The London Lounge

Dear all,

I've long coveted a bespoke Savile Row suit and while I've not felt I can justify spending over £2000 on myself I've decided I'm happy to spend it on someone else. So, for his birthday, I'd like to buy my father a suit.

First of all would you even consider this feasible, sartorially speaking?
From my reading up on the subject choosing a tailor is a very personal affair & my ideal choice may not be his. Given that he's kith & kin however we do share very similar tastes & shapes and furthermore bespoke, as they say, means bespoke so he would be able to have cut exactly as he wanted.

Secondly how would the transaction work?
Should I just agree a price based on standard saville row cloths & pay the full amount upfront and have him arrange appointments directly? I don't suppose tailors give discounts if paid in full in advance?

All thoughts appreciated.

Some tailors discount for cash payments. This is most common with independents, but you can always ask. For the first order, expect to pay a 50% deposit in any case. When you call for the appointment (will you go with him?), make it clear that you are paying for the basic fabric-- which will cover most of the Lessers and Smiths books that you would want-- and that the invoice is to come to you.

As far as choosing the firm, there are so many unknowns that you probably shouldn't be hard on yourself. Take a stroll around Savile Row, do your reading here and elsewhere, and take the plunge where it feels right. This doesn't guarantee success, but short of a rock-solid referral from a friend who shares your tastes exactly, there isn't a better way to handle it.

Good luck!

Poole still give a cash discount.

Why not simply prepare a gift letter saying you'll stand him to one Savile Row suit and let him select the tailor, perhaps offering to assist with the research if he wishes? Then simply arrange for the bill to be sent to you.

You'll best know the sensitivities, but it if this will be a unique experience for him, it might be a shame to limit choice of firm and cloth beforehand. An alternative would be for you to get a sense of the range for the basic cloths at different firms ahead of time and include in the letter a figure representing your contribution--as in a gift certificate--so that if he was taken with a slightly more costly cloth or cutter he could choose to make up the difference himself. It would still be a most handsome gift.

However arranged, he should be pleased and proud.

I've considered a promissory note & visiting tailors together but there's a significant risk he flatly refuses to accept the gift ("too much of an extravance...") and I don't wish to start arguing over it. Paying in advance and presenting it as a fait-a-compli, while somewhat limiting, at least removes that risk.

Thank you for the tip on Henry Poole. I've also heard good things about that Thomas Mahon but it seems that he is overbooked. I also quite like the Anthony J.Hewitt house style (which I thought would work on his thin, Y-shaped frame).