The (17) made-to-measure tailors I have known

July 12th 2021

*UPDATE: Since this article was published, Brioni has also been tried and reviewed, as has J Mueser* Although I haven’t covered the same number of MTM tailors as bespoke ones, Permanent Style has steadily accumulated a good range - from Kiton ...

The (17) made-to-measure tailors I have known

Match in comments:
Not really I'm afraid - the more formal cut is a little underserved for MTM. It's much easier to get softer Italian stuff, largely because all the factories are there...

Jackets - SuitsJuly 12th 2021

Gieves & Hawkes linen suit: Style Breakdown

August 19th 2020

Gieves & Hawkes has rarely had a distinct house style in recent decades. Although historically a military and naval outfitter, and making its suits with a similar amount of structure and strength, the cut has varied with cutters. Kathryn Sa...

Gieves & Hawkes linen suit: Style Breakdown

Match in comments:
Hey there, I would look at the bunches of W Bill, Brisbane Moss, Holland & Sherry and any other British mill that offers Irish linen. If you can't find a dark enough navy there, try and find someone that can source from ...

SuitsAugust 19th 2020

The (55) bespoke tailors I have known

June 3rd 2020

  This post was originally written in 2012: a breakdown of all the tailors I have tried personally (rather than just written about), split into different countries. It was updated in 2016, and I have updated it again now in 2020, adding a fu...

The (55) bespoke tailors I have known

Match in comments:
Hey Joel - I don't know much about her I'm afraid, certainly nothing first-hand...

June 3rd 2020

Video: How much can you alter a suit?

December 9th 2019

One of the reasons a bespoke suit can last a long time is that it is easier to adjust, and the tailors that made it are better at doing so. It's easier to adjust because more cloth is left in the seams, and in more places, than anything made in a fa...

Video: How much can you alter a suit?

Match in comments:
Amazing, thanks for letting me know JP. Do shout if you have any other questions...

Alterations and care - VideoDecember 9th 2019

Gieves & Hawkes bespoke linen suit: Review

July 17th 2019

This dark, muted green linen was a risk. I had never had anything like it before, let alone seen it on anyone else. But I think it’s worked out very well. I’m pleased as well as relieved. The colour is unusual yet subtle. Indoors, it l...

Gieves & Hawkes bespoke linen suit: Review

Match in comments:
Not off the top of my head, no, but if you can't find it in bunches like W Bill, Holland & Sherry or others than stock Irish linens, try Ulster Weavers or Baird McNutt, which are the mills they buy from (not everyone has...

SuitsJuly 17th 2019

Green/black linen suit, with Davide Taub at Gieve...

May 27th 2019

Relief, and relaxation. Those are my abiding memories of this, my fitting at Gieves on a new suit. Readers commented on a previous post that it was nice to know what I was thinking and feeling during a fitting. That it felt more immediate and person...

Green/black linen suit, with Davide Taub at Gieve...

Match in comments:
Thank you for your thoughts on this, Simon and I agree. Now on to find a nice trouser to pair it with as an alternative....

SuitsMay 27th 2019

Our Autumn/Winter Top 10, 2018

October 10th 2018

  A reader commented on the last instalment of this list that it shaped his whole season’s shopping. No pressure then. Many of the ranges will feature in other coverage later in the year – particularly the ones I’ve alr...

Our Autumn/Winter Top 10, 2018

Match in comments:
Yes good point, I think that was more a case of how I came to feel about the PWVC cut over time, rather than changing my tastes. But yes shetlands I definitely wear less. Apart from those two I wear Colhay's, Bryceland's...

Casual clothing - HatsOctober 10th 2018

How great things age: Gieves & Hawkes bespok...

February 21st 2018

  This post could come under the ‘How great things age’ or the ‘Reflections on bespoke’ heading. Whatever the category, readers have asked frequently about this pea coat , how it has held up and – more speci...

How great things age: Gieves & Hawkes bespok...

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It wasn't, except to the extent that I've always liked this kind of graphic decoration. And yes, I think we do refine things in that way. Always making little mistakes, but getting better over time. The journey is the jo...

CoatsFebruary 21st 2018

High/low dressing

December 6th 2017

The biggest potential pitfall with tailored dressing is looking fussy. Fussy is not sexy; it is not attractive. It is closely related to appearing ‘affected’ or ‘mannered’. Looking relaxed in clothing, on the other hand, is v...

High/low dressing

Match in comments:
Similar, yes...

Hanks and scarves - HatsDecember 6th 2017

Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...

September 20th 2017

Thank you everyone that responded to my ‘You are the interviewer’ post a couple of weeks ago. The number of variety of questions was staggering, and I will try to answer as many as I can over the coming weeks. It may take time, but I wou...

Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...

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I don't know the exact history, but I think it came from English tweed jackets which themselves were derived from those made for riding...

Black tie - CoatsSeptember 20th 2017

The ‘Style Guide’ dinner: What is the...

July 26th 2017

Last month, we organised a dinner at the beautiful Beaumont Hotel to celebrate The Style Guide - the book published earlier this year by myself and photographer Jamie Ferguson. There had been official launch events, and signings, at Fenwick's of Bo...

The ‘Style Guide’ dinner: What is the...

Match in comments:
Hope you enjoy the little video, changing a bit with humour your dinner for your book. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CD-nn2zpvRN/?igshid=1deds976zz0ra...

Style - VideoJuly 26th 2017

Video: The Young Tailors Symposium

November 18th 2016

Looking back on it, our summer 2016 edition of the Symposium series - which focused on young tailors - was particularly interesting. It's easy to forget until you see our film, shown here, how much the backgrounds of each tailor varied. Each was als...

Video: The Young Tailors Symposium

Match in comments:
Very well done. I think the videos on this site are a nice extra touch. It adds extra value and experience to hear from the personal side of tailoring, which I think is a very wirthwhile side to this industry. Luxury ite...

Jackets - SuitsNovember 18th 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium – discussion

June 21st 2016

Our Young Tailors Symposium last week in Florence - in the beautiful Stefano Bemer atelier - threw up some really interesting areas of discussion. The six tailors all had rather different backgrounds: some trained in completely different fields befo...

The Young Tailors Symposium – discussion

Match in comments:
It varies, but largely yes...

June 21st 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium – filming on th...

June 20th 2016

Davide Taub of Gieves & Hawkes One of the nicest things about the Young Tailors Symposium last week was the fact we managed to arrange a film - something that will record for the hundreds of thousands of you what we discussed and enjoyed. We...

The Young Tailors Symposium – filming on th...

Match in comments:
Hopefully September, but there's been a delay on production over August...

June 20th 2016

Young tailors take over Instagram!

May 30th 2016

This week the young tailors featuring in our Symposium at Pitti will be taking over my Instagram account. Every day, a different one of the six tailors from England, Italy, Hong Kong and Korea will post images of the pieces they are making and the t...

Young tailors take over Instagram!

This week the young tailors featuring in our Symposium at Pitti will be taking over my Instagram account. Every day, a different one of the six tailors from England, Italy, Hong Kong and Korea will post images of the pie...

May 30th 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium at Pitti Uomo

May 17th 2016

Every Pitti Uomo for the past two years, we have held an event to bring people together with a unique group of the finest craftsmen in the world. For the next instalment, we will be returning to last summer's focus: bespoke tailoring. But whereas t...

The Young Tailors Symposium at Pitti Uomo

Match in comments:
No, it's not really about craft - it's a trade show, where people come to see and buy product. And then there are the peacocks, who are about style (in theory) not craft....

May 17th 2016

Final bespoke gilet, Davide Taub at Gieves &...

March 28th 2016

Last August I began this project with Davide Taub, head cutter at Gieves & Hawkes, to create a bespoke gilet that could be buttoned into a variety of jackets. I think it’s fair to say the project has been largely, but not entirely s...

Final bespoke gilet, Davide Taub at Gieves &...

Match in comments:
Interesting, thanks Paul...

March 28th 2016

BTBA dinner: The best-dressed men in black tie

February 18th 2016

One of the nicest aspects of the Bespoke Tailors Benevolent Association dinner every year is the evening wear. Although most cutters and tailors aren’t actually into clothes and style, they are all wearing something bespoke – s...

BTBA dinner: The best-dressed men in black tie

Match in comments:
Only somebody who doesn’t understand would think of wearing a smoking jacket at a black tie evening....

Black tie - StyleFebruary 18th 2016

Paris, Mr Porter, and Dalcuore visiting London

December 2nd 2015

A round-up of different notices today – three separate posts seems like overkill. First, I had the pleasure of putting together Mr Porter’s lead journal story last week – featuring some of our favourite craftsmen in ...

Paris, Mr Porter, and Dalcuore visiting London

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I had a chance to meet Eithen this weekend in NYC, where he accompanied Luke and Richard on one of Thom Sweeney's regular visits here. It's exciting to see this still young firm already working so hard to bring in fresh ...

December 2nd 2015

The casual waistcoat: preppy herringbone

October 5th 2015

Over the years I’ve had a few casual waistcoats made. What makes them casual? Well primarily cloth, ideally something with a pronounced texture and perhaps a chunky pattern – in this case, a tan/black herringbone woven from a w...

The casual waistcoat: preppy herringbone

Match in comments:
Basically, under the jacket collar, you don't also want a waistcoat collar that is just as thick, as this then means a lot of material in one place. A dress waistcoat will often be cut a little lower, or not have a colla...

October 5th 2015

How great things age: Bespoke leather jacket

September 28th 2015

The ‘ How Great Things Age‘ series celebrates and examines how quality menswear ages over time. Often, it becomes more beautiful, though different materials from leather to cotton to board age in very different ways. The last ...

How great things age: Bespoke leather jacket

Match in comments:
Great thank you, have a pair Galway's in brown suede. Cliff...

September 28th 2015

London: A sartorial city guide

August 12th 2015

I’ve had quite a few requests by readers over the past year for city guides, so this is the first in a series. In London, there are so many options that it makes sense to group some together. Also, if I leave too many out I’ll...

London: A sartorial city guide

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Nice to hear Brian...

August 12th 2015

Change your laces

May 25th 2015

Laces are to a shoe what buttons are to a jacket. Often ignored, but with a disproportionate important effect on the overall look. The most attractive buttons, for me, are always matte horn with a touch of contrast in their colouring. They produc...

Change your laces

Match in comments:
That might be ok, but keep them the same thickness as the sneaker laces - thin ones would look out of proportion...

Shoes - StyleMay 25th 2015

Savile Row’s driving jackets for Bentley

May 18th 2015

  Bespoke driving jackets designed by Dege & Skinner, Henry Poole, Gieves & Hawkes and Huntsman. Which is your favourite? ( Worth expanding to full screen)

Savile Row’s driving jackets for Bentley

Match in comments:
Methinks you cats are being a little harsh toward the fine folks at Huntsman. That is one gorgeously cut jacket and waistcoat. All the others feel a bit fiddly, like something Tom Cruise would wear in a Mission: Impossib...

JacketsMay 18th 2015

The subtlety of a suede jacket

March 25th 2015

Loro Piana I’ve been pleased to see that suede has enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years. Italians like Loro Piana have always done it well – often in a classic Italian mix of brown suede and grey cashmere – but others ...

The subtlety of a suede jacket

Match in comments:
It says in the caption? All old Loro Piana...

Casual clothing - JacketsMarch 25th 2015