Savile Row - Reportage by Getty Images · Savile Row Photographs & text by Maximiliano Braun LONDON, UNITED KINGODM - AUGUST 2010. The shop front of No.1 Savile Row, Gieves & Hawkes

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Known worldwide as 'The Golden Mile of Tailoring', Savile Row has preserved its status as the world’s finest street for tailoring. The specialty across all the traditional shops in 'The Row' is that of bespoke suits. So fine are these garments they make, that a 'true' bespoke suit must have been worked on for at least 50 man hours before delivery, according to the Savile Row Bespoke Association. After more than a century and a half of existence, and with a persistence for excellence, Savile Row has thus far challenged ever-changing fashion trends, economic downturns, and perceptions of how a gentrified man (or any man for that matter) should dress.

SavileRowPhotographs & text byMaximiliano Braun

LONDON, UNITED KINGODM - AUGUST 2010. The shop front of No.1 Savile Row, Gieves & Hawkes. On this street, some of the world's most exclusive, elegant and coveted suits are made.


Founded in 1806 by James Poole, Henry Poole & Co are regarded as the 'godfathers' of Savile Row. In 1846, Henry Poole extended his father's linen emporium at 4 Burlington Street to have another entrance on Savile Row. Still a family owned business run by Angus Cundey and his son, Simon, Henry Poole has a history of clients tracing back to Napoleon III, Queen Victoria, Tsar Alexander II of Russia, King George V and Winston Churchil amongst others. Their royal warrants adorn the shop front, where clients are received, in a manner that covers almost all walls. Their influence goes around the globe reaching as far as The Imperial Household of Japan.

Following the footsteps of Henry Poole & Co, Huntsman, Norton & Sons, Dege & Skinner, Gieves & Hawkes and others started their own tailoring empires. Ranging from dinner suits to military garments and livery, Savile Row has always covered the needs of many gentrified, royal and military men. For the military however, the needs extend beyond the making of an exquisite garment. Hand & Lock, embroiders now based on Margaret Street, are usually assigned for all embroidery work related to royal and ceremonial uniforms. These finest dedicated embroiders, founded in 1767, are at the forefront of custom embroidery, making items for royal and military courts worldwide, ecclesiastical and religious personnel, and also working on other commissions including the cover jacket for musicians ‘RPA & The United Nations of Sound’.

The shop front at Henry Poole & Co on the world famous tailoring street of Savile Row. Here, where clients are received, the main cutters work. The frames on the walls hold all the Royal Warrants awarded to Henry Poole in all its history. They range from past kings from around the world, to current royal warrants for livery work. Henry Poole & Co are world renowned for their suits. Along with the many royal clients they have, and had, were other notable gentlemen such as Winston Churchill. James Poole opened a linen drapers in Everett Street, Brunswick Square in 1806. By the time of the Battle of Waterloo, Poole's was making tunics and had set up as a military tailor. He later moved headquarters to Old Burlington Street. Upon his death in 1846, his son Henry enlarged the premises and built a palatial showroom with a new entrance opening onto the adjoining street of Savile Row, thus starting the long tradition of the Savile Row suit.

A new livery coat being made at Henry Poole & Co by Keith Levett, their livery tailor. Along with the many royal clients they have, and had, were other notable gentlemen such as Winston Churchill.

A senior coat maker at Henry Poole & Co working on the lower ground level workshop.

A cutter at Henry Poole & Co getting ready for a trip, to perform fittings and deliver suits to clients abroad.


Craig Featherstone, cutter at Henry Poole & Co, speaking to a colleage. Frames in the background are Royal Warrants awarded to them during their history.

A tougher economic climate has brought some changes to The Row. This can be most obviously seen in the moving of tailor workshops from the floors above the shop fronts to the basements of these buildings. Increasing rent in Mayfair has proven a challenge to all the shops there. During my visits I noticed that freelance tailoring was rather common. The workforce at Norton & Sons are all freelance tailors and cutters. At Huntsman the picture is a bit different; some are freelance, and others are on the payroll. Henry Poole & Co however employ the great majority of their workforce, with only a few freelancing in their facilities.

Golden buttons that belong to a Royal Guard coat. The buttons are the only recycled item that goes from an old coat to a new coat. They are being worked on here at Henry Poole & Co by Keith Levett, and were taken from a coat which has been in service for nearly 100 years before being decomissioned in order to comission a new coat.

