Fred Perry Nottingham: Store Manager Luke Saunders on subculture and the art of storytelling

For Luke Saunders, Store Manager at Fred Perry Nottingham, the Laurel Wreath is a heavy symbol of connection to those who wore it first. In an interview with FashionUnited, he discusses why Fred Perry is a "brand with heritage" rather than a heritage brand, the importance of honesty in retail, and why every customer should leave the store with something meaningful.

Fred Perry is a uniform for various subcultures. When you put on your Laurel Wreath in the morning, what does it represent to you personally?

For me there is a lot of weight that comes with the Laurel Wreath. It’s kind of hard to explain all the history and emotion down into a few sentences but the thing that is most prominent is the connection to others. Others who have worn it in the past, their stories, their legacy’s. And just building on the foundations built before I ever wore it.

What first connected you to the brand and how has that relationship evolved through your work in retail?

I was just a young Mod lad who didn’t really fit in with what all my mates were into and started down this rabbit hole that led me to Fred Perry and I’ve been falling down that rabbit hole ever since. It’s funny to think that when I was 17/18 I thought that the person I was then, was going to be who I was forever. But I’ve certainly changed or evolved over the years. Working within FP has made me more well-rounded, open minded and more confident in my own opinions.

Every Fred Perry store has its own character. How would you describe the identity of your store to someone visiting for the first time?

Home. There is no other word for it. I remember when I first started here and my then manager told me that “we treat this place like it’s our home, if people walk in, we say hello to them, we welcome them. We are good hosts” That has stayed with me everyday from then to now. Everybody leaves with something. Whether it’s a hello and goodbye, or a new top for Friday night, everyone gets something from being in the store.

How do customers in your store engage with the brand today compared to when you first started?

Our customers are certainly more conscious than they were 20 years ago. I mean they’ve always shared in the history of the brand and its place. But more and more now our customers are holding us accountable. They want to know how the products are being made. Where are they being made? What are they being made of? Our customers are a lot more savvy that of old and they won’t stand for things disingenuous and inauthentic.

How do you translate the idea of “British Made” quality into a contemporary retail experience for today’s customer?

In a contemporary era it would be easier for us not to make our Made In England collection. But we know that the emotional value to our customers to be able to buy products that are the same as when they first came to the brand outweighs any short term profitability. It’s part of our story, it’s in our DNA and will always be there.

To what extent does the local culture shape the way customers interact with Fred Perry?

That’s a very interesting question. I think in the past we all shared in the monoculture that was driving us forward. Everyone watched the same terrestrial TV channels, listened to the same western music. (Almost always solely in English) Experiencing culture all at the same time.

But with the advent of technology, being able to bring the wider world to anyone, it has allowed us all to add new things to our personalities. Strings that we would never have added to our identity bows only a few short years ago. With that in mind, one of the things that is such a strong point for Fred Perry is that it means so many different things to so many people. So, it spans across a lot of diverse cultural touch points. Meaning that in a retail environment you never know what kind of customer you will get next. So we learn from them just as much as they learn from us.

Can you share a moment where the store went beyond retail and became a real community space?

One of our longest and greatest collaborators in the last few years has been the Museum of Youth Culture. The work they do in preserving the history of young people growing up in the UK for the last century, has been a real help to us. Using their archive has help with creative choices that would not have been possible otherwise. So, being able to work with them in store and to run Scan Socials (where members of the public can come in and scan their old photos, gig tickets, posters) within shops has been a lovely way to give back into that community.

Fred Perry retail is often described as authentic and unpretentious. How do you build product expertise while maintaining that effortless tone in-store?

Honesty. Letting customers see what you think and feel is what makes the customer fall in love with the product. If you love the product and are just honest with them about that, they want to participate. If there is something not quite right for a customer and you are honest about that, they respect you so much more and will be back again and again.

Despite different markets and languages across Europe, what is the common mindset that connects the retail teams?

While it is nice to appreciate our achievements, we can do better. Everyday we can go out and be better. Not better at all costs. But better in the ways we treat people, how we collaborate, and how we keep Fred Perry here for the generations to come.

Looking at your own journey, how has Fred Perry supported your development from the shop floor to a leadership role?

My managers have always been approachable, kind and above all trusting. When you work with people like that, who give you their time and unquestioning support, how can you fail? I try to be the same for my team and hopefully it comes through. I have always been encouraged to get involved with all departments in the company. We have always been told that there is no such thing as a silly question. Having that kind of support as a safety net really encourages you to take risks and push yourself.

In a heritage brand like Fred Perry, how much space is there for local initiative and can you share an example of how you’ve shaped your store’s success?

We would not describe ourselves as a heritage brand. But rather a brand with heritage. We appreciate where we have come from, but we are always looking forward. We have a very successful store in Nottingham and although there is no simple answer to how or why that is, we do know that what works well for us is being there for our customers.

The storytelling aspect to my role is, in my opinion, more important than anything a spreadsheet can convey. Having conversations with customers, understanding their relationship with the brand and being able to answer questions and learn from them is one of the best ways we can make our store better. With almost two decades of experience behind me I have built up a large brand archive that is used for training and staff development. All with the aim to get our staff as knowledgable as possible.

For someone considering joining the team, what personal quality, beyond a love for the brand, makes the strongest impression on you?

People who do not want personal glory. People who are willing to go above and beyond one day, because they know that the benefits will be felt much further down the line. Selflessness and the understanding of how amazing it is to play a part in a well loved and unique company like this.