Tim Peake gives boost to Leith firm at Brit Awards

Tim Peake wearing the tux T-shirt. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

But only one costume from this annual gathering of the great and good of British showbiz society could truly be described as out of this world – and it originated from a small firm in Leith called Superlogo.

On the night that the British music industry paid tribute to the passing of Ziggy Stardust, a real life Major Tom was among the star turns at the 02 Arena in London – with astronaut Tim Peake catching the eye in a tuxedo-styled T-shirt when he appeared on giant television screens from the International Space Station to present Adele with her Global Success gong.

Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Superlogo boss and former Scotland rugby international Andrew Dall’s mobile phone was in meltdown. He said: “I was at home, and I have to admit I wasn’t watching the awards, when I started receiving all these messages from staff, customers and friends about Tim Peake wearing a T-shirt at the Brits which looked very much like one of ours,” said the 39-year-old, who was capped at rugby for Scotland against Wales in the spring of 2003.

“We were pretty confident it was one of ours be-cause it is a pretty unique design and we sell loads of them all over the UK, and when we checked our e-mail orders the next morning we found that he had bought it himself last month before setting off.

“It was a pretty special night. It’s not often a business such as ours gets to see one of their products being worn by a key person in the Brit Awards, and the fact he was being filmed on a spaceship is just crazy.

“It’s created a real buzz in the office and we’ve been trying to push the story on social media. It’s not going to make us millionaires overnight, but if it gives our sales a little boost then that’s great.”

Mr Dall started Superlogo, which provides printing and embroidery for schools, colleges, universities, sports teams and businesses, after his career as a professional rugby player came to an end in 2004.

After almost 12 years of solid growth, he now employs 20 staff out of his headquarters on Coburg Street in Leith, and has contracts all over the UK.

“Things have gone really well and we’ve got a great team here,” Mr Dall said. “A few years back we embroidered the sponsors’ logos which were stitched onto the jacket which this adventurer called James Ogilvie wore for his ascent of Everest. We’ve got some great photos of him at the summit.

“So we’ve gone to the top of Everest and now we’ve reached the International Space Station, which must be the two highest places we can go as human beings at the moment.

“It’s not bad for a wee business in Leith.”