The Shirt Society strengthens product development team

Manchester menswear brand The Shirt Society is expanding its product development team with the appointment of former Thomas Pink exec Steve Price as its new product development director.

Price, a veteran product specialist, has previously held the role of joint-managing director at Karen Millen and chief operating officer at shirtmaker Thomas Pink with accountability for product development.

He is one of three recent new hires for the fashion start-up who are looking to develop its product offering. Joining Price is Paul Austin as a senior menswear designer, who’s CV boasts work with Jack Wills and Pretty Green, while Jade Hussey joins as a production assistant.

The Shirt Society founder, Matt Bird, said in a statement: “After such an exciting year for the company, we knew we really wanted to focus on making the very best product on the market. Our ethos has always been about giving our members a truly premium product at an affordable price.

“I’m delighted to welcome Steve to the team. He brings with him a wealth of invaluable experience in our market, and I am confident that he will be an integral part of our expansion as a business in 2021.”

Manchester menswear start-up The Shirt Society names Steve Price as product development director

Commenting on his appointment, Price, added: “As soon as I heard about this unique concept, I knew I’d love to be involved. During my time in fashion retail, I have seen the landscape rapidly change as digitisation alters the shopping experience. The subscription model is perfect for men, who are generally less enamoured with the physical shopping experience.

“The existing products are fantastic quality, which is a great place to start from in terms of heading up the product team! We’ve already started to look ahead to new collections for 2021. There are some exciting things ahead!”

Manchester start-up The Shirt Society is a subscription model menswear retailer and has been bucking the trend for many businesses in the retail space as it has reported impressive member growth since its launch in April this year, despite the impact of the ongoing pandemic.

The subscription service, which has the backing of tech entrepreneur Scott Fletcher, offers shirt drops to its members at a fixed price on a 30, 60 or 90-day cycle. The brand offers both formal and casual shirts and pairs with other independent brands to offer members an additional ‘perk’ in every subscription box.

“Having previously owned a successful menswear business, one of the key things that came up when talking to customers was that most people aren’t looking to be able to customise every detail of their clothes,” explained Bird. “Most guys just want clothes that look sharp, feel great to wear and that they can get without all the hassle of the traditional shopping experience. The Shirt Society was created as a solution to that.”

Images: courtesy of The Shirt Society