Burleigh and Spoke

This company is based at Sew Close* (C5), just off Prouts. They manufacture "discreet and strong personal upholstery and control underpinnings", ie, ladies' underwear. These are made to measure and guarantee an upright and sculpted figure of perfect proportion.

A fully illustrated catalogue is available, depicting hundreds of GIRLS in corsets, which will be delivered under plain wrapper so as to allow for leisured browsing in the privacy of your own home.

Given the sort of rigidly armoured female undergarments that were de rigeur in previous ages on Roundworld, and the perceived fact that Ankh-Morpork clothing resembles that worn on Roundworld in the early and middle Victorian period, the thoughtful person might wonder if Burleigh and Spokes are a spin-off firm capitalising on the many technological advances made in armour technology.

Annotations

People defending the vast billions of dollars spent on the military-industrial complex are fond of quoting all the examples of peaceful uses for the technology, which we would not have if it wasn't for the kind military corporations deigning to share their breakthrough discoveries with the rest of us. Is this one of the Discworld spin-offs, a peace dividend?

Also to Rigby and Peller, the London firm who have the royal warrant to purvey underwear and intimate support to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family who express a need for such clothing. One wonders if B&S have the Assassins' Guild seal of approval and supply the known formidable array of underpinnings required to keep Lady T'malia in the fine shape she displays to the world.

B&S also evokes Marks And Spencers (M&S), the company that allegedly sells underwear to over half of all British women.

Bespoke (pronounced B.Spoke) refers to goods (especially clothing) that are made to the customers individual requirements.