Why it belongs in ORBIS
London shirtmaker founded in 1898 by Thomas Mayes Lewin and Geoffrey James Lewin, moved to Jermyn Street in 1903; went into administration twice (2020, 2022) before being rescued and continuing to trade online.
T.M. Lewin was founded in 1898 when Thomas Mayes Lewin, in partnership with Geoffrey James Lewin, opened a shop on Panton Street in London; the business relocated to Jermyn Street in 1903, then the center of English shirtmaking, and Thomas Mayes is credited with pioneering the pre-styled 'coat shirt.' The company built its own manufacturing facility in Southend in 1987, though it later moved toward sourcing fabric globally. The brand has had an unstable recent history: it went into administration in June 2020, closing all 66 UK stores and laying off around 700 staff, was rescued, then went into administration again in 2022 before being bought out a second time by its main lender, Petra Group.