Reprinted With Permission From the April 17th Edition of The Apparel Wire

Bell back -- better than ever

By Vartan Kupelian
GPA Fashion Correspondent

ATLANTA -- Patrick Bell is back in business.

Bell, a veteran of 20 years in the apparel industry, has launched Bowler & Blake Limited, a company specializing in custom woven silk ties, blazer crests and blazer buttons. Bell's business philosophy is to focus on development and marketing of product geared specifically to golf.

Bell knows what it takes to be successful and he's proving it again by offering customers the lowest minimum purchases.

The approach, he told The Apparel Wire, has "been an absolute gangbuster … a huge, huge success."

Bell founded Bowler & Blake in the fall and introduced the product line at the PGA Merchandise Show in January.

"What we do a little bit differently from most any other company -- our claim to glory -- is a 50-piece minimum order," Bell said.

"The design has to stay the same but elements of the design can change colors."

The customized logos and designs are woven as part of the silk fabric. A minimum order of 50 ties may be split among two colors; 60 ties may be ordered in three colors. That benefits the shop owner who is able to merchandise a different look without huge inventory.

"The designs are woven into the silk," Bell said. "The reason we do woven versus embroidery is we can get logos down to a tasteful size."

Bowler & Blake has made significant gains in a short time. The company has been selected to produce ties for notable organizations, including this year's Solheim Cup, the PGA of America, Oakmont (site of this year's U.S. Open) and Seminole, the famed Florida course. The organizers of the 2004 Ryder Cup Match at Oakland Hills Country Club in suburban Detroit selected Bell's design as the focal point of all the graphics used at the host site.

Bowler & Blake also has "stepped up with some pretty unique packaging," Bell said. It features a matching silk topped box, using the same silk fabric of the tie, a padded lid and wrapping. The cufflinks are made using a piece of silk.

Bell's crests are hand-embroidered using a bullion wire, gold or silver metallic, accented with silk threads.

"We will be using colored bullion," Bell said. "We now have the ability to use gold bullion. It's all metallic straight through. We've stepped it up a little bit."

Bell, 40, says he has "been in the business all my life, since I was 19," and has worked with the PGA of America, the PGA Tour, the European Tour and the European Ryder Cup.

"What I'm doing is taking all of that experience, pulling it down tight," he said.

What two decades in the golf industry have taught Bell is that nothing surpasses customer service in a successful operation.

"My personal belief is you can sell on many, many fronts," Bell said. "I've chosen to sell quality of service. We're going to take care of our customers better than they've been taken care of before.

"I'm excited. I'm taking this year to settle in. Next year we'll be ready to rock and roll."

Bowler & Blake Limited is based in Cumming, Ga., a northern suburb of Atlanta. The company has a sales and distribution office near Manchester, England. Chris Collins is managing director of Bowler & Blake Limited in the United Kingdom.

To reach Bowler & Blake, call toll free 866-453-0923 in the United States or +44(0)1606 837910 in the United Kingdom. Or go to www.bowlerandblake.com.