THE MAGIC OF A BESPOKE SHIRT

Long established shirtmaker Sean O'Flynn talks to Tony Rushmer about his new development

HIS name-plate may only have been hanging outside No.6 Sackville Street since last October, but Sean O’Flynn has long been renowned as one of the best bespoke shirtmakers in the business.

Born and raised in London, O'Flynn received an excellent schooling as an apprentice at Huntsman where he worked under Martin Levitt. From there he took a position at a shirtmakers in Knightsbridge before gravitating to New & Lingwood.

It was during his time with the famous Jermyn Street firm that he cemented his reputation as a top-quality craftsman. As well as becoming their head cutter, he travelled regularly to the States to serve New & Lingwood’s customers based on the other side of the Atlantic, and was also heavily involved in making the patterns for their ready-to-wear range.

But it wasn’t until 2005 that O’Flynn fulfilled his lifetime ambition by setting up under his own name. He traded initially from within the premises of the tailors Fallon & Harvey at No.7 before the switch to next door - as a tenant of established tailors Meyer & Mortimer - during the autumn of 2008. From the outset business has flowed, leaving him in no doubt about the enduring allure of the bespoke product.

“The basic attraction - or magic - of having something completely made for you is still the same as it always was.” he says. “The whole experience, that personal touch. The big thing about something bespoke is the amount of influence the customer has in it. That’s exactly the same as it was 100 years ago - and beyond.

“You can choose the fabric, the style, the fit. Some people are very sure about what they want; others needs to be advised or shown. Some people never want to experiment, others do. When you gain the trust of the customer, it’s a done deal.”

The classic double cuff on a Sean O'Flynn bespoke shirt.

When outlining his customer base, Sean refers to a ‘real cross-section’. From the well-heeled through to a prospective husband requiring something extra special for the big day, the 47-year-old caters for them all. And the good news for his clients is, even in this most trying of economic times, trade is holding up fair and square.

“I still find business is okay,” he assesses. “It’s solid, actually. I’m pretty much hitting my weekly targets.”

He hasn’t been across to the USA of late but New York is on the agenda in the near future. And, while he may not have recently hopped across the pond to America, O’Flynn has plenty on his plate at home. For starters, there are his own customers; then there is still the bespoke work that he undertakes for his old firms of Huntsman and New & Lingwood.

It’s a combination of factors that contribute to the appeal of a visit to his shop. The amount of repeat business speaks volumes for his ability (“You’ve got to know your onions,” he says), plus there is the quality of his favoured fabrics from the likes of famed Swiss cotton manufactuers Alumo or, closer to home, Lancashire-based Acorn.

Prices start at £170 (including VAT) and that tariff covers a wide range, only increasing with the move up into Sea Island cottons or monogram work and such like. Sean does his customer’s measurements, and drafts them a pattern before he does the hand-cutting with shears and knives, ahead of the shirt being made up by machine in-house.

Unlike some shirtmakers, he stipulates no minimum order . And, as for house style, he feels his shirts ideally complement Savile Row's hand-made suits. “They have what I call a West End cut, which goes with a bespoke suit,” he says. “I like to think they are classic-stroke-elegant.

FROM SHOWBIZ TO SEWBIZ

BESPOKE SHIRTMAKER Stephen Lachter had a longtime partnership with tailor John Kent but reports now that he will not be returning to business after his long illness. "He was one of the great West End tailors," said Stephen, "but he won't be coming back."

So he continues his own bespoke shirt business from within the Norton & Son premises at No 16 Savile Row, where he also does work under the Norton label. He is a valued part of that team, not least in his involvement with their just launched E Tautz ready-to-wear collection of gentleman’s clothing and accessories (see Summer edition of savilerow-style).

He started life as a stand-up comic in Southend. But in the 1970s, Lachter accepted a position at Hawes and Curtis and so comedy’s loss was to become shirtmaking’s gain.

In a fascinating and colourful career, the amiable Lachter has become one of the most respected men in his profession. Over the years he has looked after a host of high-profile clients and for proof of this you need look no further than a gent’s photo beside his work-bench. ‘Stephen, you make a great shirt’ reads the inscription and the signature underneath is that of none other than Frank Sinatra.

Lachter, seen above left with Patrick Grant of Norton's, really established himself in the mid-1980s when he started out on his own, sharing premises – initially in Kingly Street - with his great friend John Kent, above the Miranda Club. Kent and Lachter eventually moved in with Norton’s in 2004.

Lachter, 57, calls his style of shirt ‘Classic with a modern twist’. Charges start from around £145 (inc VAT) and there is a minimum order of three. Talk to him about his business and what’s clear is the attention to detail as this insight reveals.

“We cut an individual paper pattern from the ‘measures’ taken, but just as important is taking the deportment,” he says. “So we take into account whether you are head forward, head back, erect, drop right, drop left, big stomach, no stomach, no hips - all those individual little things to help the balance of the shirt fit a bit better.”

Lachter, who has a personable and relaxed manner, also stresses how key it is to grasp what each individual client requires. “Really, the most important thing for any bespoke tailor or shirtmaker is to listen to your customer and see what they want. If what they’re saying is not practical, then diplomatically tell them and most of the time you come to a good conclusion."