Harris Tweed responds to BBC tweed scandal

[Reggs]

http://thechap.net/content/section_news/?p=817

The BBC has betrayed British industry by ordering replicas of the now-iconic Doctor Who costume from China instead of Scotland. The current Doctor, Matt Smith, made his debut in the children's television programme wearing an authentic vintage 1960s Harris Tweed jacket. The pattern turned out to have been discontinued, and fans inundated the Harris Tweed Authority with requests to put Mackenzie "two by two" dogtooth back into production. They did, and dozens of reams of the pattern were sold.

However, in more recent episodes, Mr. Smith wears neither his vintage original nor a jacket whose cloth has been woven anywhere near the Isle of Harris. The jacket he now sports, though superficially similar, is in fact a reproduction made from a wool-acrylic mix and manufactured in China. The BBC has caused more ripples of consternation on the Outer Hebrides by signing an exclusivity deal for the Doctor's jackets with a Canadian company that imports all its fabric from China. Auntie has further annoyed the Harris Tweed industry by selling a replica of the new jacket for £359.99. A spokesman for Harris Tweed said: "I find it very odd that they would use a replica costing £360 when our genuine Harris Tweed jackets retail at £250. Why pay more for a replica than the original?"

It is appalling that the BBC is quite happy to fork out millions of pounds on fees for presenters long-past their sell-by date who never wear tweed, yet tries to cut corners by dressing up one of its most popular fictional characters in fake Harris Tweed. It not only shows a complete lack of sartorial integrity (technically the Doctor could wear clothes from any period in human history, or even shoes made from dinosaur hide, should he so wish) but also contempt for one of the few British industries actually surviving the recession and globalisation.

The BBC has yet to comment on the widespread outrage.

 

[Will]

I am deeply disturbed.

 

[BlackShoes]

This only steels my resolve to never again pay the licence fee.

 

[Flanderian]

Originally Posted by Reggs

http://thechap.net/content/section_news/?p=817



The BBC has yet to comment on the widespread outrage.

" A spokesman for Harris Tweed"

Which Harris Tweed? Hopefully not the dreaded Haggas, the Yorkshireman who single-handedly has done more to destroy the Harris Tweed tradition than anyone.

 

[CruzAzul]

No wonder they lost the ******* Empire.

 

[bengal-stripe]

Originally Posted by Flanderian

" A spokesman for Harris Tweed"

Which Harris Tweed? Hopefully not the dreaded Haggas, the Yorkshireman who single-handedly has done more to destroy the Harris Tweed tradition than anyone.

That very same Brian Haggas, who can be seen here in full flow:

http://www.harristweedscotland.com/

In December 2006 a Yorkshire businessman, Brian Haggas, bought Kenneth Mackenzie Ltd (KM Group) in Stornoway which by then accounted for about 95 per cent of Harris Tweed production. Textiles entrepreneur Brian Haggas, 75, who owns textile firm the John Haggas Group, also bought Parkend, a small tweed mill on the outskirts of Stornoway and closed it down. Haggas then reduced all the 8000 Harris Tweed designs down to four, refused to sell to any one else and started producing exclusively for his own garment production.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_Tweed

 

[entrero]

The costume designer for the show is to blame, no?

 

[MikeDT]

What does the initials 'BBC' stand for anyway? Beijing Broadcasting Company?

Originally Posted by bengal-stripe

That very same Brian Haggas, who can be seen here in full flow: http://www.harristweedscotland.com/
So does anyone know which of these websites is the real 'Harris Tweed'? www.harristweedhebrides.com www.harristweedscotland.com www.harris-tweed.co.uk www.harristweed.org/ Assuming that Harris Tweed doesn't actually come from China.

 

[Tristan.sf]

That is horrible.

I seem to remember Matt Smith himself having an input on his costume; he should have protested the change.

 

[Nicola]

So the Scotts are making copies of gallifrian outfits? I can understand the outrage.

 

[Blackhood]

Maybe it will go the other way? Since the official coat is so much more expensive than a genuine one, the public may well get a real Harris Tweed as an economy measure. This could just be a very subtle rouse....

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by Unrefinery

No wonder they lost the ******* Empire.

I'm shocked too...

Send the gun boats to punish the Chinese..

 

[potemkin_city_limits]

Honestly? People care about this? Its a TV show. Who cares where they buy their costumes from?

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by potemkin_city_limits

Honestly? People care about this? Its a TV show. Who cares where they buy their costumes from?
If it was commercial TV, indeed I would think who cares. However the BBC is state TV, funded by British TV license payers (NO commercials). The British Broadcasting Corporation is actually spending more of one's money(British TV license payers that is) to buy these Chinese made tweed jackets than what British made 'Harris Tweed' jackets cost. That just seems wrong to me, especially when offshoring to places like China is usually about reducing costs, NOT increasing them.

One thinks there must have been some sort of kickback going on there.

 

[Nicola]

Well actually the current Dr. Who is a joint BBC/CBC production. They wouldn't have brought it back without the money from the CBC. The coat isn't Chinese made it's Canadian made.

Considering the weak UK £ it's possible when they bought the thing it was cheaper. Of course you're talking about a jacket worth less £400 when the show might use that in gaffer tape.