Savile Row on T.V.

As I am sure by reading my blog you would know that last week I was away on a business trip. On my return to the shop I hear all the goings on in the Row. There are I believe 3 T.V programmes coming out about some of the tailors in Savile Row. well where do I begin!

The first program was subject to The Savile Row Association and Abercombie & Fitch. What a pairing, It seems that the global firm thats sell t-shirts and shorts and have half dressed men on the door to attract teenage girls would be in some way competition to us tailors. What nonsense. I thought the idea for the Savile Row bespoke association was to keep new so called ready to wear tailors from opening up in the row and selling inferior suits say for £200. ( Not handmade English bespoke suits.) Unfortunately It’s had the opposite effect. I was disgusted to see Ravi of Anthony Hewitt Tailors being told he was no longer a Savile Row tailor as he has moved 110 yards down the road! (to reduce his rent.) Surely we must hold on to the proper bespoke tailors and not kick them when they are down.

Then if it could not get any worse Mr M Henderson M.D. of Gieves And Hawkes and I believe head of this club explains that Edward Sexton can not be part of the association because he now works to far away from the Row, this is one of the best ever cutters to work on the Row. I think of him as the rock and roll of tailoring, the best in his field. I have always looked up to tailors like him for inspiration. Just look at what he has done for Savile Row, the clients he has made for and is still making for, also look at his great sense of style.   

Savile Row has always been the area not just the Street (the golden mile.) How dare these people, some of whom have never picked up a pair of tailoring shears in their lives and have no idea about the nuts and bolts of the trade. How can they say who can and who cannot be referred to as a Savile Row Tailor.They have completely failed to understand the love and passion that we, the working tailors have, after completing long and hard apprenticeships with iconic firms.

If you have learnt your trade on Savile Row and then moved to the surrounding area to escape the high rents, and work from there every day ( not just popping in to the Row once a fortnight to receive the Savile Row status) I cannot see any difference at all. Any tailoring house is only as good as their cutters and tailors. You can receive the same high quilaty suit at a lesser price just simply because you are not paying the landlords high prices, and paying out for extra front shop staff.

All my life the older tailors have been great to me helping me through my tailoring journey. I now feel there is a ‘them’ and ‘us’ feel around on the Row caused by some of the bigger firms. I also feel some companies are being run by people that do not understand tailoring as I do, and I am at a loss to understand their superior attitude which is dividing the tailoring community. I really wish that we could all sit down and talk about this to help and move Savile Row forward together.

I can’t want for the third program!

I really do hope it shows off this time more of the skilled craftmen and some of the suits that make Savile Row what it is.

I am sure you have not heard the last of this, so watch this space !!!!!