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June 29, 2005

southern u.s.?

As of now, I'm travelling regularly to New York, Chicago and San Francisco.

However, I have lots of customers in the Southern United States, scattered all over. They usually fly up to New York to see me, although last time one did come up to Chicago.

I'm thinking it would be good to add a Southern leg to my American visits.

So now I have to pick a city for my base. I've been recommended both Houston or Atlanta.

Houston comes highly recommended, but Atlanta looks more geographically central. Both have major domestic airports, which makes it easier for non-residents to get there.

Having never visited either, I have no idea. So I am looking to you, Dear Readers, for your counsel.

Where should I have my Southern base?

Houston? Atlanta? Elsewhere? Any feedback would be most appreciated.

Thanks again.

Posted by tom at 10:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 28, 2005

paris, july 13th

I will be in Paris on Wednesday, the 13th of July. If you would like to make an appointment, please contact me through my usual channels:

[Je serai à Paris mercredi, le 13ème juillet. Si vous voudriez prendre un rendez-vous, svp contactez-moi par la manière habituelle:]

Email: info at englishcut dot com

Mobile: +44 (0) 7811 388 536

Thank you.

Posted by tom at 5:14 PM | TrackBack

June 27, 2005

the suit

A couple of weeks ago I advertised that I was giving away an old suit of mine, and anyone who fancied it should just send me an e-mail.

Since I got so many wonderful responses to it, I ended up just having to put the names in a hat, and pulling one out.

The lucky winner lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the USA. If you're reading this, please watch your mailbox.

Thanks to everybody else for your interest, for all your wonderful e-mails, and for reading English Cut.

Posted by tom at 10:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 21, 2005

fashion... who cares?

(suits, suits and more suits for recutting)

I had a great time in the US, as usual. I was privileged to meet some wonderful people on my travels.

I don’t know if it was because I was visiting both sides of the country and the middle, but everyone seemed to be trying to outdo the other towns with their kindness. Lucy said she’s never met such a wonderful and interesting group of people. All of my customers, old and new, were great ambassadors of their home towns and country.

Lucy did a wonderful job and was liked by everyone. She can definitely come again.

Well, I'm back home now, and it’s time to lock myself away here at the Hall and do the real work. It’s great to travel but you can’t beat home, wherever that is. I think most of us think that.

As I was meeting quite a concentrated amount of customers in a relatively short time, something occurred to me. One of the most common questions I'm asked by lots my customers is, “What’s in fashion”?

This seems a bit of an odd question, bearing in mind that the English Cut product is basically a timeless classic. But I get asked this very regularly, not because they doubt the timeless appeal of a handmade suit, but more because of the little details which are brought up at the fittings. Most of my customers are happy with the classic suit concept, but they’re often surprised at the wide variety of styles available.

(Lucy, smiling her way round the US)

When you start asking questions like single or double breasted, straight or slanted pockets, center or side vents, this is when I normally get asked “what’s most in at the moment”?

I always give the same answer: “It doesn’t matter, it’s bespoke”.

Obviously I’ll do my best to dissuade you from a style that wouldn’t suit you. But the rest is up to you. I think if I was to compare all the requests for the various styles over the last twenty years they're all as equally popular.

So if you’re lucky enough to order bespoke from any of the great tailors in the world, don’t worry, your suit will still stand the test of time, long after many of the celebs and glossies fashion writers are picking up their pension.

Mr. Hallbery once told me, “We don’t go around fashion, it goes around us”. I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant- it certainly isn’t meant to be, it’s just a fact. It isn’t hard to think of many elegant male icons, both past and present, that are always pictured beautifully dressed in a classically cut, Savile Row suit.

Remember, at the end of the day, its about you, and you can let the fashionistas run their full paranoid circle all by themselves. Your suit will still look wonderful, whatever the enlightened fashion leaders think. OK, it may not look so hot on you when you need a zimmer frame, but your son or nephew will make it brand new again, when he finally inherits it. How's that for timeless?

So what’s in fashion? I promise you- going with Savile Row means you no longer have to care.

Posted by tom at 1:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 8, 2005

US trip

(Miss Lucy Adams, a student from the University of Hertfordshire, who will be assisting me on my American visit, as part of her work experience.)

I'm flying to New York tomorrow, for my second U.S. visit of the year. Accompanying me on this trip will be Miss Lucy Adams, who is assisting me as part of university course's work experience. She's very bright, enthusiastic, and for somebody who is just starting out, has a wonderful grasp of tailoring.

Here is the itinerary for available appointments:

New York:
The Hotel Benjamin.

Thursday June 9th: 3-6pm
Friday June 10th: All Day
Saturday June 11th: Morning

San Francisco:
The Campton Place Hotel.

Monday June 13th: All Day

Chicago:
The Hotel Seneca.

Wednesday June 15th: All Day
Thursday June 16th: Morning

If you want to meet up in any of the cities, as I'll be away from my computer for most of the next week, it's probably best to contact me on my mobile from this point on:

-Dialing from USA & Abroad: +44 7811 388 536

-Dialing from UK: 07811 388 536

For further reading about visiting Savile Row tailors in New York/America, please read this earlier post of mine.

Thanks again, and Lucy and I look forward to seeing you.

UPDATE: I have been asked to appear on NPR Radio whilst in the USA on Thusday, 9th June. The show is transmitting to Boston, Seattle and Salt Lake at 7:00pm.

[BACKGROUND:] The "About Thomas" and "Why Use Thomas" pages.

Posted by tom at 1:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 4, 2005

bodycoats

(The main parts of a body coat.)

This is something I don't get to cut on a regular basis- A classic morning suit. This is got to do with people dressing down at weddings to a certain degree, and the increased availability and quality of formal hire.

Formal hire is a perfectly understandable option, still, you should always have bespoke if possible. The cost is more than justified because of the fit and comfort. And also, because it's not designed for everyday wear, it's a real treat that will last for decades.

(Timothy Dalton as James Bond in a morning coat, in the 1989 film "License To Kill".)

Of course, the morning coat's uses are quite limited, but I'm delighted when people still treat themselves to such a classic. And happily for tailors everywhere, a morning suit in black or grey is still reasonably popular, thanks to weddings and grand days at the races.

The morning suit is made quite differently from a usual coat, mainly with the tails at the back, and the seperate blade cuts which give that beautiful clean fit through the body.

It's s a very difficult cut to get right, and it also takes a very special type of tailor to sew it together- many in the business don't touch them.

(Classic striped trousers to match, sometimes called cashmere trousers.)

As you can imagine, this specialist work dosen't come cheap. I won't tell you what I'm charging the gentleman for this suit, but I will tell you he was recently quoted £5,000 by another Savile Row tailor.

I can feel a price increase comming on...

Posted by tom at 1:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack