Is there really a house style in Savile Row?

[stephenm]

I was talking to a Savile Row tailor and asking about various house styles. His view was that with cutters moving from one house to another over time, what you are really getting is a cutter's style. That seems to make sense - if a very experienced cutter is taken on by a tailoring house, surely the cutter isn't told to stop working in one way and to start cutting in another way? You could argue that the style is a combination of the client's requests and the cutter's preferences, the resulting suit being a meeting of those two minds. I would be interested in any comments on the subject.

[DFR]

Yes there is, whilst there will inevitably be some fusion, most houses do maintain a 'House Style' which is not altered by itinerant cutters. For example, Anderson and Shepherd remains fiercely loyal to 'soft tailoring' and Gieves is associated with a military cut and so on.

I have never tried to have a House cut something which is outside its norm but I cannot think that it is a good idea to do so - if indeed the house would accept the commission.

[Concordia]

A very good cutter once moved from Dege to Kilgour. The quality and basic style of his work didn't change, but there were some things about the Kilgour clothes you wouldn't have seen at Dege. Small stuff, but still there.

I gather the new head cutter at Huntsman worked at Poole. I'd imagine that, once again, there will be things about his current work that wouldn't have happened down the street.

[andreyb]

Richard Anderson's book is quite instructive on the matter.

He says that cutters joining the firm was required to adhere to the "elusive Huntsman line".

Also, as I know, Terry Haste, who joined Huntsman and then found himself as the only cutter working there (due to the well-known incident) studied old Huntsman coats very, very carefully.

Thus, there *is* a house style, at least at most illustrous firms.

As for difference among, say, Poole and Nortons, I think it is indeed more due to differences between individual cutters than firms.

Andrey

[Badden]

Short answer, yes - there is certainly a definite house style.

Long answer - I would say that, broadly, there are 3 styles prevalent on the Row: Military, Standard, and Soft. If you move from one firm to another within the same style silo, you really won't notice much of a difference outside the cutter's own stylistic choices (i.e. a move from Poole to Nortons, or from Dege to Meyer & Mortimer). However, once you hop between these silos, the change in house style is very very evident - the cut is different, the shoulder treatment is different, the interlinings are different etc. etc.

[stephenm]

I collected my new two piece from Huntsman yesterday. Beautiful job, quite breathtaking actually. I can see the Huntsman house style, for sure. It was cut by David Ward who also cut a suit for me at Norton & Son. I do see his own personal influence, but I also see the Huntsman influence as well. Very, very pleased. And my question is now answered.

[dempsy444]

Congrats Stephen. That's great to hear. What do you like about it?
What would you say are David's traits? And Huntsman's?

[oldfruit1]

Richard Anderson's book is quite instructive on the matter.

He says that cutters joining the firm was required to adhere to the "elusive Huntsman line".

Also, as I know, Terry Haste, who joined Huntsman and then found himself as the only cutter working there (due to the well-known incident) studied old Huntsman coats very, very carefully.

Thus, there *is* a house style, at least at most illustrous firms.

As for difference among, say, Poole and Nortons, I think it is indeed more due to differences between individual cutters than firms.

Andrey

Andy, what's this well known incident that you refer to at Huntsman? I've just started to become familiar with the different houses and some of the history is quite fascinating (esp as a lot of the cutters are still around albeit at different firms). I recently read R Anderson's book and there's no mention of this as Huntsman's history cuts off when he left to start his own firm up.

Alex

[old henry]

20 to 25 years ago customers would wear Savile Row suits into Alan Flussers shop where I worked in NYC and later into Raphaels and Henry Stewarts. The stodgy structured haircloth style of Poole was my favorite but I admired also the sharp lines of Huntsman and the "rum" workmanship of A&S. But I loved the Poole. The Poole style was a perfect match for H.Lesser goods.

[andreyb]

I recently read R Anderson's book and there's no mention of this as Huntsman's history cuts off when he left to start his own firm up.

The incident is quite thoroughly described in the book (though this is the view from only one of the sides). Read the chapter on RA's last days at Huntsman.

Andrey