“In 1940 Isaak Donner and his partner, OUR HERITAGE, OUR STORIES Frank Myers, set up the Wakefield Shirt Company to produce quality men’s shirts. In June, Our Heritage, Our Stories Partnering with Dr Rex Whinfield in the celebrated the district’s textile 1950s, the company developed the heritage with a series of exhibitions world's first shirt made from Terylene, and events. later known as polyester. By the 1960s we Wakefield is well known for its started advertising our shirts alongside the textile industries with a proud blockbuster films. heritage of wool selling, going back By the late 1980s, we employed over to medieval times. Emerging from 1,500 people across six factories, the shadow of World War II, Double exporting over 3 million shirts annually to Two Shirts began to literally change more than 40 countries. the fabric of men’s fashion. In 2013, my son John and I had the honour Double Two is a family business, of receiving the Queen's Award for started when Isaak Donner, an Enterprise - International Trade by Her Austrian-Jewish entrepreneur Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham escaping persecution in Nazi Palace.“ Germany, found himself with his family in Wakefield in 1940. Whether you’ve worn the shirts, worked at the factory or saw the adverts on the TV, Isaak’s son and current chairman of Double Two is woven into the story of Double Two, Richard Donner tells us Wakefield. his story: Seeing Double Exhibition @ Wakefield Museum Until 24 May 2025 Explore the enduring legacy of a local business that changed the face of fashion in Seeing Double: The Story of Double Two Shirts. 26 OUR HERITAGE, OUR STORIES