A tailor's work desk at Henry Poole & Co.

A livery coat being made at Henry Poole & Co by Keith Levett, livery tailor. Keith is the only tailor there who specialises in making these livery coats. Along with the many royal clients they have, and had, were other notable gentlemen such as Winston Churchill.


A sewing machine at the alterations tailor's workshop on the lower ground level at Henry Poole & Co.


Rory Duffy Rory won the Golden Shears in 2009, the highest award given to an apparentice tailor. Now he has become a junior tailor, having finished his apprenticeship, and has an apprentice of his own, Emily Squires, pictured. Rory works at Henry Poole & Co, world renowned for their suits.

Rory Duffy taking a break around Savile Row. Rory won the Golden Shears in 2009, the highest award given to an apparentice tailor. Now he has become a junior tailor, having finished his apprenticeship, and has an apprentice of his own, Emily Squires. Rory works at Henry Poole & Co, world renowned for their suits.

Junior tailor Rory Duffy working on a coat at the lower ground workshop at Henry Poole & Co.

Rory Duffy's blue shoes. Being a young and promising tailor, he is always dressed smartly with a suit (made by himself).


The shop front of Huntsman, on the world famous tailoring street of Savile Row. Huntsman was founded in 1849 by Henry Huntsman. It has been at 11 Savile Row since 1919. It has served illustrous clients such as King George V, Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart, Rudolf Valentino and Katherine Hepburn among others.

Patrick Murphy, head cutter at Huntsman, awaits to press his new jacket in-progress at the lower ground workshop at Huntsman.

Lee Marsh working on the sewing machine at the first floor workshop at Huntsman. Lee is a freenlance tailor there. The more work he gets done through the day, the better, so he tries always to arrive at work between 06:30-07:00 each morning.

Shayne Airolld is a freenlance tailor for Huntsman. The more work he gets done through the day, the better, therefore he tries to always to arrive at work between 06:30-07:00 each morning.

Lee Marsh working on a coat machine at Huntsman. Lee is a freenlance tailor there. The more work he gets done through the day, the better, so he tries always to arrive at work between 06:30-07:00 each morning.

(L-R) Shayne Airolld, Lee Marsh and a member of the staff from Hunstman walk through Mayfair on their way home. All personnel from Huntsman leave at 17:30, so they start work very early in order to get more done.

During my years studying and working in fashion I befriended tailors that were trained on Savile Row, and now work there. Shane Airolld and Lee Marsh are freelance tailors at Huntsman. Knowing a tailor and seeing a tailor at work were two entirely different experiences for me. It is easy to spot a freelance tailor in Savile Row. If you walk around there between 06:30-07:00 in the morning, you will see them arriving, including Lee and Shane, who get to work around that time every day. The reason is simple: as a freelance tailor, the more work you do, the more you earn. Therefore, as the great majority of staff in The Row leave by 17:30 each evening, you have to arrive early each day in order to get more work done, and thus earn more money. For most, this means working roughly 10-11 hours per day. The same goes for other tailors like Roy Wain, a coat maker for the past 35 years, now working at Norton & Sons. The hardship that the job requires comes from the fine craftsmanship required, which is achieved only after years of learning, concentration and precision.



The interior of the Norton & Sons shop, on the world famous tailoring street of Savile Row, in London. Patrick Grant, owner and director, sits at the front desk and is the first person to be seen once you get into the shop. Norton and Sons was established in 1821 by Walter Norton. Since 2005 it has been directed by Patrick Grant. The firm gained eminence as a sporting tailor, making sharply cut garments for rugged and robust gentlemen. It produces less than 300 suits a year.

A portrait of Frank Sinatra at Stephen Lechter's work desk at Norton & Sons. Sinatra wrote on this photograph: "To Stephen - You make a great shirt! My very best to you - Frank Sinatra. 1980".

David Ward-Head is the head cutter at Norton & Sons, and has been working as a cutter for 15 years. He is seen here making some corrections to a suit. Norton & Sons was established in 1821 by Walter Norton. Since 2005 it has been directed by Patrick Grant. The firm gained eminence as a sporting tailor, making sharply cut garments for rugged and robust gentlemen. It produces less than 300 suits a year.

Roy Wain's sleeve, with his cuff links in the shape of tailoring shears, at Norton & Sons. Roy has been a coat maker for 36 years and has worked with several shops throught his career.



