Connect with:
logo
mobile-logo

Standard Blog Whole Post

Events, Launches, News

From left to right: Lady Sabrina Percy, Hum Fleming, Daisy Knatchbull, Natalie Salmon and Flora Vesterberg

By Daniel Evans

The cocktails were flowing and the enjoyment was obvious when Daisy Knatchbull celebrated moving The Deck, her women’s tailoring house, into new premises on Savile Row last week. With a glamorous party enjoyed by people from across the world of fashion, Daisy, who opened her first store at 19 Savile Row in 2020, was clearly delighted to be in a much bigger space, across the road, at No 32.

“I’m loving the evening,” she told me. “I’m very blessed and honoured to have so many people here to celebrate the opening of The Deck. The move means we have a bigger presence and more store frontage. To be among the bastions of British tailoring is an honour, a great thing, and we really have the opportunity to make our mark on The Row. I hope we stay here for the next 100 years.”

Among the guests were D&G model Lady Sabrina Percy, Prince Edward’s daughter Lady Helen Taylor, Arabella Holland, Natalie Salmon, Flora Vesterberg and Hum Fleming. The cocktails were provided by Savile Row Gin. Daisy adds: “I launched The Deck with a vision to dress the success of the world’s most self-empowered women and now, three years later, I couldn’t be prouder of where our house stands. This new space on Savile Row is the biggest physical manifestation of The Deck to date; designed and curated to reflect the grand scale of our garments on offer. I’m incredibly excited to continue with the creation of all tailored identities from this tremendous space. Whether you’re an existing customer of The Deck or someone with a newfound sartorial curiosity, our new doors are always open to welcome you, because our story cannot exist without yours.”

 

 

0 Comments

From left to right: Lady Sabrina Percy,

Lifestyle, News, Savile Row Gin, Travel

Guests at the Savile Row Gin Experience in the stills room

Jessica and Debbie and Amy and Scarlet, who all left JP Hackett’s flagship store on Savile Row clutching their prized, personalised bottles of gin, were unanimous when they said: “It’s been a night to remember.” The quartet had been part of a sold out evening of cocktail tasting and gin making, hosted by The Savile Row Gin Experience, at the centre of elegance and craftsmanship for which this exclusive oasis of Mayfair is well known. To begin, there was a short introduction to bespoke tailoring by the urbane Thomas van Kannen, store manager at Hackett, then a fascinating talk and demonstration about the secrets of making gin with expert Michal Zajac.

Savile Row gin CEO Stewart Lee welcomes guests to the Pink Room

First, Thomas, in the elegance of the former Hardy Amies building at 14 Savile Row which has been Hackett’s London HQ since 2019, guides us through the world of bespoke tailoring. He says: “Everything bespoke is made here at the store and it takes about 12 to 16 weeks to make a garment. The head cutter is the architect for the suit and, in Juan Carlos Benito, we have one of the best in the world. His grandfather trained on Savile Row – he made a suit for Fred Astaire – and I know JC has always wanted to return here and follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. It’s his first job on Savile Row.”

Thomas goes on to explain how JC, as he is known, goes about his work. “He creates a shape for each client which is only possible with bespoke. Every pocket is cut and made by hand, every buttonhole is stitched by hand – every little detail you can see is made by hand. That’s why you have to treat it like art. There are around 80 hours of hand work in every garment.”

The focus then moves on to Michal as he entertains those gathered in the busy Green Room at the back of this magnificent building. With a few drinks to set the mood – first a  French 75 then a Southside, apparently a favourite of Al Capone – Michal brings on the main event – creating and distilling your personalised bottle of gin.

Guests choose botanicals for their unique bottle of gin

Michal explains that, before you actually create your gin, you need to select – with the help of some small weighing scales – your botanicals, essential ingredients that provide your gin with its unique taste. You’ll need to pick your base flavour – juniper, coriander or angelica – then a variety of others from the four stations dotted around the room, depending on whether you want your gin to be spicy (black pepper, cassis, liquorice etc), citrusy (lime leaves, orange peel, lemon peel) herbal (thyme, rosemary etc) or floral (elderflower, orris root). Then it’s out to the stills, kept in a separate room, where you mix your choice of botanicals with some ethanol, pour it into your still, heat it up and, 20 minutes later, out comes your unique recipe, ready to be poured into your personal gin bottle to take home.

It was a process that delighted the packed room of first-time gin makers. “The highlight was tasting the gin as it came out of the still,” said Amy. “I enjoyed combining the ingredients and learning about the different proportions that go together.”

