Henry Poole & Co - The Tuxedo

The Tuxedo

In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for the Prince of Wales to wear at informal dinner parties at Sandringham. In 1886, a Mr. James Potter of Tuxedo Park, New York visited London and subsequently was invited by the Prince to spend a weekend at Sandringham House. He was also advised that he could have a smoking jacket made by the Prince’s tailors, Henry Poole & Co.

When the Potters returned to New York, Mr. Potter proudly wore his new smoking jacket at the Tuxedo Club and fellow members soon started having copies made for themselves which they adopted as their informal uniform for club “stag” dinners. As a result, the dinner jacket became known as a Tuxedo or Tux in America.