Something that also came to my attention was the way shops in Savile Row are managed. Some, such as Henry Poole & Co, are still family run. It has a simple hierarchy of owner, manager, tailors and cutters. Others, like Gieves & Hawkes are very close to a full blown corporate business, with an owner, a CEO, manager, PR department, tailors and cutters. Of the traditional shops in The Row, they are the only one that actively engages in publicity, and boast the flagship 'No1 Savile Row' in their name. Henry Poole & Co, Norton & Sons and Huntsman however, do not make their own publicity or adverts. Rather, they keep the traditional 'branding' method of The Row: the inner lining of the sleeves in their coats and the 'skirt' in their trousers have a unique pattern which identifies the shop that made them. Labels were not used in the early days of Savile Row, and so this was a way to subtly boast about one's suit maker, and contribute to the preferred word of mouth publicity.

Edward Coke, apprentice trouser maker, shows the inner lining (or 'skirt') of a pair of trousers. This pattern is the pattern by which Henry Poole & Co suits are recognized (or branded).


Not wanting to forget about another important factor in making a suit, I set out to find out about fabric used. The sheer variety of cloth manufacturers makes a daunting task of trying to narrow it down to the most popular choices. Taste varies greatly, but I came across a type of cloth for which personal taste is not the main factor. Vanquish II, by cloth manufacturer Dormeuil, is the single most expensive cloth made in the world retailing at £3,500+VAT per meter. The beauty of the cloth may be understated compared to its price tag. However, for those able to afford it (and to make an appointment to see the 14 different varieties of it), it becomes the prime choice for having a truly unique suit tailored. The luxury displayed by the Alexander Amosu suit comes not only from the Vanquish II cloth, but also from the use of diamond-adorned gold buttons. When shown to the public for the first time in 2009, it was the single most expensive suit worldwide, with an estimated price tag between GBP £70,000-£100,000.

Alexander Amosu's suit that was made using Dormeuil's finest Vanquish II cloth. Dormeuil's premium Vanquish II cloth is the world's most expensive retailing at £3,500 + VAT per meter. This suit is valued beteen GBP £70,000-£100,000 GBP. In 2009, when it was revealed to the world, it sported the label of 'the most expensive suit ever made'. It has cut diamond buttons. In the words of Alexander Amosu: "To own an Amosu bespoke suit, cut perfectly to your needs and utilising only the very best fabrics and accessories is comparable to owning and Bentley as opposed to a Ford". Amosu's business deals only with high end luxury customisations of normal accessories like phones, to bespoke items, like this suit.


Alexander Amosu's suit that was made using Dormeuil's finest Vanquish II cloth. Dormeuil's premium Vanquish II cloth is the world's most expensive retailing at £3,500 + VAT per meter. This suit is valued beteen GBP £70,000-£100,000 GBP. In 2009, when it was revealed to the world, it sported the label of 'the most expensive suit ever made'. It has cut diamond buttons. In the words of Alexander Amosu: "To own an Amosu bespoke suit, cut perfectly to your needs and utilising only the very best fabrics and accessories is comparable to owning and Bentley as opposed to a Ford". Amosu's business deals only with high end luxury customisations of normal accessories like phones, to bespoke items, like this suit.

Taking a look at Savile Row from these viewpoints paints a complex picture. Times have certainly changed since 1806. The idea of an elderly tailor who followed the trade of his father has vanished. There is a multi-ethnic backstage to Savile Row. There are tailors as young as 20 years old, and others that are well into their 70s. Many regard their work simply as a trade from which to make a living. Others regard it as a craft that they love. The younger generation tend to view their new skills as tools of glamour, proudly boasting, “I am a Savile Row tailor!”

If you take a look at the tools of the trade, you can see that perhaps the most modern of tools are vapour presses and sewing machines. The traditional needle, thimble, thread, shears, measuring tape and others are still just as much at use today as they were more than a century ago. The skills and determination of these tailors are what transform a lifeless two dimensional piece of cloth (regardless of its price) into a three dimensional object of status. Asian, Caribbean, Italian, Greek, English, young or old, these tailors make sure that the final output of Savile Row is still intact: the finest suits in the world.



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Savile Row - Reportage by Getty Images · Savile Row Photographs & text by Maximiliano Braun LONDON, UNITED KINGODM - AUGUST 2010. The shop front of No.1 Savile Row, Gieves & Hawkes