London Weekend Break

Savile Row

Savile Row is a street in the city of Westminster (London) that has, over a number of decades, gained international recognition for its associations with tailoring and the making of bespoke suits and clothing (primarily for men).

The Street was originally developed in the 1730’s as part of the then Burlington Estate, but it was not until the nineteenth century that the first inklings of its associations with tailoring began to appear. Despite this, history had to wait until the mid nineteenth century before the Savile Row that we know today started to develop and from that time to this it has been synonymous with men’s suits.

The tailors on Savile Row are primarily men’s outfitters and, based upon fittings and honed handcrafted skills, they make suits and other garments to the exact requirements and measurements of their clients. It is said that the term bespoke, used to describe this approach, was first originated by the tailors of Savile Row during fittings with their clients.

Although not very long, Savile Row has an extensive reputation that sees it described as the golden mile of tailoring and the reason for this is partly due to its many famous and sometimes infamous clients. Exactly who all of the people who buy from the tailors on Savile Row are very few know. Confidentiality is one of the hallmarks of the street’s tailors, however many heads of state (UK and USA), members of the Royal family, and eminent businessmen and politicians are known to use this exclusive street for their formal dressing requirements. Examples of past customers include Winston Churchill and Admiral Nelson.

The tailors

It is hard to say exactly how many tailors there are on Savile Row because, in addition to the traditional names that have premises on the street, there are a number of other tailors who are allowed to operate out of some of the existing outfitters on the Row. By doing this these tailors, who do not physically make their garments on Savile Row, can label their suits as Savile Row suits.

Some of the big names on Savile Row include the following -

Davies and Son, Gieves & Hawkes, H. Huntsman & Sons, Hardy Amies, Henry Poole & Co., Chester Barrie, Chittleborough & Morgan, Kilgour, Norton & Sons, Nutters of Savile Row, Ozwald Boateng, Steed Bespoke Tailors, Stowers Bespoke, Cad and the Dandy, Comelie London, Dege & Skinner, Gary Anderson, Alexandre, Huality Bespoke Tailoring, Henry Herbert, Hollard & Sherry, Jasper Littman, Matthew Farnes, Maurice Sedwell, Richard Anderson, Steven Hitchcock, Welsh and Jefferies and Thomas Mahon.

Over recent years there has been the appearance of off the pegmen’s clothing retailers on Savile Row and this has caused much controversy. So much so that this event was even the object of a TV documentary in the UK. Despite this it has had little effect on the traditional business of the Row.

During recent times many have claimed that Savile Row is in terminal decline and that it will eventually disappear. However, despite a drop in the number of tailors on the Row its popularity with clients all over the world seems undiminished. In the twenty first century a Savile Row suit still carries the same kudos that it did 30, 40 or 50 years ago.