The Bespoke Bug is Back!

[Frog in Suit]

Good day to you, Gentlemen (and Ladies, if any).

I have just signed up and this is my first post although I have been following the forums for some time, with interest and admiration for the wealth of knowledge that some of the contributors possess, and their willingness to share that knowledge.

I am far from knowledgeable about clothes but discovered bespoke (suits and shirts) while based in the UK about twenty years ago. To give you some history, I had several suits made by Tom Brown when they were on Princes Street, the last one in 1991 (a morning suit for my wedding). I liked their product and ethos: rather old-fashioned (braces, waistcoats, heavier cloths) emphasis on comfort and durability, with a middle of the road shape (please excuse the un-technical terminology!).

I have been toying with the idea of re-establishing a connection with a Savile Row tailor, but am aghast at the prices I see nowadays. I do not wear clothes hard, but even so, I cannot justify paying 2,500 GBP or more for a suit…Moreover, the firms that I see most often mentioned on the forum do not necessarily offer what I would choose for myself, which is purely a question of my taste, not their workmanship.

Here is my question:
In The Savile Row Story, by Richard Walker (1988), the appendix contains a “Savile Row Directory” listing all the SR tailors active at the time, with a code (1 to 3 shears) for size and another one (1 to 4 £ signs) for price. Tom Brown was a “1 shear” and “1 £” establishment, whereas Dege or Huntsman, for instance, were “3 shears” and “4 £”, with others spread all over the map. Would it be possible today, in your opinion, to find a tailoring establishment in what I would call, for lack of a better term “the Savile Row Universe” which would approximate the experience I had then with Tom Brown, in terms of style and relative price?
Put differently, is there still a second or third tier (cost-wise) of SR firms, as seems to have been the case 15 or 20 years ago? If so, which ones would you recommend? Of course, I do not expect to find the prices of fifteen years ago….
Many thanks in advance for your help and advice.

[Concordia]

Many of the independent tailors known to me, and others on the board, are Anderson & Sheppard alumni, namely Hitchcock, Steed, English Cut (Mahon). Perhaps not quite what you were getting in Tom Brown's style (I don't know one way or the other). Of that group, Steven Hitchcock might be worth a look as his jackets are a little more standard Savile-Row looking than Steed's or English Cut's. In my opinion, of course. Others may see it differently. Hitchcock likes quite a bit of roping on his very tight armholes, which gives some of the impression of shoulder structure even without much padding. For softer fabrics, of course, you get the same droop as everyone else-- which some like. His prices are on his website, and quite a lot less than 2500 pounds.

There are other smaller tailoring outfits that get mentioned from time to time. Some are even moderately famous, like John Kent (working out of Tobias). Can't comment on quality or prices, as I have no direct experience.

One thing to think about on the financial side with small tailors is that built into their lower prices is often a shifting of the cash flow burden onto the customer. I have today on my kitchen counter an invoice for work at a large house commissioned last April and delivered around Christmas. No deposit, no frantic calls for my credit card number. By contrast, the smaller guys typically like deposits even for regular clients, and will sometimes discount full payments in advance. They are also more prone to upcharge for more expensive cloth or larger amounts. Don't ask me how I know that latter bit. Doesn't make it a bad deal, but it is a somewhat different experience.

[Frog in Suit]

Concordia,
Thank you for taking the time to post such a long and thoughtful answer.

I shall certainly try to get a price from Messrs Hitchcock and Kent. I am a bit confused though, because the Tobias Davis site only mentions John Davis, not John Kent. So how do I contact Mr. Kent?
I also thought that some of the firms on Sackville Street and elsewhere (St. George’s Street, for instance) might be of interest. I recently read somewhere that Meyer and Mortimer (no web site) were more reasonable than some. I do not know who is behind the name now.
To dispel my own confusion, I plan to compile a list, which I shall post when it is ready, and solicit comments and information.

As for the financial aspect which you so kindly explain, I do not mind paying a portion of the suit’s cost in advance. I seem to remember that Tom Brown asked for it , for the first order anyway. I am convinced that both Mr. Brown and Mr. Gittens (sp?) were both perfectly honourable men, and was not concerned in the least. I understand cash flow issues. Both parties in a transaction should be happy about it and tailoring does not differ from other businesses.
I would still tend to trust someone who has been around a long time, and I think swindlers would not last long in the small world of Savile Row. I seem to have read on some forum, or blog, about one or two unfortunate exceptions, and would obviously stay away from such people.
Also, my taste in cloth is for the standard tweeds and worsteds, so I do not think that I would be likely to incur any additional charges.

Again, thank you.

[Concordia]

Sorry, not Tobias but rather Norton & Sons. Some directory info:

http://www.savilerow-style.com/page12.htm

[Frog in Suit]

To follow up on our previous exchange:
I have done some research and selected a few firms, based on current prices and mentions in the Richard Walker book The Savile Row Story, published in 1988, as I would prefer to deal with a well-established firm. The selection is somewhat haphazard, given the limited information I can get, but this is the best I can do on my own. I have called most of the firms in question to check their prices. They all profess to be able to make a suit respecting the customer’s wishes and peculiar tastes. The house styles, in as much as they exist, seem to tend towards “a bit of waist”, “somewhat flared skirts”, in a generally traditional way. The prices (two piece, VAT included) range between £ 1,950 and £ 2,225.
The firms are, in alphabetical order:
- Benson & Clegg (Mr. Ken Austin), 9 Piccadilly Arcade.
- Jarvis & Hamilton (they share premises with L.G. Wilkinson. Joce & Co., who used to share the same address, do not seem to exist anymore), 11 St. George’s Street.
- Jones, Chalk & Dawson, 6, Sackville Street. (They incorporate Meyer & Mortimer, as well as Ward & Kruger.)
- L.G. Wilkinson, 11 St. George’s Street. (Cf. Jarvis & Hamilton above)
- John Lester, within Harvie & Hudson on Jermyn Street.

For what it’s worth, I gather that both Benson & Clegg and Jones, Chalk & Dawson have more than a single cutter/proprietor, while the others appear to be one-man bands.

Finally, my question, with many thanks for any input you may provide: Does anyone have any direct experience or second-hand knowledge that may help me make an intelligent selection amongst the above? Quality and durability of the garments, as well as “unflashiness” of style, would be primary considerations.
Again, thank you.