Browsing the business section of The Daily Telegraph today I was tickled to find an article about a member of my hugely extended family, and how he has managed to have an impact in the world of fashion (very surprisingly!) It went as follows:

Preacher calls for supermarket extension - By Richard Tyler

A letter to Sir Terry Leahy from a Methodist preacher searching for generously-sized trousers has led Tesco to incorporate 46-inch waists and XXXL tops into a new range of menswear called Stone Bay.

Malcolm Petit, 76, from Chichester, West Sussex, shopped in his local Tesco Extra after becoming impressed with it’s men’s clothing range. The XXL-sized shirts and jumpers all fitted fine, but it did not cater for his 46-inch waist.

“So i wrote to the cheif executive suggesting that this was something that deserved his attention,” Mr Petit said.

Instead of the “anodyne” acknowledgement from customer services he expected, he recieved a personal response from Sir Terry, thanking him for his comments and saying his clothing team would look into it.

“Two days later I recieved a phone call, closely followed by an email, asking for a range of measurements,” said Mr Petit. “I was told a sample pair, or two, of trousers would be made, sent to me and my comments and critisisms would be welcome.”

Three weeks later came a call from his local Tesco Extra asking him to pick up a package. It contained two suits, three pairs of jeans, three tops, two shirts and a box of six ties.

The trousers did not fit first time, so they were sent back and on Monday morning the altered garments arrived at Mr Petits home, “special delivery”. Mr Petit a former marketing director, said he was amazed by Sir Terry’s attention to detail. “In my view, the fact that that ethos drives him and the company goes a long way to show why he, and Tesco, are so successful,” he said.

Tracy Saunders in Tesco’s menswear said: “there’s a new range that comes into stores in February next year that’s a perfect vehicle to add new sizes,” she said.

Mr Petit is more than happy - “I hate to say it, but I don’t ned two suits. What I wanted was a pair of chinos or jeans but I got this whole lot.” He has now turned his story into a sermon.

Good on you Malcolm! And way-to-go Tescos, keep it up!!