John Charles Cording opened his first shop in 1839 at 231 The Strand, right next to the historic Temple Bar. At that time, Queen Victoria had been on the throne for just three years and made her first official visit to the City of London that same year, with her grand procession passing directly in front of Cording’s new shop. This was also the year William Fox Talbot invented modern photography, and a young Charles Dickens published Nicholas Nickleby.

From the outset, John Charles Cording focused on crafting practical clothing for the British outdoors. His timing was perfect, just four years later in 1843, Charles Mackintosh perfected the ‘vulcanisation’ process, which involved dissolving rubber and bonding it to cotton to create the first fully waterproof fabric. Cording eagerly adopted this innovative material to design outerwear suited not only for riding and everyday use but also for the emerging motor car era.

185 years ago, John Charles Cording laid the foundation of the Cordings collection, which endures to this day.

Over the next few decades, the business continued to thrive. However, as The Strand became a less significant route into London, the business relocated in 1877 to 19 Piccadilly. In 1902, it became a Limited Company under the name J.C. Cording & Co Limited. From 1877 to 1899, all tailoring and bootmaking operations took place in the expansive basement of 19 Piccadilly, which stretched through to Regent Street. Additional premises were also acquired in Jermyn Street and St James’ Street.

Clothing Explorers

The name Cordings became synonymous with outdoor living and adventure, making it the natural choice for the explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley when he embarked on his 1871 expedition to find Dr. Livingstone. Cordings not only outfitted Stanley and his team with clothing and footwear but also supplied essential gear, including canoes.

Today, original boots from this period and ledgers documenting the orders can still be seen in the store.

In 1903, the current building, including its shopfront, was designed by Harold Arthur Woodington and constructed using Portland stone. The interior was purpose-built for Cordings, featuring wood paneling and brass fixtures, all of which remain intact today.

In the early 1900s, Westminster Council proposed a plan to widen Piccadilly, which would have led to the demolition of 19-20 Piccadilly, as these buildings were to be absorbed into the new Piccadilly Hotel. However, this was successfully opposed, and instead, the entire façade of the building, including the iconic store, was moved 10 yards back to its current position.

In 1909, JC Cording & Company was granted the Royal Warrant as waterproofers to the future King George V and in 1922, the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, chose Cordings as one of his preferred outfitters, a testament to the brand’s reputation among the elite. His address book from that time even referenced Cordings for its ‘waterproff’ suits. It was at this time that the famous Newmarket and Idstone boots were patented, and Cordings made Newmarket boots for Elizabeth, the mother of the current monarch, the Duke of Windsor, and Mrs Simpson.

To show off its remarkable waterproof properties, a canvas and leather Newmarket boot remained submerged in a glass tank full of water in the shop window at Cordings for so many years that it became part of the London taxi drivers’ ‘knowledge’. Cordings no longer makes them, but examples of the boots showing the immaculate craftsmanship you would expect from Cordings can still be seen around the store today.

In the 1920s, planning permission was granted to replace Nash’s Regent Street designs with a new office development. As a result, Cordings lost its Regent Street frontage and its Air Street workshops. The late 1920s and 1930s, marked by the Great Depression, were challenging for everyone, including Cordings, leading to the closure of the St James’ shop.

The Famous Five

With the reduction in in-house manufacturing, Cordings broadened its offerings beyond outerwear and boots to include a comprehensive range of British country wear. During the 1920s, the five core items that still embody the Cordings ethos were established: Mackintosh raincoats, the Covert Coat, Tweed Jackets, Corduroy and Moleskin Trousers, and Tattersall Shirts were all introduced.

In 1971, the business passed out of the hands of the original family and was acquired by the owners of University Motors, the celebrated MG sports car dealers of Berkeley Square who had a showroom in Piccadilly. In 1991 the premises were expanded to fill both 19 and 20 Piccadilly as originally occupied at the start of the century and on the 28th May 1998, the Princess Royal made an official visit to the shop in her capacity as President of the British Clothing Export Council.

However, as the fortunes of University Motors waned, Cordings became somewhat neglected as a business, although still occupying its position as an icon of British country clothing it was in danger of closing as the owners looked for a buyer for the business.

In 2003, Cordings’ management team approached their best customer with a proposal for a management buyout. Just three minutes into their carefully prepared presentation, the customer interrupted to say yes. That customer was Eric Clapton.

“I first became aware of Cordings in my mid-teens,” Eric recalls. “I grew up in the countryside, and visiting London to listen to musicians was the highlight of our week. Since it was hard to get home late, I’d spend the hours until dawn wandering the West End. Cordings left a lasting impression on me as a place of tradition and the heritage of England.”

Eric has played a key role in revitalising Cordings as the home of country clothing, including the launch of a women’s range in 2003. “I knew my wife struggled to find clothes that were both practical and stylish. The lines are very flattering and feminine, and while the fabrics are lighter, they still retain the essence of Cordings’ core products.” Whenever his schedule permits, Eric is deeply involved in selecting tweeds for the new seasons, and his contributions to the design process are invaluable.

Cordings prides itself as being the complete outfitters, those looking for British style are completely covered in both town and country. Working with mills and makers both in Britain and abroad who share our ethos of creating superb clothing, built to last using natural fibres and sustainable methods, rejecting fleeting fashion trends in favour of timeless style. Alongside the practical and timeless field wear and country clothing sit smart city suits, accessories and even pyjamas. Our ladies collection is firmly established, with the same core values offering timeless Liberty shirts, British tweed jackets and feminine trousers and coats.

The iconic store in Piccadilly showcases the menswear, ladieswear and field wear collections – surrounded by the historic interior that has remained preserved since the historic doors opened in 1877.
Cordings online store goes from strength to strength and delivers Brilliant British clothing to all four corners of the globe. It is independently rating as ‘platinum’ for both its service and the quality of the products, ensuring that the same high standards and attention to detail seen in the store are available worldwide.

Now firmly reestablished as the forerunner in British country clothing with practicality, quality and style woven into the collection, ensuring that the legacy of John Charles Cording is alive 185 years after he first opened his store in The Strand.