Viyella
Encyclopedia
Viyella was a blend of wool and cotton first woven in 1893 in England
, and soon to be the "first branded fabric in the world". It was made of 55 percent merino
wool and 45 percent cotton in a twill
weave, developed by James and Robert Sissons of William Hollins & Company, spinners
and hosiers. The brand name, first registered as a trademark
in 1894, and registered in the United States
in 1907, soon covered not only the original fabric, to be sold by the yard (piece goods), but also clothing. At first this was made by separate businesses, but it was not long before Hollins started producing their own clothes and offering franchises to manufacturers who would use the Viyella label. Following increasing emphasis on garment manufacture over the years, Viyella is now a fashion brand for clothes and home furnishings made of a variety of fabrics. The original wool/cotton blend is no longer on sale.
" for women who wanted both "daintiness" and "protectiveness". By the early 20th century it came in various weights and widths, some rather narrow by today's standards, and in both plain colours and woven or printed patterns, and was exported from the United Kingdom
to other English-speaking countries. Towards the end of the 20th century it was woven in 150cm wide lengths suitable for modern garment design and production.
The first ready-made garments using Viyella were shirts and nightgowns, and soon came dresses, slip
s and other clothing, much of it produced under franchise arrangements using the Viyella trademark. It was also made into sheets, and at one time Viyella yarn was available for home knitting.
In the mid-20th century the fabric was popular for children's clothes - from babies' nightgowns to winter shirts for British schoolchildren - and for pyjamas, shirts and dresses; it became associated with sensible, cosy clothing. Officers in the British and other Commonwealth armies purchased their uniforms during the Second World War, and Viyella shirts were a desirable option for them. In the late 20th century it was 're-invented' as fashionable fabric. In 1987 The Times
said it was used by designers interested in "vintage" style, like Laura Ashley
, and creators of "modern classics".
Clydella was a cheaper, less soft alternative made with 81 per cent cotton, produced at factories in the Clydeside area, including Glasgow
and Hamilton
, where many yards of Viyella were also woven.
Hollins also produced the related Dayella cloth used especially for babies' clothes.
, (the A5012
) near Matlock, where in 1890 Hollins & Co acquired a mill used for the early production of Viyella. Hollins had started business in 1784 in Pleasley
, about 20 miles away on the Derbyshire
/Nottinghamshire
border. Later their offices were at Viyella House in Nottingham
.
After a merger in 1961, Hollins became Viyella International, led by Joe Hyman, who in the next few years acquired a series of related companies, with Viyella growing to be one of the biggest textile businesses in the UK, owning 40 factories across the country. After a few years as Carrington Viyella and then Vantona Viyella, the company owning the brand became Coats Viyella (Coats Paton, now Coats plc), who in the 1980s built a new mill to produce Viyella cloth in Barrowford
, Lancashire
, but this was demolished in 1999. In the 21st century much of Coats manufacturing (now specialising in thread) has been moved abroad and it is no longer possible to buy Viyella fabric. Coats underwent major restructuring in 2002 and sold off its Viyella fashion retail business (and Jaeger
) to entrepreneur Richard Thompson in 2003 for £1, who re-sold Viyella weeks later to venture capital
ist Harris Watson. Viyella Ladieswear has since added home furnishings to its range of goods. The fashion chain entered Administration on the 7th January 2009 citing "an assessment of the current economic situation and the prospects for the future" as the cause.
In 2009, the upmarket retailer Austin Reed agreed to buy Viyella for an undisclosed sum.
In late 2011, Viyella opened its flagship store next to Austin Reed at 92 Regent Street, London.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and soon to be the "first branded fabric in the world". It was made of 55 percent merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
wool and 45 percent cotton in a twill
Twill
Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs . This is done by passing the weft thread over one or more warp threads and then under two or more warp threads and so on, with a "step" or offset between rows to create the characteristic diagonal pattern. Because of this...
weave, developed by James and Robert Sissons of William Hollins & Company, spinners
Spinning (textiles)
Spinning is a major industry. It is part of the textile manufacturing process where three types of fibre are converted into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. The textiles are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. There are three industrial processes available to spin yarn, and a...
and hosiers. The brand name, first registered as a trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
in 1894, and registered in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1907, soon covered not only the original fabric, to be sold by the yard (piece goods), but also clothing. At first this was made by separate businesses, but it was not long before Hollins started producing their own clothes and offering franchises to manufacturers who would use the Viyella label. Following increasing emphasis on garment manufacture over the years, Viyella is now a fashion brand for clothes and home furnishings made of a variety of fabrics. The original wool/cotton blend is no longer on sale.
