By order of the Peaky Blinders!

Hannah Smith
Aug 12, 2020
4 min read

The Shelby’s: powerful, dominant and extremely sexy! All achieved with one simple hat. Audiences everywhere have incorporated this period drama into their wardrobe, despite its setting being nearly a century old, and still feel fresh and current. But how can retailers exploit this information?

Image. GIF. WIX. 2020

The success of the Peaky Blinders has soared over the past few years and it’s no surprise with a casting with the likes of Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy (I will eventually stop with the drooling over men that are way too old for me, I promise). The shows raunchy and romantic yet fierce and violent plots and characters are only emphasised further with the accompanying styling. However, it is a period drama set in post First World War Birmingham and its costuming is exactly that: a time and location accurate costume. And yet half the boys in my town still swan about in a flat cap and collarless shirt?

Image. Pinterest. 2020

Judgement retracted (I do live a lovely area), as mentioned in previous posts, it is what the styling represents. Audiences see a flat cap and subconsciously want their personality to reflect what it symbolises, in this case an authoritative, (undeniably gorgeous) male. It is a style that audiences of a range of demographics can aspire to as its “archetype isn't posh but it's not hunky agricultural labourer either. Instead, think sensitive craftsman."[COCHRANE.2013][1].

Image. Pinterest. 2020.

With this information retailer can really profit; by regarding TV as an influential source, businesses can successfully enhance their trend predicting. John Lewis reported a rise of 25% in their sales of flat caps in August 2019 [JOHN LEWIS. 2019][2], the same month the latest series of Peaky Blinders was released. Additionally, a traditional heritage brand selling the caps reported: 'Now the customers come in, try on the caps and ask me: "Do I look like Tommy?"' [NYAMIE. 2016][3]. This only amplifies the idea that consumers don’t just invest in a product, they invest in a character and want to “look like Tommy” because of what Tommy Shelby is: commanding, dynamic, tough, (I won’t say it again) and sexy.

Image. Pinterest. 2020.

This pattern has been seen before with the example of the Danish drama, ‘The Killing’ as it “created a revival in thick, patterned jumpers favoured by its detective lead Sarah Lund” [SAMUELSON. 2016][4] and eventually caused a court case for the rights of this knit between retailers [WINTER. 2014][5]. However, audiences clamoured to get their hands on this jumper, again, because of the character seen wearing it. The jumper is not seen as typical police attire and its almost genderless and unfeminine which is the “reason it's so perfect…it tells so many stories. It tells of a person who doesn't use her sexuality – that's a big point. Lund's so sure of herself she doesn't have to wear a suit. She's at peace with herself"[6] [GRÅBØL. 2016]. Unlike the Peaky Blinders it is because the item is unsexy that increased sales.

Image. Daily Mail Online. 2014.

Television is such an inspiring platform that in a recent survey with 177 respondents, Television was selected as the most influential source, so it is already regarded as important to consumers, if retailers were more aware of this they could use this to their advantage and capitalise.

In today’s current climate, Television is a form of entertainment, a needed distraction but most importantly "it's about escapism from the stresses and strains of modern metropolitan life” [LANGMEAD.2012][7]. For audiences, investing in a ‘Shelbyesque’ hat or collar, it takes this escapism a step further and part of this particular characterisation is woven into the foundations of the individual’s personality.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Cochrane, Lauren. 2013. The Guardian. Online. ‘Why the Peaky Blinders look is the hot new thing in mens fashion’. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/oct/29/peaky-blinders-look-new-mens-fashion-tweed-flat-cap Accessed on: 03/06/2020 [2] John Lewis. 2019. Retail Report 2019. ‘How we shop, live and look’. [3] Nyamie, Daisy. 2016. The Mail Online. Online. ‘Flat cap frenzy! Period gangland drama Peaky Blinders sends sales of traditional tweed headgear soaring by 83%’. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3614942/Peaky-Blinders-sparks-flat-cap-trend-sales-83.html Accessed on: 10/06/2020 [4] Samuelson, Kate. 2016. The Mail Online. Online. ‘Flat cap frenzy! Period gangland drama Peaky Blinders sends sales of traditional tweed headgear soaring by 83%’. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3614942/Peaky-Blinders-sparks-flat-cap-trend-sales-83.html Accessed on: 10/06/2020 [5] Winter, Katy. 2014. The Mail Online. Online. ‘So much for making a killing: Manufacturer of Dansih TV detective Sarah Lund’s famous Christmas jumper loses court battle of exclusive rights’. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2721178/Makers-Sarah-Lunds-famous-jumper-hit-detective-series-The-Killing-lose-court-battle-right-exclusively-produce-design.html Accessed on: 10/06/2020 [6] Gråbøl, Sofie. 2016. The Guardian. Online. ‘The Killing: Sarah Lund’s jumper explained’. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/10/the-killing-sophie-grabol-sarah-lund Accessed on: 10/06/2020 [7] Langmead, Jeremy. 2013. The Guardian. ‘Why the Peaky Blinders look is the hot new thing in mens fashion’. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/oct/29/peaky-blinders-look-new-mens-fashion-tweed-flat-cap Accessed on: 03/06/2020