T.M. Lewin, the London shirt and suit brand that has sold only online since it collapsed into administration in 2020, is rebuilding a network of shops. It opened a store on Bow Lane in the City of London in spring 2025 and is considering further sites in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, managing director Dan Ferris told The Times, as reported by Retail Gazette and FashionNetwork on 16 June 2025.
“A big part of our three-year plan is to expand the real estate very quickly”
Dan Ferris, managing director, T.M. Lewin, to The Times
Ferris said the company was looking for another couple of stores during 2025.
Formalwear leads the recovery
After a brief move into resort and casual clothing, T.M. Lewin has refocused on suits, shirts, knitwear and T-shirts. Formalwear now makes up about 70% of sales, according to The Times. Ferris said the more expensive suits were performing especially well as shoppers looked for quality, while lower and mid-priced suits had done less well than the company expected.
The expansion comes as demand for office clothing recovers and more workers return to city offices, Retail Gazette reported. FashionNetwork said the performance of the Bow Lane store, the brand's first shop since 2020, was what prompted the wider plan.
Two administrations
The 127-year-old label had about 150 stores worldwide before the pandemic. It entered administration in June 2020, when all 66 of its UK shops closed, and went into administration again in 2022. Retail Gazette reported that the brand is owned by US private equity firm Stonebridge through its Torque Brands business. Ferris, previously the finance director, became managing director in January 2025.
Ferris said the company's history had made rebuilding relationships with landlords and suppliers much harder than for a brand without that past. Suppliers want payment for stock up front, which lengthens the time before cash comes back in, and landlords are asking for deposits. He called for government help with staffing and property costs and said lower business rates would probably be the single most useful change for retailers.
What it means for suit buyers
For City workers, the Bow Lane shop means a T.M. Lewin suit or shirt can again be tried on in person before buying, after five years in which the brand sold only online. The company's own sales point to customers paying more for better suits. If you are weighing price against quality, our guides to signs of a high-quality suit and fused versus canvassed construction explain where the extra money goes.
