Hong Kong-based private investment company Fung Capital has bought British heritage brand Kilgour.

Kilgour began in 1882 as T & F French. Well-established in Piccadilly, and with an exclusive London clientele, the business merged with A.H. Kilgour in 1923 to form Kilgour & French.

Kilgour is the second Savile Row brand that Fung Capital has acquired after Hardy Amies.

In 1925, Fred and Louis Stanbury joined the firm and introduced an elegance of cut and style that remains the company’s hallmark to this day. Such was their influence, in 1937 it changed its name to Kilgour, French and Stanbury, reverting to Kilgour in 2003.

Fung Capital, a venture capital arm of Li & Fung, is said to acquire a third brand from Savile Row within the next six months to form part of its new portfolio called Savile Row Brands.

SRB CEO Tony Yusof says Fung Capital will develop the brands into global ready-to-wear brands.

“We want to make a business out of these Savile Row jewels and create a showcase of contemporary British tailored clothing,” he says.

The brands will be positioned as “contemporary tailored clothing” and aimed at competing with the likes of Ermenegildo Zegna and Hugo Boss.

The brands will be marketed through luxury department stores such as Lane Crawford, Isetan, Bloomingdale’s and Harvey Nichols.