In a world of throw-away fashion, where clothes go from the zeitgeist to obsolete in a matter of months, William Kroll – the mastermind behind Tender Co. – is a welcome return to traditional values and clothes that transcend fashion, functionality and most importantly, time.
From the research of fabrics and cut to the dyeing processes and finish of each handcrafted garment, Kroll painstakingly and meticulously sources his product to ensure that when you finally get your hands on the finished article, you really are getting your moneys worth – down to the very last penny.
We caught up with him to see exactly what goes into the wonderfully crafted Tender goods we stock here at Peggs & son.
Q. Hi William, so how did you get into making clothes in the first place?
A. I started making clothes for myself when I was 14. I’d seen a pair of Evisu jeans and saved up 2 months of paper-round money to buy them. I loved the way they were put together, and I thought I’d have a go myself. My mum showed me how to use her sewing machine, and I started making things then. Around that time I was also really into woodwork, and making furniture, so it all happened in parallel.
Q. How long does it take to make each piece?
A. The design process can take a very long time, but I don’t really sit down and design a collection, ideas just work through while I’m doing other things. There are garments I’m doing now which had their first versions in things I made when I was a teenager. As far as actually making this goes, I tend to make rough versions myself at home, to sort out the shape and construction, then these will be made up at the various small factories in England who produce Tender. Normally I’ll then use and wear the garments for a few months before they go into production, so I can find out what they’re actually like to live in.
Q. What inspires your work?
A. The tender is the coal and water truck on a steam engine, and from a basic aesthetic point of view, I love the machinery and uniforms of the Steam Age. I’ve been interested in civilian uniforms for a long time, I like how they are both functional and idiosyncratic in their fitness for a particular purpose. On a more philosophical level, I love to think of how the things I produce will go off and evolve with their owners into something personal and worn. I’m lucky to be in the middle between a set of (to me) fascinating production techniques, and an end user who will make the products more special than when they leave the shop.
Q. Do you have a certain type of customer that buys from Tender Co.?
A. I’m not entirely sure! But I hope that it’s people who appreciate the amount of work and pride that have gone into all Tender’s thins, and who will enjoy them for a long time.
Q. Of the Tender clothes we stock at Peggs & son, which is your favourite and why?
A. There’s an overcoat, which is exclusive to you guys in navy. There are only 3 in existence, and one of them’s my own! I had the fabric woven in England especially for this coat- it’s a beautiful double-face wool, natural brown from black Jacob sheep on one side, and a double navy tweed on the reverse. While it’s quite heavy, and warm, it’s got a great bounce to it, which makes it very easy to wear. The design’s adapted from a 19th Century riding coat, lined to the waist with cotton calico, and the back’s cut in one piece, but darted all the way down to the seat, where it kicks out in a pleat. The buttons are custom made in England from natural cow horn, and sewn on by hand. It’s a design that’s appeared in various forms since Tender’s first production, when it was a short denim jacket, but this version is among my favourites.
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