Aquascutum, Historic Brand That Clothed Churchill And Queen Mother, Goes Into Administration (PICTURES)

Historic British Brand Aquascutum Has Now Gone Into Administration

Aquascutum, the historic British clothing brand that has clad Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother in its erstwhile trench coats, has gone into administration.

Administrators have been called in to the 160-year-old British clothing retailer, following owner Harold Tillman's sale of his majority stake on Monday to its sister company Jaeger, for only marginally more than the company's level of debt.

Around 250 jobs are at stake, and though Tilland invested around £20m in Aquascutum after purchasing it in 2009, the Financial Times understands he can no longer afford to support its losses.

Aquascutum was founded in 1851 by tailor John Emary. He patented the technique of waterproofing wools and reportedly was the first tailor to introduce the cloth in his designs. Aquascutum is a fusion of the Latin words for water (aqua) and shield (scutum).

In its early days Aquascutum was best known for a style of trench coat worn during the First World War, after the company was commissioned by the government to design coats for British soldiers

Lady Thatcher has also been pictured in the company's designs, as well as Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant. Glamorous Hollywood stars such as Sophia Loren and Greta Garbo also favoured the British stalwart. Take a look at some of their classic shots below.

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