An Interview with Sir Plus

A little while ago Disorder caught up with Henry Hales, the creator of the rather dapper upcycling underwear label Sir Plus. We had a chance to ask him all about his unique venture, starting out in an unknown industry and why upcycling is so important. For someone who is already selling at Spitalfields and has now branched outside of just underwear, he seems to have been a rather busy boy… Sir Plus is all about traditional boxers, hankies, bow ties, waistcoats and hats, but with something a little different thrown in too. Every piece is unique in its own way and the boxers come with a little bit of humour etched on each label. Henry admits that it was this lack of fun and unique underwear being available that led him to create his own label, “I saw a gap in the market for really cool printed boxer shorts with flying pigs and funny stuff. I want people to put them on and think, ‘That’s brilliant, I don’t have a pair of boxer shorts that I look at and that instantly make me smile.’”

Henry uses all upcycled materials including off-cuts from shirts, strips of silk and various fabrics from surplus orders (hence the name). It is this use of upcycled materials, or ‘cabbage’ as it is also known, that Henry says defines Sir Plus. But why use these materials?  “Cabbage is just anything that’s left-over. I was going around talking to tailors asking about how they make their boxer shorts. They told me that years ago boxers were just made from cabbage fabric from the end of shirts. I was hearing all of this and thought, ‘why do I want to be importing goods when I’m reading about how these factories are horrible places and I’ve got this other opportunity?’ So I started contacting factories.”

What is most surprising about Henry is that he has no background whatsoever in design. Having studied Real Estate at Oxford Brookes University you would have thought a move into the fashion industry would have been daunting, “You can’t waste people’s time, be vague or be a push over so it’s a steep learning curve.” Although he says that his lack of experience did not stop him from being taking seriously, “I didn’t find that people wouldn’t want to deal with me because I don’t have a fashion/textiles degree. Everyone has been very helpful and often pointed me in the right direction. What I have found hardest is sourcing my fabrics and finding good quality and reliable manufacturers for the appropriate job. “He also confesses, “It was wicked fun”.

But what is the downside is to using Cabbage? Henry is aware that there is a problem with sustainability. For example, he has recently sourced a lot of material from an out-of-business tie factory, “How often is a tie factory going to be going out of business? The chance of getting that again is not huge.” Yet he still believes in upcycling and its future in the fashion industry, “Everyone should try their hardest to upcycle as much as possible. Fashion is so disposable. People should be encouraged to make things up themselves and waste less. But obviously upcycling isn’t just about fashion, farmers, builders, everyone should be encouraged to upcycle!”

So what are Henry’s hopes for the future of Sir Plus? Despite only recently starting out he tells me, “I hope to eventually have my own store and be synonymous with sustainable fashion. I would also like to branch out into womenswear and have an online store with a range of products.” Also, chance meetings with the likes of Jarvis Cocker and Bill Nighy means he may already be on his way to having a celebrity following. So watch this space…
Prices start from £20. To find out more about Sir Plus visit www.sirplus.co.uk or head down to Spitalfields Market.

words:Rebecca Haywood