• English Cut
• Anderson & Sheppard

To Dress Like an Englishman

For centuries, the words "Savile Row" have evoked images of English gentlemen strolling down grey London streets in three-piece suits and top hats.

However, in the age of chain stores and Internet shopping, you'd think Englishmen would've lost interest in "The Row" and the British tradition of "bespoke tailoring" (aka custom tailoring).

Au contraire.

"It's said that men have their friends and women have their hairdressers," says Thomas Mahon, a highly regarded Savile Row tailor. "Well, this is the men's equivalent of a hairdresser."

This isn't your father's Savile Row. While the basic experience hasn't changed in centuries, most shops now have Web sites, and many tailors will travel the globe to service international customers.

Mahon epitomizes the modern Savile Row tailor: While he makes garments for British royalty, he also finds the time to keep a blog - at EnglishCut.com. Curious where to get the best men's shirt in all of England? Need to know the trick to identifying an Anderson & Sheppard garment? Mahon covers it all and ruminates on why the bespoke experience is worth the money and time.

The main reasons? The fit of the suit and the friendship that develops between tailor and tailee.

Says Mahon, "People value the time with their tailor because they are dealing with somebody that takes the time to understand them."

A good tailor will guide you toward fabrics that fit your lifestyle - if you travel to warm places or tend to be a little rough on your jackets, he'll select the proper fabrics and will tailor the garments appropriately. Clients have at least one extensive fitting before picking up their suit, which can take as long as several months for a tailor to complete.

In a nice personal flourish, Mahon types up his customers' labels on an old Remington typewriter.

Mahon recommends taking at least a day to peruse the so-called Golden Mile's offerings and to choose the right tailor for yourself.

"It seems so formal but all of [the shops] will be happy to show you their style," he says. "You can build a relationship from there."

And with any luck that relationship might even outlast your new suit.

 

Posted on June 19, 2006