Sewing success from Gloucestershire to Jermyn Street

From dressing global icons to supporting veterans, Emma Willis has woven a tapestry of British craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.

In an elegant 18th-century townhouse overlooking Gloucester Cathedral, a quiet revolution in British fashion is taking place. This is Bearlands, the heart of Emma Willis's shirtmaking empire, where tradition meets innovation, and where garments fit for royalty and Hollywood stars are meticulously crafted.

 

A melodic start

Emma's journey to becoming one of Britain's most respected shirtmakers is as unique as her pieces. Although longing to be a singer, she applied to and was accepted by the prestigious Slade School of Art. Inevitably, her passion for music led to her spending more time with her band than in class, resulting in an early exit from studies.
‘They gave my place to someone more deserving, and quite right, too,’ she says.
Needing to pay the rent and still dreaming of a record deal, Emma began selling clothing door-to-door. It was a challenging start, but her entrepreneurial spirit soon led her to adapt her strategy. She began making appointments in the City, and success quickly followed.
‘One day I made early appointments at a bank and sold 100 shirts to workers there before the markets opened," she recalls. ‘In just one morning, I'd earned enough to spend the rest of the week singing.’
However, fate had other plans. Emma's shirts were in far greater demand than her singing and, by 1989, she was designing and making luxury men's shirts, nightwear, and boxer shorts from a workroom in London. A decade later, she opened her own shop on Jermyn Street, cementing her place in the heart of bespoke style.

 

Where heritage meets haute couture

‘I always wanted my own factory, but I didn't want an industrial unit on the outskirts of a city,’ Emma explains. ‘When I found Bearlands, I knew it was perfect. The big windows let in lots of natural light, and I'm sure it's one of the reasons we attract such talented young people. It's not like a factory at all.’
The atmosphere at Bearlands is a far cry from the typical image of a clothing factory. Here, skilled artisans work in an environment that feels more like an artist's studio than a production line. The sound of sewing machines is punctuated by conversation and laughter, reflecting Emma's belief that a happy workforce is key to producing quality products.
One of the biggest challenges Emma faced when setting was finding skilled seamstresses. In response, she launched a five-year sewing scholarship in 2015, with support from Jonathan Newhouse, chairman of Condé Nast.
‘It was really successful,’ Emma says. ‘Four out of the five students are still with us.’
The impact of this initiative reaches beyond her own business. One apprentice, Aysha Randera, has set up the Emma Willis Sewing Studio at The Friendship Café, a community space in Gloucester. This studio not only provides valuable skills to local residents but also serves as a pipeline for future talent in the shirtmaking industry.
Emma's efforts to promote sewing skills have also influenced local education. She worked with the University of Gloucestershire to include sewing in their fashion curriculum. ‘One of their senior lecturers learned how to make a shirt with us,’ she says proudly. ‘Now I think our local university has more sewing machines than the London College of Fashion.’

 

Global clientele: local craftmanship

Today, Emma Willis's business turns over more than £2.5 million annually and employs around 30 staff across her Gloucester factory and Jermyn Street store. Her clientele spans the globe, from royalty to Hollywood A-listers, each with their own paper pattern kept securely at Bearlands.
Emma’s client list reads like a who's who of global influencers. From King Charles to international leaders such as former President Barack Obama, her shirts have graced the shoulders of some of the world's most prominent figures. Hollywood A-listers and business tycoons are also known to seek out her bespoke creations, valuing both the impeccable craftsmanship and the discretion that comes with Emma's service.
‘We're in constant communication between Gloucester and London,’ Emma explains. ‘Sizes, fittings, measurements are all discussed in detail. Every shirt is made with the utmost care, from the linings to the buttons – our customers appreciate that.’
The attention to detail extends to the sourcing of materials. Emma works with a Swiss mill she's partnered with for over two decades, which handles everything from spinning and dyeing to weaving and finishing the raw Egyptian cotton used in her shirts. Italian suppliers provide other cottons, while the crisp white cotton comes from the USA.
But Emma's vision extends beyond creating exquisite shirts. She's on a mission to revitalise British manufacturing and preserve traditional skills. ‘There's something special about British craftsmanship,’ Emma says. ‘It's not just about the quality of the product, but the story behind it, the heritage, the skills passed down through generations.’

 

Emma’s mission for veterans

Inspired by a 2008 BBC report on young, severely injured service personnel returning from Afghanistan, Emma founded Style for Soldiers. The charity initially provided bespoke shirts to help injured veterans with interviews or simply to boost their morale.
For a decade, Emma personally visited military rehabilitation hospitals, measuring patients for bespoke shirts and walking sticks. Today, the charity focuses on supporting injured service personnel and their families through various events.
‘We have a dinner in the spring, a summer reunion in Gloucestershire, a family day at Woburn Safari Park, and a Christmas Party in London,’ Emma explains. ‘It's the biggest reunion for injured service personnel because there isn't anything else like this happening across the services.’
The charity has become a significant part of Emma's life, allowing her to combine her skills in shirtmaking with her desire to make a positive impact on society. ‘It's not just about the shirts,’ she says. ‘It's about giving these brave men and women a boost of confidence, a reminder of their worth beyond their injuries.’
Emma's commitment to service extended beyond veterans when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. 
Faced with a national crisis, she quickly adapted her production to support frontline workers. 
‘When Covid closed everything down, like everyone else we wondered what we could do,’ Emma says. Her team at the Gloucester factory volunteered to make personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. 
Using the same high-quality materials normally reserved for their luxury shirts, they produced around a thousand sets of scrubs for NHS staff. Emma initially covered the costs herself but, as demand grew, she fundraised to continue the effort. This initiative not only provided crucial support to medical professionals but also kept her team employed during a challenging time. It's a testament to Emma's ability to apply her skills and resources to meet urgent community needs.

 

Tailoring a vision for the future

And still Emma shows no signs of slowing down. Her business continues to evolve, welcoming younger customers, and expanding into smart casual wear with polo shirts and T-shirts.
‘That's one of the reasons we've added to our collection. We do more 'smart casual' now. It's about adapting to changing lifestyles while maintaining our commitment to quality.’
Yet, even as she adapts to changing fashions, Emma remains committed to core values that define her brand: quality, craftsmanship, and care for her products and her community.
She's a frequent speaker at industry events, sharing her experiences and inspiring the next generation of British craftspeople. Her success story serves as a testament to the viability of high-end manufacturing in the UK, challenging the notion that quality craftsmanship has been lost to overseas production.
‘Success has taken years of hard graft,’ she admits, ‘but I enjoy it as much as ever. There's something deeply satisfying about creating a product that people cherish, that becomes a part of their lives.’
In a world of fast fashion and mass production, Emma represents an enduring value of quality, care, and community. Her shirts may be on the backs of the elite, but her impact reaches far beyond, touching the lives of veterans, medical professionals, and aspiring craftspeople.
It's a legacy sewn with golden thread, destined to outlast any fashion trend. 

 

 

Find out more about Emma and her shirts at emmawillis.com