Andrew Merriman, Chief Operating Officer of Gieves & Hawkes

Andrew Merriman of Gieves & Hawkes shares his 2012 outlook with Fieldworks Connections

Q: What is Gieves & Hawkes’ grand plan for 2012 onwards?
A: The ‘Grand Plan’ is to continue to offer high end bespoke services and expand our offering, including made to measure shirts and made to measure overcoats, to better service our customers. We will continue to expand our international presence – we have 100 stores in Asia Pacific – and will open in the US and Japan in the next twelve months.

Q: How have on line channels changed your business?
A: On-line sales grew by 30% in 2011 reflecting our better ability to talk to our customers, supported by a broader product range (small leather goods range added in H2 2011)

Q: How have your ranges changed over the last 3-5 years?
A: We continue to move away from being a business that only provided suits to one that provides broader services in the made to measure area including shirts and overcoats.

Q: How does technology support your plans?
A: In two mains ways – it allows us to have the right stock in the right place at the right time and through our CRM system to better understand our customers and talk to them – so to offer to our made to measure suit customers our new programme for made to measure shirts.