Neon Play

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By royal app-ointment

We might have mentioned it once or twice (uh-hum), but we won a Queen’s Award. And that means we’re off to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen (we believe).

Mark Allen, Oli Christie and Dame Janet Trotter with Queen's Award

Off to the Palace

Our CEO Oli Christie and CTO Mark Allen are the lucky ones who are off to represent Neon Play in front of HRH and they need to scrub up a bit to be vaguely presentable. Otherwise it would be a bit embarrassing.

Queen's Award invitation for Oli Christie of Neon Play

Time for an upgrade

And as we’ve had the same suits from M&S for about 20 years, we thought it was a good excuse to treat ourselves to a tailored suit. Yes, we know, it sounds very posh and grown-up. And quite frankly, it is.

Tinker, tailor...

So we tracked down the finest tailor in Cirencester (or is he the only one?) and he was a very nice chap called Tom Wharton who runs Barrington Ayre. As it happens, Tom had come runner-up to us (a few times!) in local business awards, so he knows us. And hates us.

Mark Allen, Oli Christie and Tom Wharton of Barrington Ayre Tailors

(Photo courtesy of the Gloucestershire Echo)

Suit you sir!

Tom measured all our bodily parts, which was mildly erotic (joke) and Mark and Oli chose a fabric for the suit and the inside lining. It was a bit like the Paul Whitehouse sketch (sort of)

And then off those measurements were sent to an army of elves who cut and sewed away to make these pieces of cloth into a suit fit for a Queen.

First fitting

It was then time to see if these suits were actually going to fit, especially as our waistlines seemed to have a tendancy to fluctuate. Mark’s inwards, Oli’s outwards. There were even a story in the local paper about it.

Fit for a Queen

But by the power of Greyskull, they did indeed pretty much fit and with a bit of tweaking, safety-pinning and an occasional “suit you sir” added in for good measure, the final suits were ready for a trip up to London to meet Her Majesty the Queen.

Mark Allen and Oli Christie of Neon Play

A big thanks to Tailor Tom for his inside leg measuring and we hope HRH likes them. He's even done nice inner linings - all the trimmings with Tom!

Mark Allen and Oli Christie of Neon Play

And here are some seriously sharp pics, with the three gents almost looking like male models (sort of). Photos snappily taken by Origin Photographic.

Oli Christie, Tom Wharton and Mark Allen of Neon Play

Oli Christie, Tom Wharton and Mark Allen of Neon Play

Oli Christie, Tom Wharton and Mark Allen of Neon Play

Rent a quote:

Oli Christie, CEO of Neon Play commented, “It's always been a distant dream to get an item of clothing tailor-made (not being a dedicated follower of fashion), so to have a proper reason/excuse to get a lovely tailor-made suit was hugely exciting. Tom is brilliant fun to work with and he's made two stunning suits for Mark and me. I highly recommend him as Cirencester's finest tailor (is he the only one?!)."


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