Savile Row on BBC4

Instead of that environmentally indulgent shopping trip to Dubai or New York, why not order yourself a Savile Row suit and spend a nice weekend in a charming hotel on the coast. I'm sure it's more restful, pleasurable and gives longer-lasting satisfaction.

So, Savile Row prepare to do battle with Abercrombie and Fitch, who invade their sacred territory. The show is available to view on iPlayer, but I recommend watching it before it expires (in six days time). I'm not sure if it's available outside the UK, so you may have to pretend you are in the UK. It also worked find on my Mac.

Worth a watch for all these reasons: the fabric with a 22 carat gold strip, the insight into the craftsmanship and the great cast of characters who used to grace their floors and still do. My favourite was explorer Colonel Blatchford-Snell, who brought in his exploring jacket to be adjusted for a trip to the Amazon. I thought I had been caught in an Evelyn Waugh mirage, but yes, he really exists. This was in Norton and Sons, who incidentally I know have worked with Isle of Mull Weavers because I picked up a length of fabric they no longer needed and I used it for this very coat . They used to dress explorers and adventurers. Wonderful! In fact, I'm working on some summer jackets that share the flavour of the explorer jacket.

I feel like a broken record about the risk of the demise of such traditions and the influx of the new global chains. I was charmed by the battleplan being developed by the military tailors Dege & Skinner

However, the sentiments expressed in the show have much sympathy with me: "global is looking menacing and local is looking chic", and the idea that a garment can become a family heirloom rather than something you throw away. I have many heirlooms from my various great-aunts. There is a very sustainable culture here in that these are clothes that really last from year to year; they aren't destined for land-fill and in the end, work out financially a similar investment which gives you much greater satisfaction. Also, I loved the way an American couple said the love they had for their suits seemed to grow over time.

One thing I liked was the way each suit is dated. I was talking to Alex from Isle of Mull Weavers yesterday in fact about having more detailed information about the wool, what year it is. You see, the wool changes slightly in colour from year to year and this is a great story.

Anyway, watch it now before it expires!

Comments

[Shauna Chapman]

I bookmarked this programme and couldn't wait to see it! I used to work near Savile Row as I worked at a stockbroking boutique with proper gentlemen. They had a relationship with Savile Row. Before long I understood the culture of the Savile Row suit: the vents, the cuts, the cuff length, the presence of a ticket pocket (or not), the colour of the lining--all very personal selections. I used to call them "my licorice allsorts" because some of the older brokers wore banker's pinstripe suits and all of them had their trademark lining colour, usually banker's pink or mustard yellow or sky blue. Some of them had gold pocket watches. I think often men chose naff, common suits that make them look like estate agents. 'Satorialists' choose their suits carefully or go for bespoke. For one of my husband's birthdays I treated him to a bespoke suit, though sadly not from Savile Row. He chose a fawn-coloured corduroy with Italian blue lining and real horn buttons. He wears it all the time. I love it. He's comfortable in it + loves it!

x
Shauna
Quail By Mail

[Eloise Grey]

Interesting that you mention ticket pockets. I'm playing around with this idea in my summer jacket collection.

I love the sound of the cordouroy suit! It reminds me of this great little shop called Pokit on Lambs Conduit Street. They have a collection of ladies and men's suits which you order bespoke in a number of fabrics including tweed, but also cordouroy. They have templated suits made up in various sizes but they cut them to your size. I've definitely got my eye on one of those. I bought a lovely pair of brogues from them in the summer.

Here's to the rise of the sartorialist.

[Shauna Chapman]

Ticket pockets are lovely things. I haven't researched ticket pockets but suspect they exist due to the golden age of train travel; gentlemen would tuck a ticket away, to wait for the train conductor to come and dock it.

I'm a fan of pockets and secret places of all sorts which is why I incorporate pocket details in most things I produce for Quail By Mail. Poeple need places to put their hands so I'm keen to restore the use of the pocket. On the high street, functioning pockets are going the way of the dodo becuase details like these cost money to produce (labour costs + fiddling with extra lining + fiddling with pattern design). Long live the functioning pocket!

http://quailbymail.blogspot.com/2008/01/return-of-functioning-pocket.html

Farewell from the Pilchard-Packing District of Cape Brixham, South Devon

Shauna
Quail By Mail