Patrick Grant: Sewing Bee, Welsh knickers and the war against cheap crap

How did Savile Row entrepreneur Patrick Grant become Britain’s best-known advocate against crappy plastic clothes and the owner of an affordable clothing factory in Blackburn? And why did an exploding oven tray and dodgy plug socket result in Less, his 2024 bestselling book about how we can all live happier lives with less but better stuff? 

In this conversation, Melanie and Patrick leap from the philosophy of Marcus Aurelius to £1 lunches, why he properly loves a factory, and how making things went from a decent everyday job for millions of people, to a pursuit mainly for those with wealth. 

Along the way Patrick shares why every twist and turn of his life and varied career - expert on Savile Row tailoring, TV Judge on the BBC’s Sewing Bee, author, and founder of Community Clothing - feeds into his true purpose, to challenge us to reframe what we want, and why we want it. 

Guest: Patrick Grant @patrickgrantism. 

Mentioned in this episode

@community_clothing

@nortonandsons 

@sewingbee  

@pashleycycles  

@vans 

@zojirushi_official

Garry’s TV Repairs https://www.yell.com/biz/garry-s-t-v-repairs-barnoldswick-1177234/

Patrick’s brilliant book: Less, Stop Buying So Much Rubbish How Having fewer Better Things Can Make Us Happier

Supported by:

@1warwicksoho

The Enoughness with Melanie Rickey.

Produced and edited by Steve Hankey.

Assistant Producer Sophie Smith.

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