modelled by Jean Shrimpton and photographed by David Bailey, giving it credibility with a younger audience. In 1966, a Jaeger linen dress formed part of the Dress of the Year, as chosen by Sunday Times fashion editor Ernestine Carter. The company was bought by Coats Paton, later Coats Viyella, in 1967. 1990s on By the 1990s, Jaeger was struggling, possibly because its customer base was ageing with the brand and with no younger audience to replace it. It has also been suggested that the influx of European brands perceived as more fashionable during the 1980s, including MaxMara and Escada, contributed to its dwindling customer base. There was a refocusing of the brand under the direction of design director Jeanette Todd and with some success, including picking up a British Fashion Award in 1996, but this was followed by a period of management turmoil. The company hired Bella Freud to update its image and she introduced designs inspired by its 1930s and '40s styles, along with a mini skirt, bomber jacket and Jaeger little black dress. Coats sold Jaeger for a nominal fee to entrepreneur and former Queens Park Rangers F.C. chair Richard Thompson in 2003, by this stage it was a chain with almost 250 shops. It was swiftly re-sold by Thompson to retail entrepreneur and then British Fashion Council chair Harold Tillman. At this stage, the company was described as: "on its knees". In 2004, Belinda Earl, formerly of Debenhams, was employed as CEO. For a time, it was tipped as the next Burberry and the appointment of Stuart Stockdale as design director garnered positive publicity. Its appearance at 2008 London Fashion Week, for the first time in its history also appeared to mark a stronger brand image. As of 2011, Jaeger had 45 UK stores and shipped to 38 countries worldwide. In the same year it was commissioned to create uniforms for staff at Kensington Palace. Current operation In April 2012 Jaeger was acquired by Better Capital. In July 2013 Colin Henry was employed as CEO. In the same year, Jaeger appointed creative directors Jsen Wintle (menswear) and Sheila McKain-Waid (womenswear). In 2014 Jaeger announced it would be increasing its UK sourcing to return the company to its historic reliance on UK factory production (a marker for the brand until 2000) aiming to produce 10-15 per cent of ranges in the UK by autumn 2014. On 10 April