
OM Name	Justin Rhodes
Business Name	Elliot Rhodes
Email	justin@elliotrhodes.com
Business website	www.elliotrhodes.com
House	C1
Years at Marlborough	1984-1989

About me

I have always had a passion for clothing and design and my initial career path took me into the mass market end of the fashion business - designing and manufacturing for the high street behemoths. After some time I realised that trying to find ever cheaper sources of supply and putting up with disloyal customers was not for me. 3 years in Paris running a small telecom business gave me ample time to think and conclude that what I truly wanted to do was to run a retail business. I knew I wanted to go back to the world of design/fashion but equally wanted to do something that not only I was passionate about but that others could be to. Not only did I want to offer a unique product but also a unique experience and I wanted to do it in an environment that customers would enjoy. The more I looked around the more I could see that Belts were a product category that seemed to have been completely overlooked. Perceived as an uninspiring necessity purchase, badly displayed with little variety and nearly always embellished with a heavily branded buckle. For me belts had always been an item to complete or even make an outfit - with different colours and textures to match shoes or clothes. I could see the belt as a unique way for people to differentiate themselves, to express individual style and character, to show ultimate attention to detail.

About my business

Elliot Rhodes was launched with the opening in November 2004 of our Covent Garden store. We are the first custom beltmaking store in the UK and our aim is to change traditional preconceptions of what a belt is. Our store is more of a gallery than anything else where customers (we make both Men's and Women's belts) can come and create from a range of more than 300 belts and 1000 buckles something truly unique. We work with each and every customer to help them find the right combination for the given situation - whether that be a smart belt for work, a chunky belt for jeans or something outrageous for a night on the town! Uniquely all of our belts and buckles are interchangeable so customers can very simply change buckles as the mood takes them. All of our belts are traditionally handcrafted for us in Italy and Spain and are custom sized on site while you wait.

So far things have gone well - people seem to be loving the experience and telling their friends about us, we are getting good press in magazine as diverse as Arena, The FT, Harpers & Queen, Easy Living, Golf Punk and The Field and are hoping to open a second store early in 2007.

OM Discounts

A permanent 10% discount is available to any OM's who purchase online or instore. If purchasing online simply enter the voucher code OMSPECIAL when you start the check out process. If purchasing instore please just mention that you are an OM and we will apply the discount for you.

Testimonials from OM's

2 of my business partners are OM's and we have had numerous OM's pop in over the first 2 years. We also designed a special belt buckle for the OM Golf Society which was worn by most of the Halford Hewitt team at the last competition.