Main | February 2005 »

January 30, 2005

new york trip

I am getting organised for my next New York trip. I visit every few months and always enjoy my time in the city that never sleeps.

I will be staying at The Benjamin, on 50th & Lex.

I'm planning to be there from the 7th-10th of April. Feel free to drop me an e-mail if you fancy meeting up.

Thank you.

Posted by tom at 1:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 27, 2005

If you can’t afford bespoke...

[Me holding a piece of tailor's chalk. Shaped roughly like a guitar pick, I use it for marking the lines on the cloth before cutting.]

If you can’t afford bespoke...

I happen to believe that a bespoke suit is worth its high asking price, or else I wouldn't bother selling them. They look better, they fit better, and they last years longer than their competition. It's really that simple.

Even so, £2000 [about $4000 USD, at time of writing] is a lot of money, let's not kid ourselves.

Luckily for suit lovers everywhere, with modern technology there are now some really good ready-to-wear, manufactured suits being made, starting at only a few hundred pounds. Fifty years ago, suits that were both good and cheap did not exist. The tech simply wasn't there.

So regardless of your budget, you have a lot of options. Here's the basic hierarchy to consider:

1. A totally machine made, off-the-peg suit.

These cost around £100 to £600. The production systems for these is so slick, a suit is literally made in minutes. My first boss, Mike Wigglesworth of Redmayne once very kindly took me to visit a clothing factory to witness this mechanization. What sticks in my mind the most about that day, apart from the disconcerting efficiency of the machines, was the fact that designer-label brands were coming off the same production line as the “apparently” far less exclusive makes, such as Marks & Spencer [For the money, the British high street retailer, Marks & Spencer makes as good a suit as anyone. I rate them highly].

With machine-made, all manufacturers have pattern designers who create a basic pattern which, in “their” interpretation, would fit most people. So what you’ve got to do is be guided by the fit and the feel of a jacket around the neck and shoulders. Make this your priority.

If you’re in-between sizes, get the larger size and pay a high street alteration tailor £20-£30 to have it taken in or whatever. Don’t fool yourself that just because it's a Hugo Boss or Armani it’s a better fit than than the Marks & Spencer. Doesn't work that way. Forget the cost, just be honest with yourself. Like I said, pay attention round the neck and shoulders.

2. Made-to-measure.

Not to be confused with "bespoke". What you're getting is the same machine-made as Number One, but the basic pattern will have slight alterations made at the factory to improve the overall fit. Expect to pay anywhere between £450 to £800. You will also get more possibilities to personalize the suit, pocket details, style etc.

Bear in mind the guy who measures you may only have been in the job for a few weeks, or even a few hours. He’s only running a tape around you and ticking style boxes on the order form. So don’t expect miracles.

There are high street chains that offer this service, and even proper tailors as well. A.J. Hewitt, an excellent tailor, is a good example. The principals, Tony Hewitt and Ravi Tailor (yes, his real name) offer true bespoke that's up there with the best. However they also offer made-to-measure. This in no way compromises their bespoke suits, they’re just simply allowing their customers the option of only climbing halfway up the sartorial ladder.

Ultimately with made-to-measure, your suit is at the mercy of the manufacturer. But at least with having an experienced cutter like Tony or Ravi to measure you, there’s far less chance of disappointment.

3. Hand Made Off-the-peg.

These are made by hand, and yes, the quality is generally very high. But it is still an assembly line. It's just using humans instead of machines, cutting from generic, standardised patterns, not your own individual measurements.

Yes, the button holes will be hand-sewn, just like "bespoke". Yes, your coat will be made with a "floating" canvas, just like bespoke. But the assembly line will still be cranking out twenty five "Size 40s" in a single shift, unlike bespoke.

That being said, it's still quality stuff. And you can order the suit in the morning, and be wearing it by the afternoon. The fit won't be half bad, either.

