Pantherella - Established 1937
Pantherella first opened its doors in 1937 and began trading as Midlands Hosiery Mills, an established women's hosiery factory. Fast forward to 1945 and our name was changed and a legend was born: Pantherella Fine English Socks began trading.
Innovation and Pioneers
The maverick behind Pantherella was Louis Goldschmidt; he had a vision that fine gauge English socks were the future. Tired of producing bulky, bland, uncomfortable socks for men he believed that lightweight, seamless, fancy socks would be in high demand. After careful persuasion, Goldschmidt convinced local machine makers P.A. Bentley to produce a specialist sock machine. The demand for lightweight men's socks was significant. By the time the competitors cottoned on to Goldschmidt’s innovative design plans he had already set the industry standard, leaving the competition in the shadows. Pantherella were renowned for creating the world's finest socks.
Pantherella Goes Global
Over his time in the industry Goldschmidt had developed an admirable list of contacts, enabling him to export his products within Europe. It was during the 1940s that he began exporting to North America, followed by Australia in later years. Pantherella's exports grew to huge numbers, on average 75% of production. Pantherella was a storming success the world over.
Provenance, Design & Quality
Pantherella has never shied away from setting precedents; when others have turned to cheaper alternatives, Pantherella have held firm in their beliefs, still today prioritising quality materials and craftsmanship above all else. Pantherella's philosophy of 'Provenance, Design & Quality' still rings true today. Our collections have advanced in leaps and bounds since the early days of Louis' basic ribbed socks.