Made in Britain – Traditional and style in contemporary British fashion, by Mitchell Beazley

“The tradition of quality tailoring has become associated with British fashion in a unique way. Indeed the very idea of the suit, an outfit of matching jacket and trousers, is widely credited as being British.”

“Tailoring became a way forward for women searching for comfortable and streamlined garments that broke away from the 19th century taste for fussy and the elaborate. For a generation of women at the end of the 19th century, tailor-made suits heralded the beginnings of a change in attitude and a new freedom. A move away from the dress, a suit offered the simple possibility of taking off the jacket and wearing a skirt and shirt - a practical and flexible alternative.”

• History of British fashion; British Tailoring• Explores the different British design and styles• Insight of what types of fabrics were traditionally used• British heritage played a part in the reinvention of established

British clothing companies

• British tailoring was the beginning for womenswear's revolutionary change from the ‘fussy and elaborate’ dresses to the more ‘practical and flexible alternative’ tailor-made suits.

• Shows how British traditions in fashion integrated from one country to another.

Coco Chanel

• Adapted men’s clothing and tradition of English tailoring to create a new and more comfortable collection of clothing for women.

• Chanel’s classic suits represented the new approach to fashion. They were simple, geometric cardigans worn over a short skirt.

• It was essential that the cut and finish was of high quality and that British fabrics which were woven in Scotland was used to match it.

• Brought English tailoring into Paris couture which in turn brought it to the Hollywood film industry due to the enormous international impact Parisian fashion has

• Trousers began to move into women’s wardrobes as the trouser suit was adopted by some of Hollywood’s most famous female film stars.

• As they became more and more popular, it was apparent that trouser suits needed to be adapted to fit the female form to create a more sophisticated and feminine look.

• And as time went on, due to these Hollywood influences, British tailoring became more sought after.

• The influence of British tailoring inspires new generations of fashion designers from around the world.

• British tailoring now has evolved to become very flexible.

• Designers have become more creative and reinvented British tailoring

• They have made it so British tailoring is created and seen in a variety of different shapes and silhouettes

Mary Quant• British fashion icon• Known for promoting the

miniskirt and hot pants during the 1960s

• Designed simple tailored garments which gave a geometric boxed shape

• Designs were made for the younger generation

Timothy Everest• Worked with designer

Tommy Nutter who was best known for reinventing the Saville Row suit during the 1960s

• Use of different cuts and styling creates a contemporary look to his designs

Patrick Grant• Creative director for Norton &

Sons on Savile Row• Made clothes which were

worn by public figures such as Alexander McQueen and Christian Louboutin

• Known for simple designs and for quality garments with neat and crisp cuts

Vivienne Westwood• Combination of French

styles (e.g. Red Label A/W 2014 exaggerates Dior’s New Look collection) and British heritages

• Uses traditional British tailoring but alters it slightly

• Makes her tailored designs seem more contemporary

• Use of different cuts and fabrics

• Throughout the decades British tailoring also helped reinvent some of the most famous brands.

• These included traditional British clothing companies such as DAKS, Burburry, Mulberry and Austin Reed.

• These brands wanted to keep their British heritage but also appeal to the younger generations.

• They began to develop a wider appeal to international customers and to the younger generations

• Their fashion forwardness was a combination of contemporary styles and British tailoring

Bibliography• Made in Britain• Glasgow School for Business and Society (2013), Savile Row designer and

TV star appointed Honorary Professor [Online] Available from: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs/newsevents/news/article.php?id=58878 [Accessed Feb 2014]

• Vogue (Unknown), Vogue Fashion, [Online] Available from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/ [Accessed Feb 2014]

• Victoria & Albert Museum (Unknown), Vivienne Westwood designs, [Online] Available from: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/v/vivienne-westwood-designs/ [Accessed Feb 2014]