Her friend Scarlet agreed: “I enjoyed learning about the ingredients that go into a cocktail,” she enthused. “You come away with a brilliant bottle of gin you have made yourself. A lovely experience.”

Debbie was equally enthusiastic. She said: “We took an artist’s palette of flavours and blended them together according to some principles to see what comes out at the other end. I enjoyed the combination of having a bit of skill imparted as well as having a good old go. You can create your own thing but you’ll get some real information and education at the same time.”

And, as Jessica holds her prized bottle of gin which she says will be going straight into her fridge at home before she invites some friends around for a tasting, she sums up the evening: “It was convivial and informative,” she said. “A lovely group of people with lovely drinks. The highlight has got to be the distillery and I highly recommend.”

The Savile Row gin team

To find out more, go to The Savile Row Gin Experience. You can book an experience here. Book now for Thursday, March 9.

0 Comments

Guests at the Savile Row Gin Experience

News, Suits

Gieves & Hawkes, one of the most famous names in tailoring, is back in British hands after being bought by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group. The iconic business, with its main store at No 1 Savile Row, was sold to Ashley last November by the Hong Kong-based owner Trinity Group after it fell into administration at the beginning of last year. All five of Gieves & Hawkes’s UK stores will be part of the deal. Frasers Group, which already owns Sports Direct and House of Fraser, emerged as a potential buyer last September and sealed the deal for an undisclosed sum in November. Hong Kong conglomerate Trinity Ltd took over Gieves & Hawkes in 2012 but Trinity was subject to a winding-up petition for debt in September 2021. Michael Murray, chief executive of Frasers, said: “We are delighted to have acquired Gieves & Hawkes, securing a long-term future for an iconic 250-year-old brand. This acquisition further adds to our portfolio of strategic investments in luxury and premium brands.”

Gieves & Hawkes, which has held Royal Warrants since 1809, has made clothes for King Charles III, George VI and George V, as well as the princes William and Harry. It also dressed Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Winston Churchill. The firm moved to the Georgian townhouse at 1 Savile Row after Gieves acquired the Hawkes brand in 1974. Gieves was founded in 1785 and Hawkes in 1771.

 

0 Comments

Gieves & Hawkes, one of the most

Accessories, Grooming, Lifestyle, Wilde & Harte

Writing exclusively for Savile Row Style, wet shaving expert and Wilde & Harte Director Paul Thompson lists the top five wet shaving razors to keep discerning gentlemen immaculately groomed this year.

The recommendations include modern design razors, traditional design razors, cartridge razors and safety razors from leading established British shaving brands.

1. ‘Line of Kings’ Fusion Razor

High-end Wilde & Harte Fusion Razor, forged in partnership with the Royal Armouries, celebrating exquisite craftsmanship of royal armours and British made razors. Inspired by the grandeur of Eltham Palace, the childhood home of King Henry VIII.

Learn more about the Wilde & Harte ‘Line of Kings’ Fusion Razor.

2. RS-1 Mach3 Razor

Inspired by the design of modern supercars, the Bolin Webb R1-S in eye-catching ‘Signal Orange’ is a sleek, curvaceous Mach3 razor manufactured in the Midlands – the heart of British motor racing heritage.

Learn more about the Bolin Webb R1-S.

3. Ebony Safety Razor

Classic ebony double edge razor from heritage brand D.R. Harris. Shaving with a safety razor offers a very close shave and is considered the most environmentally way to shave. Want to try a safety razor? Then this traditional style razor is a great place to start.

Learn more about the D.R. Harris Ebony Double Edge Razor.

4. Regency Mach3 Razor

A razor influenced by the British Regency era of the early 19th Century from Truefitt & Hill, the world’s oldest barber shop, having been established in 1805. This Regency Mach3 Razor features a large, bulbous handle for good grip.

Learn more about the Truefitt & Hill Regency Mach3 Razor.

5. Travel Fusion Razor & Case

Compact mini Fusion razor and luxury leather case from Taylor of Old Bond Street. An unrivalled travel Mach3 shaving set for busy travellers which can be taken on board any plane as hand luggage.

Learn more about the Taylor of Old Bond Street Travel Fusion Razor & Case.

Remember to Stay Sharp!

This clever little razor sharpening honing pad reduces your use of plastic cartridges and double edge razor blades by extending the life of blades by up to five times. This lowers shaving costs and also your carbon footprint.

