“ To be addressed , as a Savile Row Tailor is the preserve of a very special few and , without doubt , these individuals are the very best in the world at their craft ”
INSIDE STORY
The epicentre for this practice is still Savile Row . Having spent the last two decades as a cutter on Savile Row and embedded within the company of these incredible artisans , I can truly say that the word “ brilliance ” is far too reductive a word to quantify their ability . To be addressed as a Savile Row Tailor is the preserve of a very special few and , without doubt , these individuals are the very best in the world at their craft .
Hands that have crafted iconic pieces for everyone from Princess Diana to James Bond are still making the suits for current royalty , Hollywood glitterati and the rock stars of the day . Enquire with any one of them about the chronological duration to acquire their world renowned stamp of distinction and a response generally sounds like the following : “ After all the years of doing this job I ’ m still learning something new every day .”
The tailor ’ s environment was historically found out of sight , among the higher floors of the houses , using natural daylight to illuminate their work . However , over the past decade
“ To be addressed , as a Savile Row Tailor is the preserve of a very special few and , without doubt , these individuals are the very best in the world at their craft ”
they have been moved too less salubrious workbenches in the depths of assorted basements that litter Savile Row . The reason for this ? Savile Row ’ s address has become incredibly desirable not only with ready to wear clothiers but also with hedge fund managers and art dealers who have deeper pockets to accommodate the latest rent rises from landlords .
This is where the industry has been literally cut down to size . But , more alarmingly , there has also been an increase in the amount of individuals who are revered as and sell themselves as “ Savile Row ” tailors with no qualifications or experience to honour such an exclusive title . It would seem that the occupational mantle of “ Savile Row ” tailor has become an easily tacked on moniker to anyone arriving in Mayfair intending to exploit the craft of this extraordinary location .
Savile Row finds itself in an era where plagiarists blatantly desecrate its unquestionable prestige and pay very little credit to its heritage and desperately toil to cultivate their spurious credentials through good PR . In spite of the ownership of a packet of nails I do not claim to posses the knowledge and experience of a certified builder , yet there is an abundance of individuals who will use the title “ Savile Row ” tailor on the purchase of a packet of pins . With no questions asked R
18 SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE