When it comes to making an impact on the menswear market, newly reinvented British heritage label Kent & Curwen has two aces up its (nonchalantly rolled up) sleeve. Firstly, it boasts a lively history going back to 1926 of making ties and sportswear for institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge universities, and secondly, David Beckham is at the helm.

The former footballer became a business partner in Kent & Curwen after retiring from the game three years ago because he wanted to start “owning and building businesses,” he explains on the phone from New York. But while there’s no pretence that he’s started sketching sweaters himself, it’s clear that he’s hands on. He helped hire creative director Daniel Kearns, an alumni of Alexander McQueen, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent. “David is involved in all aspects of the business,” says Kearns, “from the collection to the packaging.”

The details of Kent & Curwen’s ownership aren’t exactly simple: Beckham and his business partner Simon Fuller share a 50-50 stake in a partnership called Seven Global with the Hong Kong-listed Global Brands Group. In 2015 Seven signed a five-year deal with Kent & Curwen, owned by Trinity Ltd, which retails luxury menswear in Greater China and Europe.