A Guide To Bespoke - Savile Row

[kit]

Ah, I didn't know that. That's interesting actually. I suspect she stopped becasue no one bought it because it was too expensive.

TOO right , mate !!!

 

[shadow]

Don't forget the french make Charvet, at the Place Vendome.

 

[oStelios]

I bespoke,thanx for the thread soft!

Benson & Clegg
9 Piccadilly Arcade, SW1Y 6NH, Tel: 020 7491 1454/020 7409 2053, Website: www.bensonandclegg.com, Tube: Piccadilly Circus/Green Park, Show Map
Situated inside the pleasant Piccadilly Arcade, Benson & Clegg are a traditional mens outfitters, with a distinctly English (but highly appealing) line in shirts, suits and neckwear. Of course, exquisite tailoring and top-notch material is never cheap, so expect to pay over £1,645 for a bespoke suit.


Gieves & Hawkes
was founded in 1785 as a naval and military uniform supplier, with early patrons including Admiral Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.

Following a move to Savile Row in the early Twentieth Century, Gieves & Hawkes became established as the paramount Englishman's tailor and an internationally known name.

Today, from our base at No. 1 Savile Row, the epicentre of English tailoring, we seamlessly combine our traditional role as formal uniform and costume maker with innovation in hand cutting and tailoring.



Henry Huntsman
established his tailoring business in the West End of London in 1849 as a Breeches Maker and Sporting Tailor.

The company prospered and in 1865 received the Royal Warrant to the Prince of Wales. This was their first but was followed by many more, both to the Court of St James's and to Royal families around Europe.


Bernard Weatherill
Established in 1912 by the father of the former Speaker of the House of Common’s, the Company’s success was almost instant. King George V had his breeches made there, and the firm has been patronised by all subsequent British monarchs. Today Bernard Weatherill hold Royal appointments to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Every garment we make is completely bespoke, from the cutting of the cloth to the finely detailed art of finishing. A vast amount of time goes into the making of our clothes and they frequently last a lifetime, and often two.
Founded in 1882, Kilgour is probably the most versatile and innovative menswear business in Savile Row. The Company makes wonderful bespoke clothing, the envy of its peers, and sought to build on this beautiful craft and extend the clothing offer to a wider market. As a consequence Kilgour was the first Savile Row tailor to develop licensing agreements (Barneys New York-1968), to embrace the development of new fabrics (pioneering man made fabrics with ICI in 1969-the costumes are now in the V&A) and to recognise the importance of design in tailoring (Tommy Nutter 1974).



Steven Hitchcock
at 30, is the youngest independent tailor in and around Savile Row.

It is rare today to find a cutter who has served the full tailoring apprenticeship in Savile Row. Steven is the last young man to have undergone this arduous training.

He has complete knowledge of how to produce a suit in the fine old traditions of Savile Row.

A professional, friendly and approachable tailor, Steven has been working in Savile Row since he was 16 years of age.



DEGE & SKINNER Savile Row Tailors
The Company is a leading bespoke tailor of Savile Row, London founded in 1865 as J. Dege & Sons. Both the Dege and Skinner families were prominent in the tailoring trade from this period formally joining forces in 1916 when one of the Skinner boys, William Jnr., joined the firm.

More recently the company changed its trading name to DEGE & SKINNER when the Skinner family acquired full ownership. The occasion was marked by a reception attended by their Guest of Honour Mr Colin Montgomerie, MBE



DAKS Simpson
The history of DAKS Simpson began in 1894, when Simeon Simpson established a bespoke tailoring factory in Whitechapel in the City of London supplying top quality men’s clothing shops. Simeon Simpson was especially interested in the development of new and improved manufacturing techniques, and at the time of his death in 1932, handed this approach onto his son, Alec Simpson. In the early 1930’s, Alec decided to introduce a good quality ready-to-wear tailoring range and in 1934, invented the “self supporting” waistband, for which the company held the worldwide patent for many years. At the same time the brand name DAKS was created, derived from the words “Dad” and “Slacks”. Under the DAKS name, the company became the largest manufacturer of top quality menswear in Britain, selling throughout the world.
Alec decided that the company should have its own retail outlet, and in 1936, the store, Simpson Piccadilly was opened. In 1956, Simpson Piccadilly was granted the Royal Warrant of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, followed by the Royal Warrant of HM The Queen in 1962 and HRH The Prince of Wales in 1983.