The fabric
Viyella was a soft dress-weight fabric which was more resistant to shrinkage than any comparable pure wool alternative (challis, for example). In its early years it was marketed as a fabric which combined lightness and fashion with warmth and durability. One 1920s advertisement called it a "guaranteed unshrinkable fine wool flannelFlannel
Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fibre. Flannel may be brushed to create extra softness or remain unbrushed. The brushing process is a mechanical process...
" for women who wanted both "daintiness" and "protectiveness". By the early 20th century it came in various weights and widths, some rather narrow by today's standards, and in both plain colours and woven or printed patterns, and was exported from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to other English-speaking countries. Towards the end of the 20th century it was woven in 150cm wide lengths suitable for modern garment design and production.
The first ready-made garments using Viyella were shirts and nightgowns, and soon came dresses, slip
Slip (clothing)
Slip is a woman's undergarment worn beneath a dress or skirt to help it hang smoothly and to prevent chafing of the skin from coarse fabrics such as wool...
s and other clothing, much of it produced under franchise arrangements using the Viyella trademark. It was also made into sheets, and at one time Viyella yarn was available for home knitting.
In the mid-20th century the fabric was popular for children's clothes - from babies' nightgowns to winter shirts for British schoolchildren - and for pyjamas, shirts and dresses; it became associated with sensible, cosy clothing. Officers in the British and other Commonwealth armies purchased their uniforms during the Second World War, and Viyella shirts were a desirable option for them. In the late 20th century it was 're-invented' as fashionable fabric. In 1987 The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said it was used by designers interested in "vintage" style, like Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley
Laura Ashley was a Welsh fashion designer and businesswoman. She became a household name on the strength of her work as a designer and manufacturer of a range of colourful fabrics for clothes and home furnishings....
, and creators of "modern classics".
Clydella was a cheaper, less soft alternative made with 81 per cent cotton, produced at factories in the Clydeside area, including Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Hamilton
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, where many yards of Viyella were also woven.
Hollins also produced the related Dayella cloth used especially for babies' clothes.
The companies
The name Viyella is based on the unusually-named valley road, Via GelliaVia Gellia
Via Gellia is a steep sided wooded 'dry' valley and road in Derbyshire.It is probably named after Phillip Eyre Gell in a mock Latin style; he was responsible for building the road through the valley, and the Gells claimed Roman descent...
, (the A5012
A5012 road
The A5012 road is a main road in the south of the English county of Derbyshire.Around in length it connects two primary north-south routes, the A6 at Cromford and the A515 between Buxton and Ashbourne...
) near Matlock, where in 1890 Hollins & Co acquired a mill used for the early production of Viyella. Hollins had started business in 1784 in Pleasley
Pleasley
Pleasley is a small village in between the nearby towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield, it is 8 km south east of Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and 4 km north west of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire...
, about 20 miles away on the Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
/Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
border. Later their offices were at Viyella House in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
.
After a merger in 1961, Hollins became Viyella International, led by Joe Hyman, who in the next few years acquired a series of related companies, with Viyella growing to be one of the biggest textile businesses in the UK, owning 40 factories across the country. After a few years as Carrington Viyella and then Vantona Viyella, the company owning the brand became Coats Viyella (Coats Paton, now Coats plc), who in the 1980s built a new mill to produce Viyella cloth in Barrowford
Barrowford
Barrowford is a large village and civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north of Nelson on the other side of the M65 motorway, and forms part of the Burnley/Nelson conurbation. It also comprises the area of Lowerford and sometimes gets confused with its...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, but this was demolished in 1999. In the 21st century much of Coats manufacturing (now specialising in thread) has been moved abroad and it is no longer possible to buy Viyella fabric. Coats underwent major restructuring in 2002 and sold off its Viyella fashion retail business (and Jaeger
Jaeger (clothing retailer)
Jaeger is a United Kingdom based high-end fashion brand and retailer of menswear and womenswear formed in 1884 by Lewis Tomalin ....
) to entrepreneur Richard Thompson in 2003 for £1, who re-sold Viyella weeks later to venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
ist Harris Watson. Viyella Ladieswear has since added home furnishings to its range of goods. The fashion chain entered Administration on the 7th January 2009 citing "an assessment of the current economic situation and the prospects for the future" as the cause.
In 2009, the upmarket retailer Austin Reed agreed to buy Viyella for an undisclosed sum.
In late 2011, Viyella opened its flagship store next to Austin Reed at 92 Regent Street, London.
Further reading
- Stanley Pigott, Hollins: A Study of Industry (William Hollins & Co., 1949)
- F.A. Wells, Hollins and Viyella (David & Charles 1968)
- Textile Dictionary online
- Pictures of Viyella production c.1950
- Australian Women's Weekly: Viyella advertising 1946-1971