Anderson & Sheppard

[hectorm]

Where then, is the best place to get a classic S.R. structured cut (not military extreme), with a little roping in the shoulders?

Hello Rowly,
IMHO the best place that you can go for that structured cut and a little roping in the shoulders is Henry Poole. Gieves & Hawkes is definitely more military, which you seem to be trying to avoid. There are other SR tailor shops whose "house style" is on the structured side, but I believe Poole is still the most balanced and at the top of the pack in terms of quality.
For even a tad more structured and roped, you might like the flare of Edward Sexton on Knightsbridge.

[pur_sang]

Hope this question isn't rubbing salt into the wound but as a matter of interest given that Hong Kong is (or seems to be) a mecca for tailoring, why did you decide to go for a UK-based tailor? Have any local tailors been able to perform a diagnosis on the jacket?

Well, this is a very interesting question. I lived in London for five years, and don't ask me why, in that time I never went to them, even though it has always been my dream to do so. If I did, I probably would've gotten better results, as I will probably ensure I am 100% happy before I walk out the door.

Then I moved to Hong Kong. I visited them on a trip back to London. I am not saying they are terrible, but my experience with Caraceni was much better in my humble opinion. I just do not understand why they don't seem to get some very simple things correct, well, maybe it's not simple after all. I do believe I am not a difficult fit.

Now on to Hong Kong being a tailoring mecca, I am not so sure. I have never tried them. The most respected one amongst 'the circle' seems to be W.W.Chan, but honestly, I think they charge too much for what it is, maybe 30% off from A&S. I constantly debate myself whether I should try them, but I always conclude with rather spending the money on a Caraceni coat as oppose to a W.W.Chan suit.

[Rowly]

Hello Rowly,
IMHO the best place that you can go for that structured cut and a little roping in the shoulders is Henry Poole

Thanks Hectorm, I would also have put Poole at the top of the list, but was curious to see what others thought.

[gherrmann]

In my (humble) opinion, Poole can be very good but there is also a fair amount of variability. I think it depends quite a bit on who your cutter is. I has positive experiences with Poole and, on that basis, referred a family member to them. the family member was assigned to a different (apparently, much more junior) cutter and had, by all accounts, a thoroughly disappointing and sub-par experience.

[davidhuh]

Gentlemen,

I have just been offered the honour of a private "tour" at 17, Clifford Street. The new A & S haberdashery will open to the public next week. Ms Audie Charles was very friendly this intruder, she will see me back on a spending mission soon

They got a wonderful space, things are beautifully arranged - another mecca to visit when in town.

Cheers, david

[dempsy444]

Do anyone have any perspective of what they were and what they are now? To my little knowledge, things got a little sloppy for a period, then Ms. Anda Rowland came in and put things in order. I question whether now it's almost too much of a manufacturing plant.

I was filled with anticipation to visit this house, and yet I am a little underwhelmed after my commission. I look back on the whole experience, it was a very commercial operation, you walk in, you get a sales pitch, and a very consistent sales pitch at that as you basically get the same story from what you read in magazines. Upon fittings, you get whoever is around, although I tried best to only see the cutter that ultimately cut my cloth. I honestly believe they suffer a little superiority complex that is unjustified. Most importantly, I believe my suit was sub par, I think my off the rack Tom Fords were better.

A&S has tremendous mystique and allure and I have been tempted in the past to commission a double breasted gray flannel suit from them. However, I have found that the travelling bespoke process is a delicate one even when performed by the most reputable tailors on the Row. There is a lot of room for error and misfortune due either to the tailor or the client. If you decide to commission a suit through such a process, I believe it is important that you do it with a tailor whose personality is particularly client focused. That is, someone who really takes pride in not only how the suit looks on you but how you feel in it. This kind of personal commitment to you as an individual on the part of the tailor can make up for the long-distance and infrequent fittings. If the tailor doesn’t have this level of commitment though, no amount of reputation and pedigree can make up for it. At its heart, bespoke is meant to be artisan. If the artisan commitment is lost and becomes commercial, as expressed in the proposition by A&S that “we can all make the same cut”, then much of the reason for doing bespoke is lost in my opinion. The idea that everyone at A&S knows how to make the same cut misses the point. Maybe that works for local clients, but the long-distance process is too delicate for that. This may be why we read so many complaints online about A&S’s work for foreign customers.

For those commissioning abroad, this may be a case where you are better off working with one of A&S’s disciples like Steven Hitchcock, Edwin Deboise at Steed or Thomas Mahon, though I have never used any these shops.

[dempsy444]

And if you love a soft-shouldered, drape cut (which I do), there's no better place in the world to get it.

That's good to know!
Where then, is the best place to get a classic S.R. structured cut (not military extreme), with a little roping in the shoulders?

I recall considering Huntsman, Richard Anderson and Kilgour and visiting each. I remember liking them because they appeared to have English structure but not too military. I remember Kilgour being a little more full in the chest than R. Anderson or Huntsman, who made a coat that was a bit leaner and longer. All have slightly roped shoulders though. R. Anderson is less expensive than Huntsman and there is a good chance you get Richard Anderson himself.

I never visited Pool, but from looking at their window it seemed they nipped their waste more and produced a more hourglass figure. Maybe a little bit more curvy than the others.