Savile Row

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Savile Row

Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to be spoken for by individual customers.^[1] The short street is termed the "golden mile of tailoring",^[2] where customers include Prince Charles and Jude Law,^[1] and have included Winston Churchill, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Lord Nelson, and Napoleon III.^[3] Ian Fleming bought his suits on Savile Row, and dressed his character James Bond in a bespoke suit, and that trend continues with the current Bond actor, Daniel Craig, buying his suits here.^[4]

Savile Row runs parallel to Regent Street between Conduit Street at the northern end and Vigo Street at the southern. Linking roads include Burlington Place, Clifford Street and Burlington Gardens.

The upper floors of its eighteenth-century houses are home to galleries, such as the Matthew Bown Gallery and Laurent Delaye Gallery, both at №11 Savile Row.

[edit] History

Savile Row was built between 1731 and 1735 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate, and is named after Lady Dorothy Savile, wife of the 3rd Earl of Burlington. It originally ran from Burlington Gardens (then Vigo Lane) to Boyle Street, with houses only on the east side, but in 1937-8 it extended to Conduit Street, and in the 19th century houses were built on the west side.^[5] The original architectural plan is believed to have been drawn up by Colen Campbell, though Henry Flitcroft appears to have been the main architect of the street, under the supervision of Daniel Garrett, while Nos 1 and 22-23 Savile Row were designed by William Kent,^[6] who lived next door in No 2.^[7] Dr Livingstone was laid out in state in No 1, when it was the headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society, before being buried in Westminster Abbey.^[8]

Initially, the street was occupied by military officers and their wives; William Pitt the Younger was an early resident. Irish-born playwright and MP, Richard Brinsley Sheridan lived at 17 Savile Row for a short time before his death in 1816.

During the 1800s, the gentry became concerned with neat dress, and Beau Brummell, 1778–1840, epitomised the well-dressed man. He patronised the tailors congregated on the Burlington Estate, notably around Cork Street, and by 1803 some were occupying premises in Savile Row.None of those original tailors survive today.

In 1846, Henry Poole is credited as being the 'Founder of Savile Row' after opening a second entrance to his late father's tailoring premises at № 32 Savile Row,^[3] however there were tailors on the Row long before Poole's.

In 1969, Nutters of Savile Row modernised the style and approach of the traditional tailors; a modernisation which continued in the 1990s with the arrival of designers like Richard James and Ozwald Boateng.^[9]

With increasing rents and criticisms from Giorgio Armani of falling behind the times, the number of tailors on Savile Row declined to just 19 in 2006.^[1] Some tailors had expressed concern in 2005 that an increase in commercial development in the area could lead to the death of the business locally, as tailors — many of whom traditionally manufacture their suits on the premises, in basement studios — could be priced out of the local property market.^[10]^[11] The Savile Row Bespoke Association was created to address these problems, and to encourage training, organise events and other initiatives.

[edit] Tailors

Tailors in Savile Row include:

[edit] Davies and Son

Davies and Son is an independent tailor at No 38 Savile Row. The firm was established by George Davies in 1803 on Hanover Street, moving onto Savile Row in 1986.^[12]

Davies and Sons made the original uniforms for Sir Robert Peel's police force. Other customers include: Calvin Klein, Michael Jackson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Clark Gable, and U.S. President Harry S. Truman.^[13]

[edit] Gieves & Hawkes

Gieves & Hawkes is a gentleman's tailor located at №1 Savile Row. It is a traditional British bespoke tailor, holds a number of Royal Warrants,^[14] and provides ready-to-wear clothes, as well as bespoke and military tailoring. There are various Gieves & Hawkes shops and concessions around the UK and in several other countries.

