HRH The Prince of Wales + MTM suits from T&A

[le.gentleman]

For quite some time now word is on the street that Prince Charles' suits are no longer made by AS but instead he gets MTM suits now from Turnbull&Asser.

Since I had my doubts about that, I went to http://www.royalwarrant.org. Apparently, you receive a warrant by application. So, in theory not everybody who provides goods to the HRH Prince of Wales must have a warrant. However, that seems highly unlikely to me. Hence, I assume that looking at http://www.royalwarrant.org/directory/r ... rch_btn=Go gives us the names of all the tradesmen who provide the household of HRH The prince of Wales (not necessarily himself) with clothing footwear and accessoiries.

In order to be eligable for a Royal Warrant a firm should have made a continuing supply of goods and services ordered and paid for by the Households of The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh or The Prince of Wales over a minimum trading period of five years within the last seven, which should include trade within twelve months prior to the date of application.

In addition to that, Warrant Holders may not disclose details of the goods or services they provide – except as described in the wording or legend beneath the Royal Arms, eg. ‘By Appointment........Outfitters to HM The Queen’.

Looking at the list, AS is no longer part of it and consequently no warrant holder and therefore most likely not Charles' tailor. Turnbull and Asser is listed, however just as "Shirtmakers" and not as " Tailors". The only tailors listed are: FRANK HALL TAILORING (specializing on equestrian clothing), GIEVES & HAWKES LTD, KINLOCH ANDERSON LTD (tailors and kiltmakers), WELSH & JEFFERIES LTD (Military Taylors).

Taking that into consideration, I don't think T&A is making the suits for Prince Charles - it's seems more likely to me that G&H tailors the lounge suits for him. Whether it's MTM or bespoke is not clear.

[Bishop of Briggs]

His lounge suits are now MTM by Cheshire Bespoke for T&A. The Savile Row tailors provide military uniforms. The A&S suits are sent to Tom Mahon for repair or adjustment.

[le.gentleman]

His lounge suits are now MTM by Cheshire Bespoke for T&A. The Savile Row tailors provide military uniforms. The A&S suits are sent to Tom Mahon for repair or adjustment.

Thanks for the reply! How did you find out that his suits are MTM by Cheschire Bespoke (formerly Chester Barrie I suppose)?

[Lance]

Does anyone know the reason why Prince Charles no longer uses A&S?

[Concordia]

The reason might be financial, although there is the added angle that Diana steered him to A&S back in the 80s. You can check the archives but I'm pretty sure I predicted the re-marriage when he changed tailors.

More importantly, does anyone know what kind of cut he's getting from Cheshire? Do they perhaps do knock-offs of his old stuff?

[manton]

Someone on AA posted that Charles was back with A&S and that John H. personally confirmed this. I have no idea if that is true. Maybe I will ask Mr. H. in October, but I am afraid of getting the A&S evil eye.

[Lance]

Well, I expect they can do it and do it well. I have a MTM navy blazer purchased at a Huntsman trunk show through Barneys NY in the mid 80s. I found out later, I think through the LL, that Chester Barrie likely made it for Huntsman.It fit perfectly and the cloth is a beautiful navy wool in a subtle twill weave. I wore it for many years and still have it in my closet. Too heavy for Tampa at any time of the year and it seems to have shrunk

[mek]

I believe the morning suit he was wearing at his wedding was made by A&S.
MEK

[Bishop of Briggs]

His lounge suits are now MTM by Cheshire Bespoke for T&A. The Savile Row tailors provide military uniforms. The A&S suits are sent to Tom Mahon for repair or adjustment.

Thanks for the reply! How did you find out that his suits are MTM by Cheschire Bespoke (formerly Chester Barrie I suppose)?

The Prince was, reportedly, a T&A customer who was waiting for delivery when Cheshire Clothing went into administration.

[erasmus]

Someone on AA posted that Charles was back with A&S and that John H. personally confirmed this. I have no idea if that is true. Maybe I will ask Mr. H. in October, but I am afraid of getting the A&S evil eye.

No worries about invoking the A&S evil eye. When I visited in early February of this year, I happened to glance at their order book which was opened to a page detailing - you guessed it - a recent order by HRH. I'll refrain from publishing the details but I think his return to A&S is quite real (unless one wishes to engage in the dubious proposition that entries of personages are creatively "added" to the books every once in a while!).

[alden]

A few posts were edited in this thread.

Comments regarding tailors or tailoring houses should remain within the confines of first hand experience. If a member has constructive criticism to offer, it shall be heard.

Second and third hand information is generally useless in forming an impression of any professional’s work. There is much that can potentially go awry and the responsibility for error hard to assess.

A few houses and tailors get an unfair amount of attention on forums. The most successful and illustrious suffer the most. A&S is at the top of the list.

Dozens of LL members are customers of the firm. They speak very highly of the AS team and their work in their communications with me. The clothes I have seen members wear are of excellent cut, fit and construction.

Criticism offered by “real” customers has been measured. And in nearly every case a healthy dose of sartorial “mea culpa” is present.

The best way to understand A&S or any tailoring house is to spend a few minutes with the tailors and see the work first hand.

[alden]

Stories about the relationship between Prince Charles and A&S would fill a few books. I have heard many from the cutters and tailors who worked at the firm. The fact or fiction of the tales is hard to determine and many are contradictory. It is safe to say that there was as a bit of mutual “love/hate” in the mix in the Eighties. And this may have contributed to a falling out (heavens, more so than financial restraints.)

Charles never looked better than in the clothes cut for him in the 1980s by A&S. I suspect that is a fact most can agree on. He would be wise to get back to the source.

M Alden

[Manself]

One thing that's always interested me about the PoW's suits is that a man with such a penchant for military tailoring that he still has creases pressed into the sleeves on his jackets ever went to A&S. He looks great in their suits, but he's never struck me (I judge this solely from his public image) as an A&S kind of man. I've also been told, by Tom Mahon, that it's generally hard to get military men into soft tailoring - it just feels wrong to them.

As for his present tailors I was told, by A&S, that while HRH has been a customer again this year this came about because he was given a suit as a present (I don't know who by). So, in a sense, he hasn't really returned to the fold.

I have also heard, from the tailors who do the work, that he's assiduous in having his old suits repaired, so perhaps he's just reached a point where he has a sufficiently large wardrobe that he doesn't want for much. It's not as if he can move into ever more arcane and dandyish suits (the way many of us might do).

[Scot]

It may be my untrained eye but, whoever is currently making the heir's suits, those featuring in his recent public appearances have displayed little in the way of drape.

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/endorsemen ... man-030609

Why HRH should have gone for the A&S style is a puzzle anyway. He wears stiff, short, spread collars with very tightly knotted ties. A very military look that does not seem to complement the more relaxed style of soft tailoring.

The Prince's military tailors in Saville row make a really excellent civvy suit, as I know form experience. What is more they probably cost not a great deal more than T&A MTM.

[storeynicholas]

It seems to me a pity that HRH has gone into dumbed-down suiting just as he has, plainly, accepted advice not to express his views on town planning to the same extent as before - as though he has no real voice in the world; when there are many who think that he used to talk good sense about some of the rubbish buildings being thrown up. Probably, he has been told to try to look more like a middle manager in an insurance company - so that he is familiar and not too offensive to The People - because someone has come up with the idea that to survive, members of the royal family need to start looking ordinary and keep their heads down.
NJS