stone Island and C.P. Company. The Consort Jacket, particularly in the RWR guise became a low-key icon, loved for its minimalist yet functional design. The maritime vibes once again found favour away from the sea, with Italian cities like Milan becoming a hotbed of this memorable look. The brand’s involvement with Italian designer Olmes Carretti no doubt aided this diversion from the sea.
As the 80s gave way to the 90s, it was closer to home that Henri Lloyd began to make waves, in its native North West of England. Still sitting alongside its designer counterparts of Italian heritage, that dual identity was never stronger than in the 1990s, as Henri Lloyd continued to make award-winning sailing gear yet also find itself so ubiquitous with more down-to-earth terrace-dwellers.
With all that heritage comes an increasing weight of expectation for the custodians of the brand, so it’s fitting that for SS25, Henri Lloyd begins a new voyage with Kestin Hare at the wheel. Kestin’s background is filled with heritage brands that have crossed into fashion. He cut his teeth at the likes of Nigel Cabourn and Barbour, worked with Berghaus and now Henri Lloyd is a name added to an illustrious CV.
This inaugural offering with Kestin at the helm brings a refreshed take, with all of those fixed values Henri Lloyd is imbued with, but with tasteful experimentation through fabrications and colour. It’s fair to say the story of Henri Lloyd has experienced some challenging and somewhat choppy waters in the last decade, with ownership changing hands and some stop/start scenarios. Now though, it looks well and truly back afloat and we’re exciting to see what the future brings.
See more Henri Lloyd SS25 at Eqvvs here.
P.S Sorry for so many nautical puns but it’s hard to avoid them. Hope they’re not met with a stern expression.
