A history of Savile Row's founding father, told through its most famous clients: icons of aristocracy, politics and the arts

In the gilded age of emperors, maharajas, courtesans and kings, Henry Poole & Co. dressed them all. For well over two centuries, Savile Row’s founding father was a Mecca for the men and women who made history. Presidents, prime ministers, generals and Russian grand dukes recognized Poole’s as the apex of elegance. The firm has endured wars, revolutions and financial crises to emerge as the tailor for the tech giants and hedge fund billionaires who rule the world in the 21st century.

Henry Poole & Co. celebrates the great names in Poole’s history and tells the story of this exceptional British tailoring firm still owned by the founding family.

Contents List:

Foreword by John Kerry • Preface by Simon Cundy • Introduction: Henry Poole’s Greatest Customers • 1. The Beginning, 1806–1836 – Emperors & Maharajas • 2. Tailor of Kings, 1836–1876 – Politicians & Statesmen • 3. The Age of Empire, 1876–1916 – Financiers & Courtiers • 4. The Re silient Years, 1916–1936 – Kings & Queens • 5. Poole’s at War, 1936–1976 – Artists & Writers • 6. Poole Triumphant, 1976–2019 – Heroes & Villains • Savile Row Today by Alex Cooke • Ceremonial Tailoring • The Birth of the Dinner Jacket • Henry Poole & Co. Royal Warrants of Appointment • Honourable Mentions

About the Author:

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.

Discover the makers and marques behind the world’s most enduring objects of desire

This is the perfect book for the man who has everything. It celebrates the gentleman’s search for the perfect sartorial detail, the ideal accessory, or beautiful gift for a loved one.

Presented through the eyes of a connoisseur looking for quality and bespoke goods in London’s key stylistic historic periods, it tells the stories of the personalities, shop-keepers and master craftsmen who have animated the business of luxury goods for centuries. The book is arranged chronologically in six chapters, each followed by three or four profiles of British luxury marques. A reference section presents the London gentleman’s social world, from the shopping arcades to classic hotels and the member’s clubs and antiquarians in between.

Contents List:

1. Restoration London: Monarchy, Gallantry & Debauchery (1660–1789) • 2. Regency London: Fashion, Revolution & Social Ascent (1789–1837) • 3. Victorian London: Empire, Affluence & Ingenuity (1837–80) • 4. Edwardian London: Pleasure, Excess & Ostentation (1880–1914) • 5. London Between Two Wars: Modernism, Frivolity & Chic (1914–45) • 6. London’s New Elizabethan Age: Austerity, Optimism & Energy (1940 – Today)

About the Author:

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.

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The pursuit of elegance inevitably leads a gentleman to London’s historic West End. Since 1666 Mayfair, Piccadilly and St. James’s have been colonized by hatters, shoemakers, jewellers, shirtmakers, perfumers and hosiers.

Today, this enclave of excellence has the highest concentration of firms trading in luxury goods for the well-appointed male. Here the modern gentleman who values quality and craftsmanship can still walk in the footsteps of such as Beau Brummell, Edward VII, Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, the Duke of Windsor, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Prince Charles and, latterly, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

James Sherwood has been given access to private archives and unpublished material, and has commissioned new photography to provide a rich insight into the companies and their crafts today. The London gentleman’s social world, 
from shopping arcades and hotels to members’ clubs and dining rooms, is brought to life through vivid texts, intimate portraits and lavish images.

The Perfect Gentleman showcases the historic houses and the great patrons who have upheld the highest standards for hundreds of years alongside a new generation of craftsmen and -women who are keepers of the flame.

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.

Here is the definitive story of Savile Row, the internationally renowned epicentre of gentlemen’s style

Introduced by Tom Ford, it is a rich visual history of the street synonymous with elegance, sophistication and timeless attitudes. Including rare archival material and previously unpublished images, alongside specially commissioned photography and fashion shoots, this lavish celebration brings together the Row's tailors, the personalities, the dramas and private tales, the suits and their accoutrements, the fabrics and the cuts, as never before.

An exclusive bonus section offers a complete resource for anyone wishing to have a suit specially made for them.