TRAINEE TAILORS GO FOR DRAMA

Not many men are likely to stride down the local High Street wearing a boldly checked frock coat and matching skirt but in a competition where most of the protagonists are expected to have tailoring aptitude, a certain degree of originality and eye-catching style is necessary to get an outfit into the winning frame.

This is evident in the styles shown here and in many of the others presented at the bi-annual Golden Shears Awards, which took place earlier this year. This event gives  young tailoring trainees the chance to take the spotlight and can assure their position in the trade.

“It isn’t enough to enter a classic suit, however beautifully tailored,” explained Simon Cundey, chairman of the competition. “It has to be something different, to attract attention, and also to show off the maker’s skill and ability to be original and adaptable.”

This is an important message for the trade to promote.  Classic may be what the Row is known for but it has always had the ability to be as outré and fashionable as the next designer in the spotlight – it’s just that most of its customers want classic.

So this year’s winning outfit illustrated how cleverly the maker worked his checked material, how a formal frock coat could be given a new look, how a kilt might have fresh appeal and how such an outfit might be accessorised.    Others in the competition intent upon a career in the Row showed they too could marry tailoring skill with design originality.

One of the reasons that stops the Row’s houses having the glamour and fame associated with women’s couture houses and designer brands is that they maintain a strict code of confidentiality about customers.  So they do not reveal the many young pop stars, famous actors, top footballers and other personalities who make their way to Savile Row - and for whom the Row makes whatever they desire.

That they will, nearly always, turn finally to the classic creation is because they come to appreciate its timeless elegance. And tailors may, rather like Jeeves, try to persuade them in that direction.

But the young people taking part in the Golden Shears showed just how much scope there is for originality in a tailored outfit, and perhaps their influence will lead to rather more adventurous menswear styling in the future.

For more information on the two tailors who won the Golden and Silver Awards go to Style p4.

At top, the outfit which won the top award, for Rory Duffy, now a fully fledged coatmaker at Henry Poole. Below it, the Silver Shears award went to Paulo Nicodemi of Anderson & Sheppard for this plus-two's and matching shooting jacket set.

Showing some of the competition, the single breasted jacket above, in khaki tweed with a lilac/purple window pane check and purple trim on the collar and back belt was an impressive effort by Sara Nicholaides. She is studying at the Batley School of Art and Design and only started tailoring last year.

Another of the many womenswear entries, the eyecatching coat, left, with intricate embroidery came from Sara Massey, now at Dege & Skinner working on military coat making.

The event, a grand occasion, could not take place without the sponsorship of the Merchant Taylors' Company, Capitb Trust and Savile Row Bespoke, and support from the London College of Fashion and Skillfast-UK.