The London Lounge

Does it matter?

I don't think so.

I have seen more poorly dressed, poorly fitted bespoke suits in tailors' shops, worn by front of house staff and cutters, than anywhere else. Frightening.

But why expect them to personify your image of what you will walk out of their shop looking like?

Up to a point of course it matters not one jot.

On visiting my tailor, he steps away from his work bench to deal with customers. Assuming most of his time is spent cutting and stitching, clothes suited to that activity might be expected. If I were to visit a tailors with a 'front-of-house' arrangement, I think Id reasonably expect the staff to be walking examples of their artisan colleagues' output. If they were in Top Shop's £99 bargain suits, I think it might risk giving the wrong message?

My tailor wears clothes that he has made for himself (notably a beautiful cashmere chesterfield coat in colder weather) and perhaps thereby promotes his own work? It did remind me of a comment that an old boss of mine made in reference to a firm of London solicitors. He said that it was the sort of practice where "... it appeared that the partners made their own trousers..."

I don't think it was meant as a compliment !

When Mr Butcher from Budd entered ground floor to measure me, he wore a tie with bottom part completely shabby (due to contact with knives and other sharp objects employed by cutters).

That's how I expect my tailor to dress.

Andrey

I agree with the sentiment above. I'd prefer my tailor work on my style than his, and for cutters some concessions to the environment and 'wear and tear' are acceptable.

I think we can all be honest in accepting that many tailors (including front-of-house where present) dress in altered 'pigs' or uncollected garments.

That said, it is pleasing when a tailor does clearly take pleasure in dressing himself - Andrew Ramroop is an example that immediately springs to mind.

Was anyone expecting a poll between "left" and "right"?

simonc wrote: .. it is pleasing when a tailor does clearly take pleasure in dressing himself

And much more than just pleasing. For me, it inspires immense confidence and provides total peace of mind when some of the tailors and frontmen I have dealt with were dressed like Colin Hammick, Angus Cundey, Ed Sexton, Richard Anderson, Peter Smith, Andrea Luparelli, or Krishan Chudasama.
For the last 15 years, my tailor -also frontman of his own shop- (who passed away last month at age 81) also inspired that kind of feeling. The sentiment arose, not from his personal rather flashy style, but from his general appreciation for always dressing well.

^^^
Colin Hammick- a legend at Huntsman - a fastidious dresser and voted best dressed.

That must have been something working with him.

What was your experience??

uppercase wrote:
What was your experience?

Sorry if I disappoint you, but very limited indeed.
During my initial year living in London, when I finally opted for Huntsman, Mr. Hammick had already been a well-established legend for 20 years and was the Managing Director at the firm. I´d done my homework before setting foot in the shop (much more difficult at that time without internet or blogs), knew well who he was, and -very naively- had some expectations. Of course, although I must have mentioned his name at the time, I didn´t get him to cut my suits, In the bargain I got Mr. Hall instead (not bad, eh?), but I had a few interactions with Mr. Hammick at the shop. My recollection is of a true gentleman, confident, stylish, and charming. And without any doubt a perfect example of how you would like your tailor to dress.

Still, very interesting.
I've seen photos of CH and he is indeed elegant.
A wonderful model for the Huntsman silhouette.

I wonder if you have been able to retain any of those suits from that period …?
…and have you used Huntsman since the earlier days?

BTW, I came across a photo essay in the magazine The Rake , September 2015 issue with Pr. Charles on the cover.

The article, grandiosely titled "The Gathering of the Immortals" has quite a few color photos of half a dozen well known tailors/bespoke shop owners from Italy and England and France.

Interesting to consider their contrasting styles.

Perhaps if tailor and customer shared common preferences with regards to dress, interactions would be simpler. It can get tiring fighting for proper sleeve and leg lengths at each meeting. In my case, the person wielding the shears prefers a lengthier solution, and it seems as if he has made a project of dressing me.

^^^
True.
I have experienced that more than once also.
…a tailor basically telling you how it's going to be.
Bad karma.

uppercase wrote:
I wonder if you have been able to retain any of those suits from that period …? …and have you used Huntsman since the earlier days?

I still have all the Huntsman garments, UC! In very different working order, though.
The more significant is the SBDJ which is my "corporate" dinner suit. It´s 25 years old, in great condition and still sees action a couple of times a year. My morning suit, the one I wore at my wedding and that I´ve worn only a few times more, is also hanging somewhere in the closets together with the hacking jackets that I don´t wear anymore, waiting for my son to grow up.
Since I moved out of London almost 17 years ago, I have not commissioned anything else from them.

Superb!!

I assume that you don't want want to give Huntsman another try all these years later …?

Do you still enjoy the H silhouette, though from another maker?

Or soft now …?

Lagrange´s new Huntsman? Naaaahhhh... .
If the old Huntsman´s spirit still exists, it moved 3 doors up Savile Row a long time ago.