[DISCLAIMER:] This area is of personal interest to me as I have recently finished designing the ready-to-wear suits of Reuben Alexander. I had made bespoke for the owners of Reuben's for several years. Then one day they phoned me up and said they wanted to put the same soft look as my bespoke into a ready-to-wear. The rest is history.

Their new shop has recently opened in central London. At around £1000 Reuben's is one of the best. I’m not saying you’ll like them (not everybody likes me, either), but they're definitely worth a look.

In this category, there's quite a good selection out there- Chester Barrie, Brioni or Oxxford Clothes etc. These are good clothes, ranging from around £1000, up to £3000.

Frankly, I think the expensive end of this category is asking a lot of money for something that comes off an assembly line. I’m really not convinced it’s money well spent. These companies also do a form of bespoke, which involves things being sent away to base manufacturers. Again, for that kind of money, I really don't think it's personal enough.

4. True "Bespoke".

Congratulations. You've arrived. The highest rung on the ladder. Keep reading English Cut and I'll tell you all about it, or for instant gratification, go read my "How To Pick A Bespoke Tailor" here.

Thanks.

[BACKGROUND READING:] "Thomas' Top Ten". The most popular and informative English Cut articles.

Posted by tom at 4:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 24, 2005

mr sheppard's shears

Mr Sheppard's shears (of Anderson & Sheppard, the most respected tailors in London).

These shears were given to me by head cutter, Mr. Hallbery on his retirement, after forty years with Anderson & Sheppard. They were the original shears used by Mr. Sheppard of Anderson & Sheppard, which first opened its doors in 1905. Before that, his teacher, Mr. Cameron gave them to Mr Hallbery, decades ago, when he retired. And before that, Mr. Sheppard gave them to Mr. Cameron, when he retired. And doubtless I'll hand them over to some young turk when my turn to step down arrives. The torch is passed on.

[An old photo from circa 1990: My teacher, the great Dennis Hallbery. Click on image to enlarge.]

I was very fortunate to work at Anderson's with Mr. Hallbery and the two other senior cutters, Colin Harvey and Brian Russell.

I was Mr. Hallbery's striker (undercutter), and my future partner, Edwin was striker for Mr Harvey. Although this was comparatively only a few years ago, the company was still very much old school. Ed & I had to address the cutters as 'Sir' or 'Mr.'... The use of first names was far too informal.

It may look as if I’m painting a very austere atmosphere of the company, but although it was quite Dickensian at times, it was a great environment to be part of. Mr. Hallbery was every bit your Swedish expat cutter, silver hair & steel blue eyes. His attitude to the profession was as sharp as his shears, he didn’t suffer fools gladly; neither staff or customer.

On a red hot August day in early 1990, I sneaked out of the side door of Anderson’s to a cafe, no more than 50 yards away, for a sandwich to go. Unknown to me I had been spotted by Mr. Hallbery.

To go out at lunchtime was not a crime, however I had committed a cardinal sin. Not only was I without a jacket, but I was wearing braces (suspenders). For this I was summoned and duly berated for my sloppiness. As Mr. Hallbery said, cutters of A&S do not go out in their shirt sleeves, let alone their underwear.

When I write of my time with A&S it feels as if I worked there in the 1950s , not the 1990s. But you got used to such a formal atmosphere- no idle conversation, no whistling, no music or anything that could distract.

You remember how unique it was to just hear the clipping of shears into endless privileged clients' clothes (Royalty, movie stars, that sort of thing) and the soft drone of the overhead fans. We had no air conditioning, and the fans were kept slow or they’d blow the patterns off the boards, if they were turned up to any worthwhile level. Comical really, but who’s complaining, we would’t have dared.

Mr Hallbery is well and living in Harrow. We send Christmas cards and talk from time to time, but he’s never been back to check on the old place. Mr Harvey sadly died in 1995 and is greatly missed.

Brian Russell left A & S and I still think he has a sitting within Tom Brown's (they're the tailors that cut the school uniforms for Eton College). I‘m not sure, so don’t quote me. If you can find him, he's a good cutter. Very fastidious.

