The very British corsetry empire -and the only lingerie brand which holds a Royal Warrant- has just celebrated its 70th anniversary. Famous for its bespoke bras, corsets and panties, and expert bra fitting, its extensive customers list include model Sophie Dahl and the Queen. Chic-Londres met with June Kenton, Rigby & Peller’s owner, and the official Corsetiere to Elizabeth II.
A few dates in the history of Rigby & Peller:
- 1939: The brand is founded as a bespoke lingerie emporium by Gita Peller, a Jewish refugee who escaped Hungary, and Bertha Rigby, who took Peller in when she arrived in Britain.
- 1954: Tessa Seiden, a cousin of Gita Peller, takes over the company. The brand becomes a favourite with Royals and movie stars.
- 1960: Mrs Seiden is granted the highly prestigious Royal Warrant and becomes the official Corsetiere to the Queen.
- 1980: June Kenton becomes the new proprietor of Rigby & Peller with her husband Harold and opens a new shop in Knightsbridge in addition to the original shop in Mayfair, to target a more fashionable clientele.
- 1982: June Kenton becomes Corsetiere to the Queen.
- 1988: The company launches its own ready to wear range and simultaneously expands into the European and American markets.
- 1993: June Kenton becomes Corsetiere to the Queen Mother.
- 2009: Rigby & Peller celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2009 and to mark this special year launches its Platinum collection, a limited edition of only 150 sets of lingerie inspired by chic, old world glamour Platinum, which retails at £109 for the bra and £89.95 for the briefs. In addition to its London stores (Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Chelsea, Westfield, Bluewater and Brent Cross), it opens a seventh store in Cambridge in November, the first to be opened outside the capital.
A bra fitting with June Kenton, Corsetiere to HM. Queen Elizabeth II
There is something slightly intimidating about getting a private bra fitting with June Kenton (73), the owner of Rigby & Peller and the woman personally responsible for providing Her Majesty’s regal bosom with suitable underwear for the past 27 years. However, the lively June has a way to make people comfortable right away, thanks to her no nonsense approach and empathic chatter. In a record twenty minutes, she makes me try a dozen bras, after which I learn that I have been wearing the wrong size until then: a common occurrence, June tells me, as in her experience as head of a lingerie emporium and personal fitter for over forty years, 85% of women wear the wrong bra size, often too small in the cup and too big in the back. Interestingly, none of R&P’s fitters uses a tape measure, as it cannot take into consideration body shape, and prefer instead a hands-on approach, based on trying different shapes and materials to see what suits best: “A proper bra fitting can change a woman’s life”, explains June, who points out a list of ailments -headaches, neck and back problems- that a poorly fitted bra can cause, especially for those with larger breasts. As the company responsible for resurrecting personal fitting (a practice which had virtually disappeared with the advent of high street lingerie) Rigby & Peller’s takes pride in its expert approach, with fittings which can last up to one hour. And, as with most other things, quality is key: “Cheap bras are a false economy and it makes much more sense to buy two or three perfectly fitted pieces once per year than having drawers full of poorly ones that won’t fit and won’t last”, explains June, who describes bra fitting as “an art that Rigby & Peller has hopefully conquered”, and the ultimate confidence booster. Indeed…
The “Archive” show at Jalouse in November 2009
