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July 18, 2007

making it look easy....

(My head tailor, Paul Griffith making it look easy)

The problem with doing something you enjoy is that it makes time go by far too quickly. Weeks go by like days, months like weeks. Every time I think I've a little breathing space, something happens and I'm soon up against it yet again.

I felt pretty smug that I had all summer to get ready for my US trip in the Autumn. Now, of course, September is only five weeks away and I still have a vast pile of work to do.

This isn't a complaint. It simply reminds me that this business has one speed i.e. "SLOW". Apart from the time needed for drafting, cutting and making, there's all the fine tuning and small adjustments. These can be a small 1/4" here or there or a little more fullness in the shoulders. This doesn't sound a lot, but the reality is, you may as well be miles out.

(My high-tech Clock & Calendar)

You see, you've still got to take the coat apart, and patiently put it all back together again. And there are no shortcuts. None. And no, it doesn't get any quicker because you're doing more; it simply doesn't work like that. Anyway, I don't know why I'm telling you this. It's the way its always been and if you want it done right, that's way it'll remain.

People often ask who I make for and they presume "a lot". Not only are their numbers great, but in their minds everyone is the chairman of some blue chip company, or the member of the Royal family. Well of course, that's not the case. Some of my customers certainly are fairly high in social standing, naturally, but not all. It turns out they're all as individual as the clothes I make, and they come from all walks of life. Luckily for me, the majority of them enjoy what I do and appreciate the time it takes.

Strangely, the other day this was demonstrated to me by a lovely customer of mine. He is a tree surgeon, a very good one. We celebrated the delivery of his suit as if we were celebrating the birth of a newborn baby. This is often the way if your appointment is the last of the day. Apart from the fact that we had a super time visiting the local haunts around the Savile Row. My client got to meet all sorts of different tailors on the Row, who were delighted to welcome him to the inner sanctum of Bespoke.

The reason why I bring this up is that spending the afternoon with him reminded yet again me that "crafts" are very much underestimated. The very reason he came to English Cut wasn't just because he wanted a new suit, but because he was fascinated by the craft and skill involved, as much as the final garment. He then told me a little about his business and ashamedly, I have to admit that I hadn't realized that there was so much skill and training needed. It was the similarity of our crafts that fascinated him.

(button twists for the buttonholes)

He reminded me that to perform proper work on a tree it takes years of experience, and a subtle touch to boot. Ironically after he's done a job, people often don't always notice the work involved, just the fact that the area looks beautiful and balanced. He basically explained to me that, the key is to make things look natural, almost as if the craftsman hadn't been there at all. This was amazing to me, as that's exactly what I try to get into my clothes. There's years of experience between myself and my tailors, and lots of frustration cutting and re-cutting a job. Strangely enough, it's exactly as my friend the tree surgeon says, "if you do your job right people don't notice the suit at all, they only notice how good the wearer looks."

Posted by tom at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)