Ghurka brand luggage launches in UK and supports Gurkha Welfare Trust

On March 16, 2015 American leather goods firm, Ghurka will launch its first international presence inside the famous Fortnum & Mason store in London’s St. James’s district. The opening marks the brand’s 40th anniversary and coincides with Gurkha 200, the 200th anniversary of Gurkha service to the British Crown.  The Ghurka curated space will feature a robust assortment of its daytime and travel goods, humidors, watch collector boxes and outdoor sporting items. Also available will be a selection of elegant accessories including wallets, pouches, and wash bags. 

The Ghurka collection will be showcased on Fortnum and Mason’s third floor
and displayed in fixtures that have been shipped from the Ghurka showroom in New York.

“Fortnum & Mason is the perfect partner for our European launch,” says Pam Bristow, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Ghurka. “The Piccadilly store is an international icon, a benchmark for excellence, and represents the commitment to quality we hold as our standard.”

Later this spring, Ghurka will debut their G200 Collection, a capsule assortment of three styles from the Ghurka archives re-imagined in partnership with The Gurkha Welfare Trust, Britain’s leading charity dedicated to providing support for impoverished ex-Gurkha servicemen and their dependants. The bag designs utilize the famous green wool used in Gurkha uniform jackets in place of the brand’s signature twill, and will be lined in red as a nod to the military flash worn by the soldiers. The range will be retailed exclusively at Fortnum & Mason in the UK, with 25% of all sales benefitting the Trust. Further to this, a bespoke “Officer’s Field Set” consisting of a picnic table, two field chairs, a green wool blanket, two pillows and a picnic umbrella – all created by Ghurka master furniture craftsman Richard Wrightman – will be debuted. These will be sold at auction with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Trust.

“We are delighted to form this new relationship with Ghurka, whose very name demonstrates their high regard for the ex-servicemen we support,” states Karen England, Director of Fundraising & Communications for The Gurkha Welfare Trust. “The quality of Ghurka’s products rivals the exceptional standards of Britain’s Gurkha soldiers, and through our partnership we hope to raise significant funds in support of elderly and infirm veterans in Nepal.”