Edwin came to Cumbria with me and we started Steed together. We parted company a while ago, though we had a great time while we were together. We're still pals and he's doing well.

Posted by tom at 2:45 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 20, 2005

contact details

(A picture of where I have my offices in Cumbria- Warwick Hall)

By appointment only.

Monthly Newsletter: Please subscribe here.

E-Mail: englishcut@gmail.com

Web: http://www.englishcut.com

Tel: +44 (0) 1228 561700,

Mobile: +44 (0) 7811 388 536

I come down to my London office on Savile Row most weeks, or you can come to Cumbria if you fancy a break [See below]. I also visit Paris, Brussels, New York, Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco every few months, if you’d rather be fitted there. With larger orders I will also consider travelling to places off my usual beaten track- Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, wherever [Click here to see my current U.S. itinerary.].

[NB: Please mail ALL correspondence to Wawick Hall, not Savile Row]

London Offices:

12 Savile Row (Scabal)
London
W1S 3PQ
UK

Cumbria Offices:

Warwick Hall
Warwick-on-Eden
Cumbria
CA4 8PG
UK


[The view from my office window at Warwick Hall.]

People often wonder why I prefer to spend time cutting in Cumbria, instead of on Savile Row.

I think the above picture, which I took from my office window, really says it all.

If you're looking for a magical weekend, far from the madding crowd, perhaps you should consider getting your suit fitted at Warwick Hall instead of London. I'll be happy to look after you, set you up with a nice suite at the Hall, and it should be a weekend you won't forget in a hurry.

I hope you'll think about it. Thank you.

[My price list is here.]

["Thomas'Top Ten": my favourite English Cut articles.]

[Savile Row map here.]

[Warwick Hall map here.]

Posted by tom at 2:38 PM | TrackBack

January 18, 2005

cut here!!

After years and years of training, here's the real test of a "cutter"- the real desire to cut their first customer's suit.

Technical ability has to be equalled by confidence, expression and talent. Sadly, more than a few panic here.

The one who is in the know isn't always the one who knows how.

Posted by tom at 12:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 13, 2005

Standard Opener

This is the standard opening letter I use. I contains most of the necessary initial information:

Dear Sir/Madame,

Thank you for giving me the time to introduce my bespoke tailoring service to you.

I do understand that initially hand tailoring may be of no interest to you, or you may already have a tailor which you are more than happy with, however I pray (excuse my hope of divine inducement) that I may tempt you to investigate further.

Although one of the youngest tailors on Savile Row I have over twenty years experience working at the highest level in hand tailoring, with most of my influence from my former company, Anderson & Sheppard. This “influence” is basically that I measure, then from a blank sheet, hand cut an individual pattern for you! (unlike most”tailors” who simply adjust a basic pattern near to your figure).Your clothes are then created through the various fitting stages to produce the perfect combination of soft, natural and very comfortable clothes with a distinct blend of aesthetics & your individual style.

Obviously I use only the finest materials sourced from London merchants and around the world, also the whole process is controlled by me, an extravagance not always afforded by larger companies.

As I choose not to be entirely based in London, this heretic status does give you the benefit of enabling me to charge on average 20% less than my competitors. This at least must take the sting out of the London congestion charge.

At this point your patience has probably worn thinner than the seat of the last suit you bought, so I’ll spare you the name dropping of customers and look forward to meeting you instead. You can meet me at either of my offices or if possible I will come to your home or office.

For more information please visit www.englishcut.com, or preferably telephone me personally [+44 (0) 1228 561 700] to discuss your tailoring needs, from a business suit to full evening wear.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Mahon.

Eh. It works.

Posted by tom at 3:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 6, 2005

how to pick a "bespoke" tailor

These are the points that are important to me:

1.

If you’re told it’s "bespoke", make sure it is. Ask if he is the actual cutter.

