Features
The first tailor exclusively for women in the history of Savile Row is 22-year-old, owner of Gormley & Gamble, Phoebe Gormley.
By AMBER PRITCHARD
Gormley & Gamble was founded in 2014 by young entrepreneur Phoebe Gormley who quit university and invested her tuition fees in a made-to-measure womenswear business. The business is aptly named for her and the risk she took in gambling her tuition fees to pursue her dream and now at only 22-years-old she has her first shop on the iconic Savile Row. Phoebe describes herself as passionate and wonders what could be more important than first impressions in the business world as today’ s modern society is all about self-promotion. Awarded Young Star of the year at the Women of the Future Awards in 2015, Phoebe first tried her hand at tailoring when she was just 15-years-old and decided she loved it. Up until the age of 19 Phoebe spent every summer working on Jermyn Street and Savile Row where she met Gary Kingham, who she claims to be one of her best friends and the man who taught her the majority of who and what she knows today. Wanting to further her education and skills within tailoring Phoebe went on to university to study bespoke tailoring and costume, but the course did not fulfil her needs. She began dreaming of how she could be spending time more wisely and start a business based around women’ s made-to-measure clothing. Phoebe said:“ I was initially told that women are‘ too hard to please’ and more interested in fast-fashion not investment pieces. I thought that idea was a little outdated and wondered why not do great quality, flawless service and a perfect fit for the same men can at a local tailors?“ I wrote a business plan and asked my parents if, instead of paying my final year of tuition fees, they would consider investing that money in my business. After analysing the business plan and seeing I wasn’ t going to give up, they eventually agreed.” She explains how she left university on a Saturday, moved to London on the Sunday and joined a startup in the city straight away. Phoebe had based her business plans on particular quotes from a supplier, but when it came down to it, they said they had reconsidered and couldn’ t work with her as she was too young and their company‘ didn’ t really work with female suppliers, as they’ re too unpredictable’. So after days of scouring the internet for potential new supplier’ s, she finally found a match and began creating her first line of clothing.
The Gormley & Gamble’ s first client was the CEO of a certain branch of Virgin who had a two-hour fitting the very day her company went public. Since then business women from all over the country have been using Phoebe’ s unique made-to-measure service. Whether she is out at fittings in sky-scraping office blocks or working from her Saville Row store, Phoebe offers complimentary champagne and macarons from Ladurée whilst clients browse through samples and designs. And there is no stopping there, each client’ s packaging has their name on the box with personalised ribbon to ensure the experience feels as special as possible. The company is not yet two years old and Phoebe has already been awarded a Special Merit at The Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2015. When the question came to role models, there was no doubt about it Phoebe had two figures in mind. First off, her dad, Rowan Gormley who is CEO of Majestic Wines. She describes how growing up under his wing, taught her a lot about being an entrepreneur and how invaluable faultless customer service is.“ He has been a great role model for me in so many ways, from a young age, he asked for my opinions on things from marketing ideas, to wine names. He also taught me that the most important thing is to be brave and take the leap.“ There is also Sarah Curran, who started mywardrobe. com when she was just a teenager. When I was 17 she did a talk at my school about starting her own company. That talk really stuck with me and now I meet up with her as a mentor and she is a fantastic role model.” Phoebe has taken a gigantic leap in what appears to be a‘ mans world’ for many years now. When asked whether or not she was phased by this she simply quoted Eleanor Roosevelt saying:“ no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Phoebe has created her brand to be supportive of young women going into business and says that she is definitely underestimated due to her gender and age in the industry.“ But it’ s in all the best possible ways, because they tell you all their trade secrets and tricks.” Phoebe is not afraid of a challenge and has set her heights even higher with ambitions to take Gormley & Gamble to New York, Tokyo and Paris.
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