June 9, 2015: Renowned American leather goods firm, Ghurka, has launched its first international presence inside Fortnum & Mason in London. The opening marks the brand’s 40th anniversary and coincides with Gurkha 200, the 200th anniversary of Gurkha service to the British Crown.
The Ghurka curated space features an assortment of its daytime and travel goods, humidors, watch collector boxes and outdoor sporting items. Also available is a selection of elegant accessories including wallets, pouches, and wash bags. The collection is showcased on Fortnum’s third floor and displayed in fixtures that have been shipped from the Ghurka showroom in New York.
“Fortnum & Mason is the perfect partner for our European launch,” said Pam Bristow, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Ghurka. “The Piccadilly store is an international icon, a benchmark for excellence, and represents the commitment to quality we hold as our standard.”
In May, Ghurka also launched their G200 Collection, a capsule assortment of three styles from the Ghurka archives re-imagined in partnership with The Gurkha Welfare Trust, Britain’s leading charity dedicated to providing support for impoverished ex-Gurkha servicemen and their dependants. The bag designs utilize the famous green wool used in Gurkha uniform jackets in place of the brand’s signature twill, and are lined in red as a nod to the military flash worn by the soldiers. The range is retailed exclusively at Fortnum & Mason in the UK, with 25% of all sales benefitting the Trust. Further to this, a bespoke “Officer’s Field Set” consisting of a picnic table, two field chairs, a green wool blanket, two pillows and a picnic umbrella – all created by Ghurka master furniture craftsman Richard Wrightman – has also debuted. These will be sold at auction with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Trust.
Karen England, Director of Fundraising & Communications for The Gurkha Welfare Trust, said, “The quality of Ghurka’s products rivals the exceptional standards of Britain’s Gurkha soldiers, and through our partnership we hope to raise significant funds in support of elderly and infirm veterans in Nepal.”
“This London expansion is pivotal for Ghurka,” states Ghurka CEO John Reuter. “The UK represents our namesake as well as the next step in global reach for our brand."