Anthony's Custom Tailors
produces high-quality custom made wear for men and women. Whether you are a business professional, corporate executive or someone who simply enjoys to dress well, we can design a custom tailored garment to fit your needs.

For over 22 years, Joseph Anthony has been a purveyor of fine custom clothing. Expert craftsmanship and premium quality go into everything he makes.


Paul Stuart's
collection represents sophisticated designs, luxurious fabrics and masterful tailoring


and more...more...more fantastic tailors

 

[kit]

You've not mentioned the tailors , patronised by thr Prince of Wales , who are said to be the VERY VERY best , ANDERSON AND SHEPPARD .

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Or Charlie's favourite...

Could someone explain why the stitching on the lapels is visible on many suits and also why some suits have a line of very loose/flimsy white stitching across the shoulders, please. This seems like the right place for it.

 

[kit]

Or Charlie's favourite...

Could someone explain why the stitching on the lapels is visible on many suits and also why some suits have a line of very loose/flimsy white stitching across the shoulders, please. This seems like the right place for it.

I thought that Charlie Porter was a Dior Homme suited and booted ' gentleman ' , at least according to recent articles in The Observer . However , since he became the style agony aunt for GQ UK or ' assosiate editor ' as his enormous ego seems to prefer , he seems to be in the grateful receipt of a large number of freebies , some of them donated in faraway places like Shanghai .

Who knows what delectable tailoring he has been able to order at enormous discounts . I am pretty sure that Richard James figures in there somewhere , as does some pairs of NDC shoes - he being an aficionado of what he terms as ' the scuffed look ' .

As for the white stitching , are you referring to the white basting with which some canvassed suits come , directly from the tailor ?

 

[softgrey]

you're very welcome ostelios...
thanksf or all the info...and for adding to that kit...


also wondering about the white thread accross the shoulders...
and if that visible stitching is just an aesthetic thing?...
or don't all hand stithed garments have that?...

 

[tott]

also wondering about the white thread accross the shoulders...
and if that visible stitching is just an aesthetic thing?...
or don't all hand stithed garments have that?...

The edge stitching is decorative, basically.

When you say "white thread across the shoulders", I think you mean the "guide line" which is basically there in case you need to make alterations? At least that's how I've understood it.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

I thought that Charlie Porter was a Dior Homme suited and booted ' gentleman ' , at least according to recent articles in The Observer . However , since he became the style agony aunt for GQ UK or ' assosiate editor ' as his enormous ego seems to prefer , he seems to be in the grateful receipt of a large number of freebies , some of them donated in faraway places like Shanghai .

Who knows what delectable tailoring he has been able to order at enormous discounts . I am pretty sure that Richard James figures in there somewhere , as does some pairs of NDC shoes - he being an aficionado of what he terms as ' the scuffed look ' .

As for the white stitching , are you referring to the white basting with which some canvassed suits come , directly from the tailor ?

I was referring to Charlie's foray into Kilgour. Personally, I would call it the 'scruffed' look... Penguin polos and Topman trackies seem more like Charlie than Savile Row.

I'm not really sure what I was referring to with reference to white stitching, kit! It's just in a lot of shops including posh ones as well as Zara, suits of all kinds have white stitches across the shoulder. Maybe, as tott says, it's for alterations?

I had a vague suspicion that obvious stitching on the lapels is for snob factor, to show that the lapels haven't been glued together.

