Unpicking The Seams of Savile Row
The following is an extract from my article for Tempus Magazine. Read more here.
Savile Row has enjoyed something of a resurgence in recent times. For all the trials and tribulations that the Covid-19 pandemic provided, there was one undeniable positive — the pandemic became a catalyst for people to appreciate the clothes they felt comfortable wearing.
At the height of the lockdown, the picture was looking bleak for the Row — particularly following the closure of stalwarts Hardy Amies and Kilgour. However, tailoring houses and retailers have since recorded some of their highest numbers. It turns out, if you make something of genuine quality and craftsmanship, using beautiful materials that last a long time, there will be significant demand.
This – coinciding with the microscope on fast fashion, damaging statistics on climate change, plus a continued cost-of-living crisis affecting the UK – has also influenced our collective spending habits. A shift to buying less – but buying better.
It stands to reason that Savile Row is, in fact, becoming more of a go-to option for the wider public, particularly due to its expanded offering, which now includes more in-depth ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as female- and gender-neutral-orientated clothing.
Being able to understand the past in order to navigate the present and cut a dash into the future, Savile Row has welcomed a host of new faces to sit alongside its heritage tailoring houses. Here, we meet some of the biggest names on the Row…