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,”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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