Some careers unfold in a straight line. Others twist and leap when inspiration strikes. For Stephen Dial and Stuart Brand, co-founders of Charles Grey Menswear, one offhand comment over a wedding pint was all it took to pivot from coaching and classrooms to tailoring success.
From Wedding Woes to Tailoring Dreams
Back in their pre-pandemic lives, Stephen was an assistant headteacher and Stuart a football coach. But one uninspiring shopping trip for wedding suits planted the seed of something bigger.
“At the place we ended up going, you just didn’t get a service at all,” Stephen recalls. “Didn’t even get offered a drink. The staff saw you as a number. So at the wedding, we’d had a couple of beers and I said, ‘we’ll start a tailor’s shop!’ You’ll find I have a lot of wild ideas.”
While Stuart honeymooned, Stephen got busy. By the time his mate returned, Stephen had researched suppliers, scoped out premises, set up Instagram—everything. Stuart said yes.
Building S&S Attire from the Ground Up
That spark of an idea became S&S Attire in Hexham. Despite starting in a quiet spot away from the high street, the business quickly gained traction with sought-after brands like Mark Darcy and Cavani. A move to a larger store near Hexham Abbey followed, and by 2022, they had expanded to Newcastle.
But as the cost of living climbed, so did customer pressure. Instead of slowing down, the duo doubled down—this time on wholesaling their own suits.
The Rise of Charles Grey Menswear
Enter Charles Grey Menswear, based in Stanley. What started as a workaround for pricing pressures turned into a booming wholesale arm. Sales leapt from 700 suits every few months to over 3,000.
Managing that level of growth meant finding the right financial support. That’s where BEF North East came in.
“The biggest issue is that stock has to come in,” Stephen explains. “If something goes out of stock, you lose a customer. We’d met Antony from BEF North East at an expo, and we needed further funding because we’d just bought in 7,000 suits.
He was there within two days, going through margins and looking at financial forecasts with us. Giving us process ideas which we’ve implemented, as well as arranging the loan.
We got everything done and dusted within 11 days, which is crazy. Antony was very accessible, on the phone whenever we needed him. Honestly, if we could go back two years and start everything again, we’d come to him and BEF right away the first time we needed funding.”
Tailoring the Future
With stronger cash flow and a streamlined system, Charles Grey Menswear is setting ambitious targets: 100 wholesale accounts by mid-2026, then doubling that in the following years.
They’re also partnering with familiar faces—think Kieran Trippier and Newcastle United—as well as exploring collaborations with Middlesbrough F.C., Newcastle Thunder, and businesses across banking and automotive sectors.
A new product range is also in the works: shirts, ties, and three new styles of shoes. The aim? To become a one-stop shop for wholesale customers across the UK.
Supporting Local Legends
Antony Nicholson, Investment Manager at BEF North East, is proud to back the team.
“The Charles Grey Menswear team aren’t only running a great business,” says Antony. “They’re also deeply proud of where they come from. Their products, even their entire business, get named after famous North East figures. Everything relates back to their roots.
This is exactly the kind of organisation we take such great pleasure in funding. It exemplifies the level of talent, dedication, and hard work that’s powering our regional economy.”
Powered by BEF North East
BEF North East tailored a Small Business Loan to meet the team’s needs—giving Charles Grey Menswear the freedom to do what they do best: keep their customers perfectly dressed.
About Business Enterprise Fund North East
Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) North East is the region’s business finance partner. A community development finance institution (CDFI), it offers fair, flexible funding that empowers startups and SMEs alike.
Rather than focusing solely on credit scores, BEF North East makes lending decisions based on a business’s local impact—from job creation and diversity to support in economically underserved areas.