As the re-launched British brand arrives on MR PORTER, we look back at its illustrious history.

“If you think of great luxury in England, you think Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, Aston Martin,” says Ms Isabel Ettedgui, the woman behind newly relaunched British brand Connolly. There’s a gentle implication here. Connolly Leather, founded in 1878, was originally a workshop that supplied leather interiors for these famous carmakers, among many illustrious others. Today, it’s a rather different affair, comprising a newly opened shop on London’s Clifford Street and a range of clothing and accessories for men and women. But the way in which Ms Ettedgui has revamped the brand has ensured a certain amount of continuity between its past and its present. Focusing on exceptionally well-made items that demand to be worn and worn again (in particular some exceptional knit and leather pieces), the new Connolly is a brand that, in the mould of many British institutions, is designed to withstand the vicissitudes of time and taste. The Rolls-Royce of the style world, if you will.

There’s a certain amount of excitement around the 2016 return of Connolly, mainly because it also existed in a much-cherished previous incarnation in the 1990s, when Ms Ettedgui and her late husband Mr Joseph Ettedgui (the founder of the Joseph retail empire) first bought the brand and opened a Connolly store in a mews off Belgrave Square, which later moved to Conduit Street. In its heyday, Connolly was the most exciting men’s store in London, bringing many insider brands (including Car Shoe, Charvet and Loro Piana) to the attention of the city’s most stylish men. Having “put Connolly in a cupboard” since Mr Ettedgui sadly passed away in 2010, Ms Ettedgui is thrilled to see old customers returning. “People are coming back and saying, ‘I’m so glad it’s back, I’m still wearing my old Connolly,’”she says. “They respond to it as a proper brand, a caring brand. The older the pieces get, the more they love them. They keep them, they don’t throw them away.”

This enthusiasm for longevity clearly informs the range of products that Ms Ettedgui and her team (including Hermès’ former artistic director for leather goods Ms Couli Joubert and Scottish knitwear expert Ms Lorraine Acornley) have created for the relaunch, which includes everything from a classic shearling coat, to a cashmere bathrobe as well as accessories, footwear and, perhaps the brand’s current hero piece, an appealingly chunky hand-knit Aran sweater in cashmere. Made from British wool by artisans in Scotland, each of these pieces takes up to six months to produce, because of the hand-work needed to prepare the wool yarns.

The result of such an approach to product is that stock is somewhat more scarce than is typical. But Ms Ettedgui doesn’t see this as a problem. “Maybe, if you really want something, then you’re just going to have to wait,” she says. “It’s ok to wait. Sometimes you appreciate it more, when you have to wait six months.” Of course, if you can’t wait – the good news is that as of today, a select edit of pieces from Connolly’s new collection will be available on MR PORTER. Scroll down for a selection of our favourites, or see the full selection on Connolly’s designer page.