The Otway & Orford Story
About Otway & Orford
Welcome to Otway & Orford, a men’s accessory brand creating unique and high-quality silk pocket squares. Our 'Passions' designs feature vibrant works of art depicting subjects close to most men's hearts - iconic aircraft, legendary cars and favourite sports. Our 'Fresh Classics' are a new take on classic pocket square designs discovered in archives in the home of English silk printing. Always luxurious, our distinctive hand-sewn pocket squares bring a touch of style, a pop of colour and the perfect finishing touch to any jacket or suit, casual or formal. Available in full-size and now with some designs available in smaller sizes. Made in England. Perfect as a gift.
Collaboration
We are proud to create our strikingly different pocket squares in close collaboration with others. By working with leading artists and galleries, we have created our 'Passions' collection featuring vibrant and original works of art that depict iconic aircraft, legendary cars and favourite sports. By partnering with the UK's leading silk printer, we have been able to bring a fresh take to classic designs from the archives with our 'Fresh Classics' collection.
Our carefully curated collections include fresh interpretations of paisley, geometric & polka dot designs from the archives and art inspired by the Spitfire, the Le Mans winning Aston Martin DBR1, rugby, cricket and other favourite subjects. Our designs never fail to strike a chord with the wearer and one that’s always close to their heart.
Inspiration
The original inspiration for Otway & Orford came from my grandfather, a captain of several glamorous ocean liners during the 1920s and 1930s as well as of Royal Navy ships during his wartime service. Captain A.L. Owens RD RNR always sported a pocket square, whether at sea or on land. My grandfather left me his collection and this started an interest in pocket squares. Our brand is named after two of the ships he served on.
The high quality of our silk pocket squares, including their hand-rolled & hand-sewn hems, is what you would expect to find if shopping on London's Savile Row or Jermyn Street. Our standards of excellence are inspired by my mother, an accomplished seamstress who worked for two of London's leading couture houses during their heyday.
Over the years I have collected hundreds of pocket squares. The final drive for creating Otway & Orford was a desire to find stylish and colourful pocket squares that were more personal to me, reflecting my interests and passions (outside of pocket squares), and also to find a different take on classic designs. A pocket square is one of few opportunities for men to wear a visible accessory, so making it count is important.
Thanks to the unique designs, our pocket squares make not only a stylish and meaningful self-purchase but also a thoughtful gift, even for the ‘hard to buy for man’. To make gifting even easier, each pocket square arrives beautifully presented, tissue-wrapped in a smart Otway & Orford branded gift box. We also offer a bespoke service for individual and corporate customers; please contact us to find out more.
We hope you will be as excited as we are when you come aboard and discover the Otway & Orford collection.
Mark Owens, Founder of Otway & Orford