Stowers, an iconic Savile Row Gentlemans Jacket
… the making of your very own bespoke piece of schmutter…
Stowers Bespoke
13 Savile Row
London
W1S 3NE
Tel +44 (0)207 287 3080
Tailoring Terms to amuse and educate: Clapham Junction – a paper design draft with numerous alterations or additions.
With tailoring on Savile Row dating back to the mid 1800’s you are in fine company. Our relationship with Stowers is for the long term which is exactly the way they view their clients. Working with Stowers, Gentlemans Butler is looking at the making of an iconic Savile Row Gentlemans Jacket, which all Gentlemen should aspire to have one if not several in their wardrobe.
These days Savile Row is world famous and though many make the pilgrimage there, as much of the time now tailors tour the world to see their clients. As we speak Stowers are in Chicago and Ray has important clients in Russia, Asia and increasingly The Arabian Gulf. Gentlemans Butler works in similar ways and will be in the Gulf this November visiting luxury hotels, and luxury lifestyle outlets in the region. For this we are having a beautiful bespoke Gentlemans jacket made.
Our inspiration is something, classic, simple, elegant but with a modern feel and suitable for the Arabian heat.
Ray’s background is a tailor for 35 years speaks which speaks volumes and he set up www.stowersbespoke.co.uk in 2007.
As with everything at Gentlemans Butler our aim is to introduce you to purveyors of excellence in their craft.
There are key pieces of attire that every Gentleman requires and indeed many will have multiples of. The Gentlemans Jacket is one such item and if you are a Gentleman or aspire to such standards I would suggest Savile Row in London’s Mayfair is about as good as you can get.
Having hopped off the 22 bus outside The Ritz Hotel on Green Park I wonder up Burlington Arcade, turn right and then left onto the famous Savile Row, where one can arguably say they have been spearheading Britain’s resurgence in London made fashion. For this is a street in one of the richest parts of London where manufacturing exists, with great success. Though the days of the landed gentry bringing their young whippersnapper in for the making of Master’s first bit of cloth may be not so common, dressing the worlds Gentlemen with class, style and distinction is still very much the mantra.
Tailoring Terms to amuse and educate: On the cod – gone drinking
Down the stairs I go into their spacious studio. Contemporary but definitely English I am met by Lee, whilst Shaun was chalking up some cloth for a suite. Both gents I would say represent Ray’s ideals superbly, and I say this from the perspective of first impressions, and as most of us base many of our decisions on this, it’s a good barometer; for they are very genuine, Londoners I would instinctively say, dressed for their trade and smart to boot. I feel I am talking to experts. For example when I talk to a cabinet maker to design and build me a piece of beautiful wood, I want them to be dressed for their business. I do not want to be talking to someone holding a clipboard, for two reasons: firstly they are sales and their skill is to sell and secondly it will probably just be adding another level onto my bill whilst detracting from money being spent on the item itself. To this end I was inspired to not only be seeing production, so to speak right in front of me, but to be talking with craftsmen themselves.
Ray came to join us soon after and the process of homing down exactly what I was after started. From conversations about, use, feel, style to detailed discussions about cloth. Coffee in hand I enjoy this process, and it is something to enjoy as you are creating something bespoke and unique.
After this Lee and Shaun took multiple measurements, detailing drops on one side, all with a view to producing a garment to fit. As many will know our bodies our not uniform as you may remember from having your feet measured as a child, where very often one foot may be longer than the other. These measurements ensure your suit is tailored in accordance with your posture, movements and styling preferences.
Once the suit is cut, you should be called in for a number of fittings, probably three times – the ‘plain baist’, the ‘forward’, and the finished garment.
Decisions are to be made on multiple parts including pocket styles, buttons, trimmings, linings and my tailor now has a complete set of records of my measurements and individual details for life.
Tailoring Terms to amuse and educate: Doctor – alteration tailor. …… which is possibly where the term Doctored Up comes from …
I will be back soon to continue the making of Gentlemans Butler’s jacket, but have been certainly inspired by great professionalism.
Stowers Bespoke
13 Savile Row
London
W1S 3NE
Tel +44 (0)207 287 3080
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