1813

Arriving at Seven Dials

Daniel Angel, a young tailor from Frankfurt arrives in London with barely a word of English. He heads for Seven Dials and sets up a barrow selling second hand clothes. Daniel marries and goes on to have four children; Morris, Jane, Josephine and Philip. As time passes, all the children help their father with his business, making and mending clothes.

1840s

Struggling

The business is struggling due to petty thefts and people being wary of visiting a rough district. Daniel takes a salaried job at the newly established West London Synagogue. The rest of the family remain at Covent Garden and the business is run by Daniel’s oldest son who calls the company ‘Morris Angel & Son’.

1880s

THIRD GENERATION

Morris and his son, Daniel (3rd generation) move to a site on Shaftesbury Avenue. Daniel creates a bespoke clothing department that focuses on quality and style which soon draws the attention of theatrical managers seeking his services for their West End productions. Morris passes away in 1885 leaving the very successful tailoring and costume business to Daniel.

1940s

Working with the Oscar winners

Angels provides uniforms for the Free French Army and ENSA, the army entertainment troupe. In 1948, Hamlet, starring Laurence Olivier wins the Best Achievement in Costume Design Oscar at the Academy Awards. Over the years Angels goes on to supply costumes to another 37 Costume Design Oscar winners.

1993

Moving to Camden

Angels decides to dedicate its original premises on Shaftesbury Avenue to purely fancy dress. The store is called Angels Fancy Dress, supplying costumes for hire and accessories to buy. The film and TV part of the business moves to Camden.

1999

The Royal visit

The Queen and Prince Philip visit Angels. The Queen is presented with a display of costume designs, programmes and other mementos from her 1943 performance of Old Mother Red Riding Boots, a show that she performed at Buckingham Palace with Princess Margaret, for their parents.

2015

175 YEARS

Angels celebrates their 175th year, and supply costumes to four of the five films nominated for the Costume Design Oscar at the Academy Awards, and all six films nominated for Film Costume Design at the BAFTAs; The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Into The Woods, Mr Turner, The Theory of Everything and Maleficent.

2016

ANGELS HONOURED BY BAFTA

Still a family business and in its 177th year, Angels is the world’s longest established and largest professional costume house. Its collection spans over eight miles of hanging rails, and is made up of over 1 million items of clothing. It has emerged from humble beginnings to become one of the most well-respected and celebrated companies in the industry, most recently being awarded the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema.