Hamleys is marking its 266th anniversary and National Teddy Bear Day with a limited-edition collection of ten teddy bears individually dressed by Savile Row tailor Cad & The Dandy.
The Ultimate Bear Collection will go on display at Hamleys’ Regent Street flagship from 1 September, ahead of National Teddy Bear Day on 9 September 2026. Each 12-inch bear has been fitted and dressed by Cad & The Dandy’s tailors, with fabrics selected, patterns cut and miniature jackets, trousers, shirts and accessories produced using traditional tailoring techniques.
The project brings together two established London retail and craft businesses. Hamleys traces its history to 1760, while Cad & The Dandy was founded in 2008 and operates its Savile Row flagship alongside locations in New York and Stockholm.
The collection comprises ten characters: Reginald Ledgerworth, Rory Beaumont, Sebastian Noir, Josephine Sinclair, Alistair Bramblecroft, Jax Mercer, Laurent Devereux, Teddy Fairplay, William Everly and Percival Thorne. William Everly takes his name in honour of Hamleys founder William Hamley.
The personalities range from the sporting Teddy Fairplay to the more formally dressed William Everly, while other characters reference travel, creativity, music and the traditions associated with Savile Row.
“Everyone loves their teddy – they are important family members,”
“This bespoke teddy bear collection is just gloriously stylish and the work and sheer detail that has gone into them is wonderful. I love the finishing in the tiny hems and turnups on the sleeves and trousers; their little shirt collars – they have real character and personality the instant you meet them. I watched some of the tailoring work take place and have been blown away by the passion and care from the tailors at Cad & the Dandy. We are so very proud of this collaboration and this unique celebration of one of our most important categories over the last 266 years.”
Victoria Kay
Head of Buying and Merchandising, Hamleys
The collaboration also places craft at the centre of the in-store activation, translating details normally associated with full-scale bespoke clothing into garments produced for the 12-inch bears.
“We have loved every minute of the painstaking work to bring these bears together. Yes, the work is fiddly and challenging, but our tailors have adored working on them. They have become much-loved friends and we all have a favourite or two. We are so excited about them going on display in iconic London toy store before they set off on their own adventures.”
Oliver Mumby
Director, Cad & The Dandy
Following the Regent Street display, Hamleys intends to auction a number of the bears in support of children’s charities, while others are expected to travel to other locations around the world.
The project adds another experience-led element to the retailer’s Regent Street flagship. Hamleys previously introduced its Be You children’s beauty boutique at the store in 2024, while its wider international estate has continued to grow, including the opening of a 530 sq m Manila flagship in June this year.
Shopper Survey Looks At Soft-Toy Ownership
Alongside the collection, Hamleys has released findings from a shopper survey examining people’s relationships with teddy bears and other soft toys.
- 95% of adult shoppers surveyed said they still had a soft toy from childhood.
- 86% reported having slept with their soft toy.
- 74% said they take soft toys on holidays or family days out.
- 71% said they own a soft toy that is at least 30 years old.
- One in four said family soft toys have generic names such as Teddy, Dog, Cat or Bunny.
- 55% said they had no explanation for their soft toy’s name.
Kay said her own childhood giraffe, Raff, remained part of family life.
“I had a giraffe which we imaginatively called Raff and he went everywhere with us from when I was a very young child to now when he often sneaks into my bed or we have him on display. I remember panic when we were literally all at the door ready to head off in the car on summer holidays and he was nowhere to be seen. There was no way we would have gone without him – he’s a bit worn these days, but just as loved as ever by me and my own children who are now in their 20s,”
Victoria Kay
Head of Buying and Merchandising, Hamleys
The survey found that 66% of respondents have a teddy bear and 33% another form of soft-animal companion. Some 68% had bought their children a soft toy they themselves had owned as a child.
More than three-quarters, 76%, said they had handed a soft toy down to the next generation, with 38% reporting toys passed through two or more generations. Three in five said their teddy was displayed at home when it was not being cuddled, while 38% of parents admitted buying a duplicate of a child’s favourite toy in case the original was lost or damaged.
Discussing what makes a successful soft toy, Kay pointed to tactility and the ability of a design to communicate character.
“There is something very tactile in giving people comfort so the fabrics or the furs should be beautiful to the touch. You want to see personality in a bear – or you want to be able to easily project a personality onto them – so they need character to begin with.
Victoria Kay
It used to be that most bears had tight mouths and little expressions, but the trend of the last five to 10 years is to give them smiles, frowns – even scowls to build the personality. Ears are important when the child is very young – they often latch on to them or even chew them! There was a spell five years ago where there was a trend for making them a bit ugly or eccentric – they can still be huggable and lovable but we seem to be heading back towards cute. And of course, the biggest trend of late in that sense, is seeing soft toys representing food items from pretzels to broccoli and everything in between.”
Head of Buying and Merchandising, Hamleys
Hamleys says it sells hundreds of thousands of soft toys, including tens of thousands of teddy bears, each year across its international store network.
The ten-bear collection is due to go on display at Hamleys Regent Street from 1 September, eight days before National Teddy Bear Day.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
