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| Thursday, 15 November 2007 14:42 |
Out and About on Savile Rowby Matt Deckard
Following a fast jaunt through the streets of London where I saw the colossal structures very much at home on postcards and movies with imposing music, I joined the crew of the men’s magazine (with which I was on assignment) for our scheduled meetings and interviews with the most prominent tailors in the UK and some would say the world. Walking through Savile Row, it’s obvious that the suits worn here are not what you see in California, New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Boston. Grey is the color of the day and perhaps the century for these folk and I stand out like a sore thumb in my plaid jacket, black tie with green leaves, grey fedora and black trousers. I admire the Hollywood look of the 30s and no matter how well it might fit into the streets of the US, as for the UK… well let’s just say I stand out a little more - especially when wearing the multicolored scarf.Ducking into shops with the magazine crew and the cameraman, I took particular interest in the basement of Henry Poole Bespoke Tailors. The longest line of tailors on Bond Street (started by James Poole, inherited by Henry Poole, and, upon Henry's death, taken over by Samuel Cundy in 1876), the shop has been in the same family for six generation and has more royal warrants than any other tailoring establishment in the world having made suits for men from Napoleon to Churchill. Following his interview, Angus Cundy the current Managing Director of Henry Poole took us to the back room and down a narrow staircase into the basement of the shop. Wandering through the cutters and basters (stitching panels of cloth together before final sewing), I noticed a jaunty spirit about the downstairs workers with T-shirts and vests on some and both young and old working together in great harmony. Upstairs were suited employees laying out patterns for cutting and down here were the casual set focusing on getting the details right. At the far end of the basement was a room in which a tailor was working on something different than the standard suits in the shop. A velvet jacket on a mannequin was the focus of attention and a tailor was within picking out steel buttons. As the rest of the magazine crew went upstairs I stayed behind and let my curiosity explode on the tailor in this small room. His name was Keith Levett and the jacket was a Velvet Court Dress for high sheriffs, this one for the High Sheriff of Cheshire. I asked him a myriad of questions and he explained how they used cut steel buttons and how the velvet isn’t as dense as the fabric makers used to supply and how he put together the quilted silk lining. He told me about body fit and how these jackets were fit to the point that they gave the wearer posture when worn. He explained to me the nape to scye measurement which goes from behind the neck down under the armpits and back up crossing in your back which determines the exact armhole size for the wearer. They still use this measurement and one other to determine armhole shape for these jackets. It’s meant to give the wearer full mobility without restriction from the jacket. The armholes on modern jackets have always been my pet peeve as with the passage of time companies have made the armholes lie farther and farther away from men’s armpits. Nowadays, they're so low that the simple act of reaching forward creates a batwing effect about the shoulders and biceps. Keith was of great help and we would have continued talking but when I looked up at the narrow window of the small basement room I saw the black shoes and grey trouser legs of my colleagues on the street above and knew they were probably wondering where I’d gone. I bid Keith goodbye and walked back upstairs, missing my floor, and upon accidentally walking into what looked like the accounting area, I immediately turned back, went down one flight of stairs, and opened the door whereupon I was greeted by royal warrants as was what I was expecting. Rejoining the crew of the magazine (I wasn’t missed at all) we resumed the mission to the other scheduled tailor shops. I’ve always taken particular interest in Savile Row as this is where my idols such as Patrick Macnee (John Steed of the Avengers) and Cary Grant were acclaimed for having their clothes made. Altogether, it was a very enlightening experience. I don’t believe I will drop my love of Hollywood look from the 1930s, though I do wish there were more tailors in the LA area who were as keen on making clothes and as available as the ones on this street. I topped off the day with a chicken dinner, my standard Rum and Coke, and casual conversation with a table of well-dressed pub patrons. No dancing and little frivolity as this was a business trip… I wish I had more time in London. |
