Where in London to buy fabric for a casual jacket?

[rp.]

I plan to commission a casual jacket for informal business use. The jacket will be single-breasted, two button with a single vent. I would like to purchase the wool, the lining and the buttons, myself.

Where would you recommend that I visit in the City in order to peruse a good collection and hopefully select a suitable wool?

[Bishop of Briggs]

W Bill in New Burlington Street. This article on Thomas Mahon's blog is instructive - http://www.englishcut.com/archives/000117.html. Note this paragraph in particular -

"One lovely example is W. Bill Ltd, established in 1846. Today they're best known in our business as THE tweed and cashmere specialists. They actually have the same owners as Smith Woolens. Any tailor worth knowing, certainly in the UK anyway, should have a relationship with both these establishments.

If you're fortunate enough to have your clothes made on the Savile Row, you may just get the chance to visit. These are not retail outlets, so don't go banging on the door, but if you're looking for a tweed or cashmere at W. Bill's, or quality worsteds at Smith's, they'll let you in, provided your tailor acts as chaperone."

[rp.]

My Lord, thank you for the excellent advice and for the link to the fascinating Mahon article.

For the purposes of my jacket project, I would need to be able to enter the premises unaccompanied on this occasion. W Bill sounds incredible, but I would hate to be turned away due to lack of chaperone.

I remember visiting a few wholesale offices on Berwick Street W1 last year. They seemed happy enough for me to peruse unaccompanied. However, I wasn't particularly impressed with the range of fabrics held on the premises. I suppose these were more offices, after all, and not so much merchant archives or showrooms.

Would you have any other ideas as to where I might visit?

[Bishop of Briggs]

You could visit the cloth retailers on Regent Street. I would also suggest a visit to Scabal at 12 Savile Row. I believe that some Savile Row tailors will sell you their house cloths too but the prices will not be cheap. It worth calling the major firms such as Huntsman, Richard Anderson and Anderson & Sheppard - especially if you are interested in their house cloths.

[rp.]

Great suggestions. Thanks.

I think I know which cloth merchants you mean on Regent Street. I've visitted them once or twice before, but the very fabric I had chosen, only had enough remaining on the roll for a pair of trousers, and not a full suit as I had been pursuing at the time.

I'm a familiar face at Holland & Sherry at 9 Savile Row, and I do plan to visit their premises and browse their collection in the neat future, but I thought I owed it to myself to research the matter fully, first.

If you have any other thoughts then please let me know. I've sent an email to Thomas Mahon to ask for his advice. I'll let you know what he says.

Thanks again.