The business dates from the late 18th century, and was formed by the merger of two separate businesses, Gieves (founded 1785) and Hawkes (founded 1771).^[15]

[edit] Hardy Amies

Hardy Amies is a fashion house at №14 Savile Row set up by English dressmaker Sir Edwin Hardy Amies (17 July 1909 - 5 March 2003) in 1946. Amies retired in May 2001, selling to a publicly-quoted company, Luxury Brands Group, which had an annual turnover of £544,000 in 2006.^[16] Ian Garlant became Design Director.^[17]

Amies was awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II as her official dressmaker in 1955 which he continued to be until 1990. He was knighted in 1989. Amies also designed costumes for films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey.^[18]

Amies had been educated at Brentwood School, Essex,^[19] and was a Lieutenant Colonel in the intelligence service during the Second World War.^[20]

[edit] Henry Poole & Co

Main article: Henry Poole & Co

Henry Poole & Co is a gentleman's bespoke tailor located at №15 Savile Row.^[21] The acknowledged 'Founders of Savile Row' and creators of the Tuxedo, the company has remained a family-run business since their establishment in 1806. They opened first in Brunswick Square, in 1806, originally specializing in military tailoring, with particular merit at the time of the Battle of Waterloo. Their business moved to Savile Row in 1846, following the death of founder James Poole.^[22] ^[23]

[edit] Norton & Sons

Main article: Norton & Sons

Norton & Sons is a gentleman's bespoke tailor located at №16 Savile Row. Established in the city of London in 1821 the firm moved to Savile Row in the middle of the nineteenth century. In the 1960's Norton's incorporated the other Savile Row firm of J. Hoare & E. Tautz. The firm has always boasted strong connections with London's young and fashionable and were tailors to the young Winston Churchill.^[24] and Sir Hardy Amies^[25].

[edit] Nutters of Savile Row

Nutters of Savile Row is a modern Savile Row tailors which opened on Valentine's Day 1969, backed by Cilla Black and Peter Brown. Nutters was the first shop on Savile Row to pioneer 'open windows' and had bold displays created by the then unknown Simon Doonan;^[26] as such the shop modernised the perception of Savile Row. Nutters of Savile Row dressed the entire social spectrum from the Duke of Bedford and Lord Montagu to Mick and Bianca Jagger and The Beatles.

The shop's designers were Tommy Nutter and Edward Sexton.

Tommy Nutter (1943, Wales - August 18, 1992) was trained in traditional tailoring on Savile Row before setting up Nutters. Nutter's designs include Bianca Jagger's wedding suit, the costumes for the 1989 Batman film including those worn by Jack Nicholson, and three of the suits worn by The Beatles on the front cover of Abbey Road.^[27] ^[28] ^[29]

[edit] Ozwald Boateng

Ozwald Boateng OBE is a modern bespoke tailors at №12a Savile Row founded by Ozwald Boateng (OBE) who sees himself as both tailor and a designer, so coining the term 'bespoke couturier'.^[30] There is also a ready-to-wear outlet on Vigo Lane.

Born in Ghana in the late 1960s and brought up in north London,^[31] Boateng started tailoring at age 16, selling his mother's designs on Portobello Road; by twenty three he had set himself up full-time in business. He began making bespoke suits in 1990, and is credited with introducing Savile Row tailoring to a new generation. The first tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris, Boateng's many clients include Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Russell Crowe, Keanu Reeves, and Mick Jagger.^[32]

He was appointed creative director of Givenchy menswear in 2003.^[33]

On June 22, 2006, the Sundance Channel began airing a reality television series called House of Boateng which follows Boateng's efforts to launch his Bespoke Couture line in the United States, was Produced by Robert Redford and Ben Silverman, created by Varon Bonicos and Todd Cohen.

Boateng lives with his wife and two children in central London, and was recently named one of the 100 Great Black Britons by The Voice and the Greater London Authority.