Every British made razor should be purchased with this fabulous eco-friendly shaving accessory!

Best British Made Razor Offer!

Exclusive to Savile Row Style, enjoy 20% OFF the ‘Line of Kings’ Fusion Razor. Simply visit www.wildeandharte.co.uk/savilerow to make your purchase.

About Wilde & Harte

We design and manufacture razor collections inspired by the splendour and grandeur of iconic houses and palaces in London. Where style meets sustainability, the brand offers hand crafted 100% plastic free shaving options and accessories to minimise plastic consumption and lower shaving costs. Wilde & Harte are members of the Made in Britain campaign.

wildeandharte.co.uk

0 Comments

Writing exclusively for Savile Row Style,

Classic games, Craftsmanship, Lifestyle

Floating proudly on Edinburgh’s waterfront is Fingal, a former lighthouse ship converted into a luxury hotel. It has 23 “exquisite” cabins and has been described as “a hotel with all the glamour and style of a superyacht but with an old-world elegance that is completely unique”.

While guests can admire the stylish furnishings and enjoy the outstanding menus, what many won’t realise is how it is connected to Hugh Beauchamp, a craftsman who runs his own bespoke business in the city, designing and building perfect items of furniture. As a designer/maker, Hugh, left, is determined to be as sustainable as he can be and that’s where the MV Fingal comes in. The boat started life back in the 1960s as a lighthouse supply ship before its recent transformation into a five-star hotel. As Hugh explains: “I’m always looking to use reclaimed sources and, when the Fingal came in for its refit, I was lucky enough to get my hands on some lovely teak from the boat. I’m really looking forward to working with that. I try to be as sustainable as possible in what I do and reusing wood from the Fingal is really pleasing.

“I try to source the materials I use as locally as possible so I’ve built relationships with sawmills around Scotland. I’ve recently built a jewellery box from horse chestnut which I sourced from Fife and rippled sycamore from a mill in the Scottish Borders. I’m doing a lot of work with trees that have come down during recent storms.”

Hugh, the man behind Beauchamp Edinburgh, has a passion for his craft that is evident in everything he says and makes. A few years back, he was working in the travel industry and making furniture pieces in his own time. Then, the pandemic struck and things changed. “Covid provided the opportunity for a reassessment and career change,” recalls Hugh. “I’d always been an enthusiastic maker and decided to go full-time. Essentially, my hobby became my job. It’s been hard work but I’m delighted with how it has gone.”

Hugh started out making watch boxes and jewellery chests and has recently branched out into high-end board games. “Everything is designed and made by me using traditional hand tools,” he explains. “One of my clients – I’d built him a jewellery chest which he gave to his wife as a Christmas gift – came to me and said: ‘Can you do me a backgammon set?’ I didn’t know much about the game so I did some research, looking at the type of boards professional players and serious enthusiasts like to play on, and we worked together to develop the design. The counters are solid brass so they have a heavy, satisfying tactile feel and move around the board nicely. As you have to reach across to your opponent’s side quite often to move your counters, we had to find the balance between the size of the set and how comfortable it was to play on. We also integrated his old company logo across the board and that will be a design that’s unique to him. He’s come back and commissioned a further two sets which he is going to give as Christmas gifts.”

Hugh, who has recently been accepted into the Scottish Furniture Makers’ Association, enjoys being his own boss. “The opportunity to be creative is exciting,” he says. “It’s entirely driven by me. It comes with less stability and security than a corporate job but that is more than made up for by the creativity and engagement that I feel in the work that I do. I enjoy building close relationships with clients and making sure the piece I am building is exactly what they want.”

Looking to the future, Hugh is determined to keep control of what he does. “I don’t plan to expand – I want to keep a designer/maker focus,” he says. “My pieces are unique and

exclusive. I have the capacity to design and make maybe 12 pieces a year and the vision for the business is to have a build schedule and an order book that is sustainable – to keep it exclusive and focused. They are high-end products and the time involved means they are not cheap to make. I want to be somebody who people are seeking out. I’m aiming to have a client base where recommendation becomes the way the business is built. I’ve been fortunate that, so far, all my clients have come back to be repeat customers so they are obviously happy with what I am producing and see the value in it.”

When asked to sum up his business in three words, Hugh considers for a while and then says:

“Beautiful. Bespoke. Handcrafted – that describes my work.”

Website: beauchampedinburgh.com

0 Comments

Floating proudly on Edinburgh’s waterfront is Fingal,