 

[travis_nw8]

huntsman is saville row for me ( although it's been hijaced by the yanks), i have fond memories of my first fitting about five years ago.

 

[oStelios]

I have to add also Gresham Blake ,he's making fabulous suits!

Here's a list of some of the extraordinary italians:
Canali
Brioni
Borrelli
Corneliani
Kiton
Cantarelli
Campagna
Attolini
Ma Co Caruso
Vinci
Lo Spirito Sarto
Sabino
Minori
Duca
Dreon
Sartoria Panico
(*Zegna)

 

[kit]

Am I right in believing that the very best bespoke tailor in paris France , is CIFONELLI ?

I once heard that Dame Karla was a valued client there , before he became a devoted Dior Hommer .

 

[Paullw]

http://www.8savilerow.com/style04.html

That's going to take a lot of money. For one wardrobe: 24 bespoke suits, 3 overcoats, and unlimited number of blazers, 40 pairs of trousers, dinner jacket, smoking jacket, morning suit and evening tails.

2 tweed shooting suits
Muted check to avoid frightening the birds

 

[kit]

Could someone explain why the stitching on the lapels is visible on many suits and also why some suits have a line of very loose/flimsy white stitching across the shoulders, please.

Having had time on my hands , I did some research on this and found a ' cabin ' jacket of Issey Miyake A/W 2000 , with the kid of ' criss-cross basting stitching used on the front , shoulders and back of this navy blue jacket , which I remember handling at the Brompton Road Issey shop in autumn 2000 .
It was meant to emphasise the cut and shape and worked well .

Sorry , I cannot find a pic on Firstview .

 

[amblus]

I had a vague suspicion that obvious stitching on the lapels is for snob factor, to show that the lapels haven't been glued together.

the visible lapel stitching (pick-stitching) is non-functional since the stitch isn't taken through the bottom layer of the lapel, which i guess increases it's snob factor (the pick-stitching on nicer suits is usually pretty subtle though). it used to be a sign of a nice suit, since pick-stitching is usually done by hand (you can see the irregularities), but nowadays, some suit makers machine-stitch the pick-stitching (you can tell, it's perfect). sort of goes in line with details like ticket pockets and working sleeve buttons showing up on completely machine-made suits.

also, it's not that a fused lapel has the two layers of fabric glued together. they're still stitched together, but the inner facing of each side of the lapel has an interfacing glued onto it. you can quickly tell if a suit is fused by taking one of the lapels and rubbing the two sides of fabric together. if it's sort of slippery, the suit is fused since you're feeling the two sides of the interfacing are sliding against each other. canvassed lapels, on the other hand, typically feel rougher (however, a canvassed lapel doesn't necessarily mean the body of the jacket is canvassed, you might have a "half-canvassed" suit, where the body is fused, but the lapels have the canvas stitched in).

 

[PrinceOfCats]

also, it's not that a fused lapel has the two layers of fabric glued together. they're still stitched together, but the inner facing of each side of the lapel has an interfacing glued onto it. you can quickly tell if a suit is fused by taking one of the lapels and rubbing the two sides of fabric together. if it's sort of slippery, the suit is fused since you're feeling the two sides of the interfacing are sliding against each other. canvassed lapels, on the other hand, typically feel rougher (however, a canvassed lapel doesn't necessarily mean the body of the jacket is canvassed, you might have a "half-canvassed" suit, where the body is fused, but the lapels have the canvas stitched in

It really wouldn't suprise me if H&M literally glue their suits together...!

Thanks for the informative post.

 

[kit]

An interesting bit of ' schmatter ' here :-


http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7598



I hope that the info is relatively up to date .

 

[Pastry]

When life will put me in a suit this is the place I'll go to.

 

[amblus]

younger bespoke designers/tailors (from men's vogue

 

[oStelios]

Evisu plans to start offering customers a full bespoke service
Ground Floor 9 Savile Row
London W1S 3PF
Tel:020 7734 2540