[edit] Other tailors

Abercrombie and Fitch (№7)
Darren Beaman
Comelie London (№12)
Kilgour (№8)
Thomas Mahon (№12)
Jasper Littman (№9)
Dege & Skinner (№10)
H. Huntsman est. 1849 (№11)
Richard Anderson (№13)
Maurice Sedwell (№19)
Welsh and Jefferies (№20)
Richard James est. 1992 (№29)
Gary Anderson (№34/35)
James and James was originally in Old Burlington Street, having been founded by Sven James who came to London in the 1920s to work for Frederick Scholte. James and James have now joined with Davies & Son.^[34]
Alexandre at №39 Savile Row is owned by British Menswear Brands.^[35]
William Westmancott (№12)

[edit] Independent tailors

The Savile Row Shirt Company and Ede and Ravenscroft est. 1689 (8 Burlington Gardens).

Japanese retailer Evisu is found on Savile Row, using the shop name "Saburo" (Japanese "Sebiro" for "suit" which etymologists believe may derive from "Savile Row").^{[citation needed]}

American retailer Abercrombie & Fitch opened its first European location here in 2007, a flagship store.

[edit] Neighbouring tailors

Savile Row tailors who do not have premises on Savile Row:

[edit] Anderson & Sheppard

Anderson & Sheppard is a traditional tailor founded in 1906 at №30 Savile Row. The fluid style of cutter Frederick Scholte was the distinguishing feature of the house style, which became known as the "London cut". A high small armhole with a generous upper sleeve permits the jacket to remain close to the neck while freeing the arm to move with comfort.^[36]

Customers have included Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Cecil Beaton, Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Ralph Fiennes, Manolo Blahnik and Prince Charles. In 2004, Tom Ford became a customer of the firm, commissioning suits that would later appear in a 10 page ‘W’ magazine photo shoot.^[37]

Anderson & Sheppardmoved off Savile Row to 32 Old Burlington Street in March 2005.

[edit] Steven Hitchcock

Steven Hitchcock is an independent Savile Row Tailor. Steven has been working in Savile Row since he was 16 years of age serving his apprenticeship with Anderson and Sheppard, the first 4 years of which as a coatmaker, followed by 5 years of cutting and fitting.

Tailoring is very much in Steven's blood. His parents have both worked on Savile Row, with Steven's father working for over 40 years at Anderson and Sheppard.

The method of tailoring used by Steven is Soft Tailoring, a style he learnt during his time with Anderson and Sheppard. It prefers a softer shoulder and jacket with a higher cut arm hold, all for comfort and style.

Steven Hitchcock has been sharing premises of tailors Denman and Goddard at 13 New Burlington Street since 2003.

[edit] Savile Row Bespoke Association

Founded in 2004, the aim of the Savile Row Bespoke Association is to protect and to develop the art of bespoke tailoring as practised in the Row and the surrounding streets.^[38] This cluster of excellence has made a contribution to London and the British image which has been formally recognised by the City of Westminster in a recent study.

Members include: Anderson & Sheppard, Anthony J.Hewitt, Davies & Sons, Dege & Skinner, Evisu, Gieves & Hawkes, Hardy Amies, Henry Poole & Co, H.Huntsman & Sons, Norton & Sons, Ozwald Boateng, Richard Anderson, Richard James.^[39]

[edit] The Beatles

3 Savile Row, The Beatles' Apple offices

The offices of The Beatles's Apple Corps were at 3 Savile Row; The Beatles, Badfinger, Mary Hopkin and others recorded in the Apple Studios in the basement. The Beatles' final, live performance was on the roof, on 30 January 1969. That "Rooftop Concert" concludes the documentary film Let It Be.

[edit] Popular culture

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

№7 Savile Row was the London address of Phileas Fogg, protagonist of Jules Verne's classic adventure novel Around the World in 80 Days.
In Japanese, one word for suit is "sebiro" (背広), purportedly a corruption of "Savile Row." [1]
Saville Row appears in the Monopoly Here and Now edition, a mis-spelling of the correct name.
The Row is the name of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's new high end clothing line. It's inspired by the famous street.