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‘It’s quite easy really, Mr Eric,’ said Miss Webb, the stockkeeper of the Coat Department . . .

‘It’s quite easy really, Mr Eric,’ said Miss Webb, the stockkeeper of the Coat Department . . .

‘ ‘Hips 62”. Bust 58”. Waist 55”. Neck to Waist Back 14”. Upper Arm 19”. Leave Good Turnings,’. . . Even Mr Wilkins had boggled at estimating the quantity of material necessary to construct a coat for such a phenomenon.’

Eric Newby was in his late twenties when he returned home in 1945 after an adventurous war. He had escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy and had fallen in love with his future wife Wanda. Back in London, however, demobbed and demoralized, he bowed to pressure and joined the family firm.

Lane & Newby, ‘Mantle Manufacturers and Wholesale Costumiers’, occupied a warren of offices in Great Marlborough Street and here young Eric was put to work. But as Eric blundered his hapless way through the various departments, things were beginning to go wrong at Great Marlborough Street, and during the Fifties Lane & Newby finally collapsed. By this time, however, Eric was laying plans for an excursion to the Hindu Kush which would form the basis for an equally exuberant and entertaining book – and the rest is travel history.

As we begin to reach for our coats (and mantles!) in the rising autumnal chill, we do hope you enjoy this amusing tale from behind the fashion curtain, ripe to add to your seasonal collection.

With best wishes, as ever, from the SF staff

Jess, Isabel, Rebecca, Izzy & Jennie

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