Nick Wheeler received the O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire) for his services to gentlemen’s torsos, necks, and non-iron, stain-resistant men.
His middle name is Charles Tyrwhitt.
His wife, Chrissie Rucker, founded and owns The White Company.
“Tirrit” shirts are worn by city gents, high-fliers, dudes, the image literati, heartthrobs, aspiring heartthrobs, the English Rugby team, and the New York Jets. The partnership with the famous English tailoring label was the first international menswear partnership in NFL history.
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A “CT” man knows his way around in a Westminster Weave. For Wheeler, the definition of a gentleman is a man who knows how to properly knot a tie and match a tie, tie a bow tie, fold a pocket square, polish a shoe, and live a tailored life. This means he will have a healthy collection of lace octagon, gold knot, and patterned enamel gold and silver cufflinks in his dressing room drawer. In his walk-in wardrobe, he will have a line of smart, high-shine, Northampton-made leather Derby brogues, patent leathers, knitted trainers and distinguished tassel loafers and, hanging elegantly above, numerous dress shirts, a lot of bespoke, custom shirts, several blazers of exemplary cut, countless pairs of soft-washed chinos (from rust-colored thru navy to limestone and olive) and an impressive array of belts, from tobacco dark chocolate suede to Made in England Saffiano print floral.
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A CT man dressed to impress.
A Charles Tyrwhitt man knows how to style a pique polo, what to wear for an interview, for spring, summer, and winter weddings, to garden parties, and to the races, and to the boardroom and a high-powered breakfast meeting. He will know what to wear not only to play golf but also what to wear when arriving to play golf and what to wear after playing golf. He is a connoisseur of mid-weight cotton and dobby texture a very particular about his collars. He never mistimes a button-down.
A Charles Tyrwhitt will rotate his ties. He will strategize.
Monday maybe his Fleur de Lys or plain Burgundy Red. On Tuesday, his 100% pure silk Spearmint Italian Grenadine. On Wednesday, perhaps a semi-plain Lemon & Sky. On Thursday, perhaps an intricately woven paisley. And, for the end of the week, an attractive dry-clean only sage green textured silk.
Suavely, he will pivot between cutaway collars, non-iron Royal Oxfords, cornflower blue twill stripes, Air Force blue stretch poplin, classic fit white, luxury stripe Egyptian cotton with split back yoke, performance trim, Prince of Wales and windowpane checks. He will know the time to go geo-print. Instinctively, he will know when Liberty style is not a good idea and could let him and the side down.
A CT man picks his fabric and his fit, taking the same trouble over his pajamas as his boxers, his five-pocket jeans as his bib fronts, and combination braces.
At weekends, he wears his lapwing with pride.
Tyrwhitt was the name of Nick Wheeler’s ancestor, Sir Hercules. In 1107AD, in Northumberland in north-east England, he was wounded during the Norman Conquest. He hid in rushes and was rescued by his fellow fighters when lapwings (locally known as “Tyrwhitts”) gave away his position. With Nature Broking, the company is helping maintain the lapwing population. The lapwing logo appears on CT pique polos and washed Oxfords.
The new collection has new polos, new suits as well as new shirts. All of the uncompromisingly high quality and panache.
“I started with just an Amstrad word processor to sell shirts by mail order. I worked briefly as a management consultant. I sold Christmas trees. The website launched in 1998. We opened a store in Paris in 2001 and one on Madison Avenue a year later. It all started when I asked, “Who makes the best shirts in the world?” and was told Frank Bleeze who was doing most of the bespoke shirts for Jermyn Street. I’ve never had any outside investment in the business. I have just reinvested. A couple of fortuitous events helped me on my way. My great-aunt left me some money. I went to see my bank manager. I Barclays, want to buy an old Aston Martin DB1 for £25,000. I asked him for a £17,000 loan and got it. A year later, I sold it for £100,000. This gave me the capital to get started. I rushed out and spent £100,000 on shirts. We now sell five million shirts a year.”
Shropshire-born, Old Etonian Nick Wheeler, now 59, remains the embodiment of the modern smartly turned-out, elegantly-draped gent.
He once cycled the length of the UK in full pinstripe, brogues, and a rather dashing Egyptian cotton poplin shirt. He has never divulged his chosen underwear on that journey. A gentleman doesn’t and doesn’t have to. A true gentleman knows boxers are not for cyclists.