Will he cut you a personal pattern? Any company or individual should have a pile of individual patterns adorned with names of his clients. Be very wary here, there are some good CMT houses (cut, make & trim) who merely receive your details and then effectively make you a ready-to-wear suit- using a standard template, not an individual pattern- that’s been slightly adjusted.

Yes, it'll be a great suit, but it’s not "bespoke". Remember, a BMW 640’s a great coupe, but it'll never be a hand-built Aston Martin.

With a proper bespoke tailor, he'll make you a set of patterns which will belong to you and nobody else but you. And he'll hold on to them for next time, for years. Decades.

Cutting is an art. We’re like painters, novelists or film directors. Some you like, some you don’t, it doesn’t necessarily mean good or bad. Our job is to fit and flatter your body, and just as importantly, your mind.

Although I’ll have my style of cut, you’ve got to feel your own individuality being expressed, or it simply won’t work. If you already find this with your current cutter, for goodness sake, hold on to him for dear life, don't come to me.

2.

But the cutter is only part of the equation. Obviously the best materials & trimmings (linings, buttons,etc) have to used. At this point we involve this next rare (& getting rarer) breed, the tailor, who actually sews the garments by hand.

Although they're very few and far between, you may find an old tailor who cuts & makes all his garments, but you’d be lucky, it’s just not commercially viable any more.

So now we’ve more to consider. I have various tailors who work for me, ranging from 35 to 68 yrs old. As you’d expect, they contribute hugely to the outcome of a garment. They're individuals, they express themselves in their work.

Some make a slightly firmer coat, with more stitches per inch and a little less fullness, thus creating a slightly sharper image. Another might add lots of fullness, with easier stitching, to produce a more relaxed, draped style.

Again, the cutter has to decide who’s best for you, and as importantly, keep it that way. In some of the bigger houses your suit can get handed out to different tailors every time you order, and believe me you’ll notice.

3.

Make sure it’s hand-made. Yes, I know we use sewing machines for parts of the garment, but that should be where it ends.

Make sure your coat has a "floating" canvas, this you should be able to feel, floating between the facing & forepart. If you can’t feel it, ask to be shown it at the fitting. A hand canvassed coat must be expected at this level. I point this out, as the far-inferior alternative is a "fused" canvas, which effectively glues the innards of your coat together.

The fused canvas looks impressive when it's new, but it'll subtract years off the gament's life in the long run.

Oh, and wait until you’ve had a few trips to the dry cleaners, or a bit of singing in the rain, and it becomes unstuck, yuk.

Check out for the obvious- hand-sewn buttonholes, hand-sewn edges, and make sure the buttons are made of animal horn, not plastic.

4.

Don’t be convinced by the narcotic effect of labels, they mean nothing. Have your eyes and senses tuned. Don't trust the glossy magazines for your info, they are writers, not cutters. Their world is about PR, not about the actual stitching.

No journalist ever had to spend seven years as a proper tailor's apprentice. Their agendae are different from yours.

All business is personal. Especially in tailoring.

Posted by tom at 10:50 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

what is "bespoke"?

A lot of people use the terms "bespoke" and "made-to-measure" interchangeably. They are mistaken.

'Bespoke' is actually a term which dates from the 17th century, when tailors held the full lengths of cloth in their premises.

When a customer chose a length of material, it was said to have “been spoken for”. Hence a tailor who makes your clothes individually, to your specific personal requirements, is called "bespoke". This is unlike “made-to-measure”, which simply uses a basic, pre-existing template pattern, which is then adjusted to roughly your individual measurements.

The first thing I'll do is discuss with you what type of suit you are looking for, and its uses. Then a cloth is chosen from the full range available today, and also which type of style and fit would be most suitable for you.

Clothes made by me have all the hallmarks you would expect from true bespoke tailoring:

More than 20 measurements and figuration details are taken from the customer. Then a personal pattern will be hand-drafted and cut from scratch- not the basic, adjusted template pattern, as used by so many other tailors these days.

