Article - Affordable Corporate Clothing Suppliers
26 Apr 2021
A Tale of Corporate Clothing Suppliers and Supporters
Like most people throughout the English-speaking world, you’re probably quite familiar with the children’s tale about the Emperor and his Clothes. In the story, no mention is made of which clothing suppliers provided our esteemed emperor with his garments before he was literally and figuratively exposed. No one knows, so perhaps we may take licence to imagine, speculate and suppose…
Custom Clothing Suppliers
However, being a man of means and a man of no mean stature, a man who occupied the highest position in the land, one assumes that the emperor made use of his own tailors, who sketched out their clothing designs and brought these, plus new fabrics, to the palace for the great man’s approval, before custom-making and supplying all his clothing.
Seal of Approval
Blazoned above the tailor’s doorway, possibly also painted on an interior cutting, sewing or embroidery room wall and affixed to garment labels, the tailor probably proudly displayed evidence of his skills, talent, workmanship, prowess with a needle and thread, plus his prized royal seal of endorsement and approval: “By Appointment to the Emperor”.
This endorsement ensured that others might also select the same tailor to produce and supply their own new garments. If the tailor’s creations were fit for emperors and kings, they were certainly good enough for supporters of the royal personage.
Closely Associated Corporate Copies
Although the emperor’s original clothing suppliers did not provide him (and probably others) with what we have come to know as corporate attire, (since corporate entities had not yet been invented), it is possible that wealthy people and members of the noble classes emulated their leader’s style of dress.
After all, the emperor, assisted and guided by the suppliers of his garments, was the land’s fashion trend-setter. Others would be sure to follow. Soon, all would be similarly attired, very much as modern corporate personnel tend to dress for work nowadays.
So, for our purposes, copies of the mythical emperor’s garments may have been forerunners of today’s evergreen and new corporate clothes, because their garments indicated the wearers’ close association with the emperor. One can accept that the emperor had become proud of his appearance and his custom-made clothing, as manufactured and supplied by his usual tailors, but sadly, he became self-centred and vain.
Beware Unscrupulous Suppliers
Pride in one’s “corporate” or official attire is one thing, but life was about to teach him something else - a hard lesson about excessive vanity pertaining to his overall appearance and specifically, his clothing. This is where a pair of supposed weavers, two unscrupulous suppliers of spurious, imaginary fabrics entered the picture.
These fellows hatched a plot to make lots of money by supplying nothing at all. The fraudsters declared that their fabrics were so fine that only fools and stupid people would be unable to see the materials they wove, and by implication, also the garments that were subsequently produced.
For fear of appearing stupid, no one had the gumption to speak out when they saw the emperor go about naked - least of all, the vain, self-serving emperor himself.
This farcical situation continued until an innocent, honest young child announced loudly that the emperor was wearing nothing at all. Nevertheless, the wannabe great man continued heading his procession without pause - a sure sign of his vanity and totally unwarranted pride.
Even then, this mythical tale indicates that appearances mattered very much then, just as they do to this very day. In fact, the appearance of one’s corporate employees is extremely important, since it indicates a great deal, within and without every corporate entity.
· Your corporate presence
· Top-of-mind, instant recognition and association with your products and services
· Builds brand loyalty
· Ensures that everyone, regardless of status and income, is smartly and suitably attired at work
Avoid the “Emperor Syndrome”
Be wise in your search for real reputable, expert corporate clothing suppliers in South Africa. Avoid the mythical “emperor syndrome”, wasting money and mistakenly taking pride in corporate wear that doesn’t conform to reasonable expectations.
Rather go straight to XCO Group, a leading manufacturer and supplier of more than 230 000 corporate products, across more than 130 brands, inclusive of durable, smart, high quality garments - at competitive prices.
You and your personnel will be deservedly and justifiably proud of their tasteful, distinctive corporate clothing, approved and supplied by XCO - also a proudly South African brand expanding specialist. Additionally, you’ll build brand awareness, trust, support and loyalty amongst your invaluable customers – an aim of every successful concern