The sustainability of longevity

The first known origin of a chef’s uniform was drawn by Marie-Antoine Carême in 1822, depicting clothing that is still recognizable today. The double-breasted jacket, tall toke hat, and long waist apron are still products we sell to this day.

Marie-Antoine Carême's 1822 drawing of chef clothing.

Dennys Brands has been around since the 1840s, moving into Old Compton St., our Soho origins in the late 1890s. Dennys Brands became a Soho institution, staying in our Old Compton St. shop until 1997, when Dennys Brands moved across the road to our Dean St. store, which sadly closed in 2019, when we moved permanently to Berners Street.

Our Berners St. shop opened in 2015, becoming our sole shop in late 2019. Even now, after six years, the shop staff are still asked every day, something along the lines of the iteration: ‘Are you not in Soho anymore?'

The exterior of our Old Compton St. store and the interior of our Dean St. store.

Our company has been through many changes since our inception, evolving as the world has. While the tradition chef uniform is still produced by us, and worn by many, there have been many additional styles added in the past two centuries.

Something that has not changed, is our commitment to quality, and in recent years, sustainability. In a world of fast fashion and fast food, we do our upmost to be as sustainable as possible, making products that aren’t disposable or made to last short-term.

With our own teams in designing, manufacturing and quality control, the product is created and checked by us every step of the way. The hospitality and catering trade are hard working businesses, and our products are made to withstand that, when cared for properly. 

Inside one of our Pakistan factories. 

By buying products which are durable, and are built to last, you are contributing to a more sustainable planet and future. By each of us, us as a business, and you as a consumer, doing what we can, the collective effort builds little by little, to be a greater whole.

As well as making long-lasting products, we have a minimal waste policy. Any excess fabric we have is donated to a charity which makes dog beds. Any excess clothing we have is donated to charity, or sold at a lowered price. You can read more here about our corporate social responsibility and our sustainable workwear.

One of the new ways, we will continue to make concious sustainable decisions is by using Tencel fabric. Tencel fabric is made using a closed loop cycle, creating minimal waste. Our new DE140 jacket uses Tencel fabric. 

As well as longevity with our products, we are grateful to have long-standing loyal customers, some of whom have been visiting us for decades, quite a few who have been coming longer than a lot of our staff have been alive for.

Our business is not one that our average customer would use on a daily basis, our regulars can range from every few months to every few years. We have customers who every time they’re visiting from overseas, make it a point to come to Dennys. We value loyalty, and in our shop, there is a loyalty card, that has no expiry date, the card below had been first gievn to the customer 25 years before, and it was still honoured. 

If you happen to find any in hidden corners, feel free to bring them to our Berners St. shop, if there are multiple cards, the stamps can be combined. 

By valuing loyalty and sustainability, we endeavour to make Dennys 180 year history, continue for a long time yet, hopefully with customers both returning and new.