Using your pattern, the cloth is then cut and trimmed, along with the finest linings and silks available. A single tailor is then given the parts of the garment to sew together, from the earliest fitting stages, to the final, complete suit. Each suit is completely hand-made, even down to the button holes.

[For a fuller explanation of the different levels of tailoring (ready-to-wear, made-to-measure, bespoke etc) please go here.]

Posted by tom at 10:44 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

about thomas

[Photo of myself, courtesy of Scott Schuman.]

[NEWSLETTER: Please subscribe here.]

Business Me:

After more than twenty years experience of hand tailoring in Savile Row, I can offer my customers the traditions and expertise of the finest bespoke tailoring available today.

At the moment I’m one of the youngest tailors on Savile Row, and am lucky to have enjoyed making for an interesting list of clients, celebs, business icons etc.

Shameless Namedropping: Clients have included Prince Charles, Chief Ralph Lauren Designer John Vizzone, Bryan Ferry, and some other bright sparks who I can’t mention for *Ahem!* reasons of discretion.

Once, after I had made a jacket for John Vizzone, he showed up at the door with a copy he had made for the Ralph Lauren label. Tsk-tsk. He then asked me if I would be interested in going to the USA and working for him. But of course, arrogant chap that I am (not really), I had bigger ideas (silly me). Something to do with staying up in Cumbria- where I grew up- and just enjoying life more, far from the madding crowd etcetera.

Still, Ralph Lauren managed fine, and their ready-to-wear lines are up there with the best.

I hope with my classic background in bespoke tailoring, coupled with a more open approach to this business, the experience of having your clothes made will be as enjoyable for you as it is for me.

I began my career training for 7 years with S. Redmayne, a great little company. After that I spent 5 years with my alma mater, Anderson & Sheppard, the most famous and respected tailor on Savile Row. There I was undercutter to the great Mr. Hallbery, who you could intellegently argue was the greatest tailor of the twentieth century.

I then started Steed with Edwin in 1995; a partnership that lasted six years. Ed & I are still pals and work only a few miles from each other. I’ve been independant since 2001.

My style of tailoring is soft and unstructured, classic "Anderson & Sheppard" style, which offers comfort and a natural look. Apart from a bespoke fit, I always try show a joint expression of style, my client's as much as my own, something that all of us wish to express. Sadly, much of today’s tailoring appears very stiff and structured, with a uniform sameness that’s, well, utterly boring.

[Further Info: Why buy a suit from me, as opposed to the other excellent Savile Row tailors.]

["Thomas'Top Ten": my favourite English Cut articles.]

Travelling Me:

My workshop is where I live, in Cumbria. I do most of my cutting there, though the sewing is almost exclusively done by Savile Row tailors. To sew my suits you need to have been trained to sew "The Anderson & Sheppard Way", hence why most of the sewing tailors I use are based within a stone's throw of Savile Row and A&S. Most of the the tailors I use also are also currently employed by A&S on a regular basis.

I am down on Savile Row most weeks, seeing clients and visiting my tailors. My movements are posted regularly on English Cut to keep everyone abreast of them. My offices are at Number 12 Savile Row, on the Eastern side of the street.

Besides London, I regularly visit New York, Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco every three months.

I am more than happy to travel to faraway places off my regular beaten track, but of course, this has to make good business sense. Usually a larger order would need to be involved.

Though I keep one foot always firmly planted on Savile Row, in today's world one has to also remain extremely mobile. My clients all lead very busy lives themselves, so they understand and appreciate this.

Ordinary Me:

Apart from my love of tailoring, I like to have my base here at the Warwick Hall in Cumbria. It’s great to make my frequent assaults on London, New York Paris et al, but I’m less distracted up here.

I like to sail my little boat on one of the lakes, and when I’m lucky I get to sail my good friend’s yacht Andorina. If you don’t want to visit your tailor in Savile Row, then try a 65ft ketch on the west coast of Scotland or have a weekend at Warwick Hall; I promise you’ll love both.

Here is my price list and my contact details.

Posted by at 10:36 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack