Why Soft Tailoring

The art of my soft tailoring style has stood the test of time and is a style reminiscent of the golden age of men’s clothing.  My soft tailored hand crafted suits are lighter in weight to wear, much more comfortable and individually stylish. In order to achieve this unique style, there are a number of very different elements in the making.

Canvas

When I create my soft canvas, unlike the standard tailoring process, I like to have as little hair cloth (stiffener across the chest) as possible. By not using a big piece or even multiple numbers of hair cloths, much more skilled craftsmanship is needed to create the shape in the chest, but the result is so worthwhile as it results in lightness and extra comfort in the jacket.  My canvas is hand padded with long loose stitches and not machine stitched as is common with many other tailors houses.

Soft Shoulders

I do not use ready made shoulder pads, depending on the client’s shoulder angles, I hand make a pad from the smallest amount of wadding, 1/8 – 5/8 inch wide. I can make a straight or as I prefer a natural round shoulder line as the wadding is far softer, but always very soft and lightweight for ease of movement. I do not like to see the shoulder seam from the front view. It breaks up the line of the shoulders, so with a slightly smaller back neck and sloping the front and back shoulders it helps to create a longer line. This then enables me to sew in more fullness bringing the shoulder end forward and making the shoulder ends loose which I believe to be much more comfortable. The wider shoulder and front and back drape make the illusion of a smaller waist.

Arm Hole and Sleeves

All are sewn in by hand and once again this allows more fullness to be sewn into the sleeves than a sleeve that has been machine stitched.  This, in turn, is hand sewn into a high and comfortable arm hole. Great care is taken to get the right runs and shapes to match between sleeve and arm hole for perfection, thereby creating a stylish drape at front and back for comfort and style. My high arm hole ensures that the collar stays anchored to the neck. This ensures that there is no unsightly gap between collar and neck. As one of the last genuine independent Savile Row tailors, I still personally measure all of my clients and cut the paper patterns and suits myself in the traditional way. My soft tailoring creates soft shoulders, high armholes, unrivalled comfort and a unique stylish look for every individual client. I am very hands on with my business and limit my commissions to 135 suits per year to maintain the high quality and level of service that I am very proud of.

I started in the tailoring trade back in 1990 with the renowned Anderson and Sheppard where I joined as an apprentice and went through vigorous training with some of the best traditional tailors in the industry. The first four years I spent training as an apprentice coat maker. In 1995 I was honoured when Mr Halsey, the Managing Director at the time, invited me to join the cutting room. It is very rare to be taught both of these techniques.

My father John Hitchcock joined Anderson and Sheppard when he was 16 years old and was taught sewing and cutting skills in the traditional way. He started as an apprentice trouser maker and ended up over 50 years later the head cutter and Managing Director of Anderson and Sheppard and for me the King-Pin of the firm. I’m the tailor I am today due to extraordinary education I have had from my Father. He retired in August 2014.

I have been in the Savile Row bespoke tailoring trade for over 35 years, creating the very finest, comfortable and stylish bespoke tailored suits. I served a full classical apprenticeship at Anderson and Sheppard where I was comprehensibly taught the soft tailoring style by my father, John Hitchcock. Working for myself I have even had the pleasure of making a number of garments for H.R.H. The Prince of Wales.

All of my craftsman are the very finest Savile Row Artisan’s they have to meet my exacting high standards. I am very proud to say that we stand and fall on our beautiful bespoke suits. We do not sell any ready to wear or off the peg suits, shoes or shirts just the very best handmade bespoke suits. All of my bespoke suits are hand cut by myself and handmade here in London, England. They are made in the true Savile Row bespoke tradition, with over 50 hours of hand work in every suit.