Ted Baker managing director Ray Kelvin started his first store in 1988 in Glasgow, quickly followed by Manchester and Nottingham. Initially Ted Baker exclusively offered men's dress shirts, and offered dry cleaning with every shirt they sold. Ray had limited funding available, so rather than advertise, he relied on word of mouth and the creation of a personality to anchor the brand.
As a consequence, Ted Baker grew more successful as a brand (dry cleaning was no longer offered as the label grew).
Two years later, a store in Covent Garden opened and Kelvin bought the company outright from part-owners Goldberg and Sons. Additional stores in Soho, Nottingham and Leeds opened in 1994. In 1995, Ted Baker launched a new range, Ted Baker Woman.
Ted Baker has since become a global brand, producing mens, womens and childrens clothing. The company also produces fragrances, eyeware and accessories.