One of the best things about the bespoke tailoring trade is interacting with clients. Learning their style and fabric preferences; deciding whether they want guidance or already have strong opinions formed; learning how they will ultimately interact with a suit—these are some of the small pleasures of discovering and getting to know one’s clientele.
In my years serving domestic and overseas clients, I’ve observed that nationality, outward appearance, or even blood relations seems to play a little factor in their opinion when it comes to their ideal suit. Some know exactly what they want. Initially, you might advise them on style and weights, but then they take it from there. But others are the opposite, bordering on indecisive. Perhaps the best example of the each type is two brothers who could not be more different.
One knows exactly what he wants and can visualize and feel how a suit will look, before I even cut the pattern. He can look at a simple fabric swatch and see the final work. The other needs several samples, so that he can get as many reassurances from friends and family. Then even after weeks or months, of consultation, he’s still not sure—not because he is delaying the purchase, but because of genuine indecision.
Regardless of decisiveness or indecisiveness, we always take 20–30 measurements during our first meeting. Each tailor has their own particular approach to cutting the pattern, and this will dictate the approach and measurements. Given my background working at the old house of Anderson and Sheppard, I was taught to think of the measurement and cutting process as sketching on a canvas. By actually drawing onto the paper—not just relaying measurements—the entire process lets us interject a bit of the artist’s eye and impression. This lets us fashion a suit that drapes the body. Sure, it will ultimately have style and snap, but it will also be comfortable, fitting to the body—not the body fitting to the suit.
Other cutters might take a different approach. When I was serving my apprenticeship, I worked under the legendary Edward Sexton (who started Nutters) and who was trained in the Kilgour, French & Stanbury. The Kilgour style is in marked contrast to Anderson’s. Rather than drape the fabric around the wearer, they build a sculpted suit of armour. For instance, they mould the chest area and build around the torso. The style is heavier and stiff—a great looking suit, just different.
Whether draped or moulded, once a style is selected and a pattern is sketched, we mark around the pattern onto cloth. (Most suits require around 3.50m of fabric) In the trade, this is known as “striking the suit” or more colloquially, to “strike a job out”. It is then cut out, trimmed with the canvasses, linings etc. and giving to coat and trousers maker, each specializing in their own field, to be stitched for a first fitting. My first fitting is known as a forward and as the name suggest is a little more advanced then a first fitting. I prefer this as it gives me a better view of the eventual look and as my old dad use to say the less inlays you leave the more accurate you have to be.
One of the wonderful things about bespoke tailoring is the ability to customize the features of a suit based on the client’s needs. In the past decade, extra pockets for cell phones and even Blackberries have been common. But in my honest opinion, that’s what a handbag or briefcase is for—they spoil the silhouette of the suit. Nevertheless if a client wants it, we deliver without question. Which reminds me of a story earlier in my career when I was at Anderson’s. An American CIA agent asked if we could double line the outside pocket of his suit jacket’s in order to carry his handgun. While I can neither confirm nor deny the consequences of that meeting, I do reckon that Savile Row played at least a small part in winning the Cold War. As did Churchill and Truman who used to meet in the fitting rooms of Wells of Mayfair to discuss tactics during WW II.
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