Savile Row: The Master Tailors of British Bespoke

The dramas and private tales, the suits and their accoutrements, the fabrics and the cuts, the history and future of Savile Row, as never before

The skilled tailors of Savile Row in Mayfair, central London, have dressed kings, movie stars, rock legends, billionaires – and even a few regular guys. A Savile Row suit remains an enduring and highly individual symbol of the finest a man can buy. From its origins close to Britain’s main royal palaces, the Row has grown from clothing aristocrats to military men; more recently it has been revivified by the renewed appreciation of personalized, handmade goods, and by a new generation of modern sartorialists seeking ‘heritage luxury’.

Told through eight chronological themes, this beautifully illustrated celebration brings together Savile Row’s highlights and low-lifes, the dramas and private tales, the suits and their accoutrements, the fabrics and the cuts, the history and future, as never before. Each chapter charts a stage of the Row’s development and its contribution to men’s fashion and culture. Throughout the book are dispersed 26 profiles of today’s master tailors, providing insight into what makes their work, relationships and clothes so special. The book is finely detailed with reference sections on the anatomy and making of the perfect suit.

This once-in-a-lifetime publication, by the archetypal modern gentleman and devoted customer of the Row, weaves a fabric rich with anecdote, personality and sartorial detail.

Contents List:

Introduction • 1. Royal Savile Row: Monarchs Who Ruled the Row • 2. The Beaux on the Row: Men Who Led Fashion • 3. Savile Row at War: Tailoring for Heroes • 4. Savile Row in Hollywood: Aristocrats of the Silver Screen • 5. Savile Row Revival: The New Establishment • 6. Savile Row in Fashion: The Row Revival • Gentlemen’s Requisites; Anatomy of a Suit; Making a Suit; The Language of Savile Row

About the Authors:

James Sherwood is a London-based style journalist, and has been described as ‘the guardian of Savile Row’ by The Rake magazine. He is the author of Savile Row, Fashion at Royal Ascot, James Sherwood’s discriminating Guide to London and Jewelry for Gentleman, all published by Thames & Hudson.

Tom Ford is former creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent and founder of the Tom Ford fashion house. He recently directed his first feature film, the critically acclaimed A Single Man.