TORONTO, Canada ­— David Ralphs, a longstanding friend of Gary Searle, has acquired the external shareholding of St. Leger & Viney (Johannesburg, S.A.) and took over as Managing Director in January 2013. 

Ralphs is a chartered accountant who completed his articles at Deloitte and has known St. Leger & Viney since its inception. He has served in various senior financial management positions in South Africa and was, for eight years, Managing Director of a fashion business in Milan.

After a six month handover period at St. Leger & Viney, Searle arrived in Toronto in July 2013 and enjoyed a sabbatical during which time he renovated a turn-of-the-century home.  David Ralphs

St. Leger & Viney initially distributed and stocked locally printed and woven fabrics, and was established to provide a high-end alternative to imported English chintzes and printed linens which were all the rage at the time, Searle said.  “At this time David Whitehead and Frame Textiles were the company’s major suppliers,” he remembers.

“After a few years the company adopted a new strategy to act as a distributor for international brands. The first distribution agreement was with Jean Monro, now owned by Turnell and Gigon. Soon after, Zoffany approached St. Leger & Viney, which has led to a long-standing business relationship with the Walker Greenbank Group. GP&J Baker was next, which ultimately led to a close involvement with Kravet Inc. “These small beginnings have led to personal friendships that span the globe as well as to growth for St. Leger & Viney, which enjoys international recognition as a premier distributor in South Africa,” Searle added.

In 2009, St. Leger & Viney and Warwick Fabrics Australia entered into a joint venture in the South African and United Kingdom markets. This lasted until 2012 when Searle sold his shares in Warwick UK. St. Leger & Viney has continued as the exclusive distributor of Warwick Fabrics in South Africa and remains the largest export customer, he said.