SAVILE ROW GOES FOR GIRLS

Women are not only storming the workrooms and boardrooms of Savile Row but are now increasingly arriving as customers.

In the dim, dark past, county ladies seeking hunting wear might go to the same tailor as their husbands, and their bountiful bosoms posed few problems, requiring just minor adjustments to the full cut for a male chest.  Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn were early proponents of an androgynous look, favouring mannish suits that largely by-passed the bust entirely. But when it came to fitting a pert shape, most tailors acknowledged it was not their forté.

Nothing androgynous about this outfit by Edward Sexton, a tailored db jacket with short trousers and long coat.

But now, Savile Row has honed its skills to become much more adept at fitting the feminine form, and is welcoming lady customers.

“We have career women coming to us who want a classically tailored trouser suit, a three piece maybe, and we may make it a four piece with a tailored skirt,” said Poppy Charles of Huntsman. “ Some of them are in their 20s, and 30s, so they are young women who may have seen an outfit in our window display or perhaps a feature about us in Vogue.

“In the past, they may have gone to Bond Street but if they want something exclusive, made individually for them, they are now coming to us.”

To achieve the softer construction required, Huntsman has cutter Anette Akselberg , who manages to tread the fine line between dressmaking and tailoring.

“The make has to be much softer and lighter than for the men,” explained Poppy, “ so Anette will look for cloths that may be used with a lighter canvas and with silk linings. But it is Huntsman tailoring.”

Edward Sexton is one of the few who has always catered for female customers. Since his days with Tommy Nutter in the 60s, when they made the white suits for Mick and Bianca Jagger, he has continued to attract plenty of glamorous lady customers, and staged his own show during London Fashion Week.

He goes for a very fitted line, favouring double breasted jackets, with lapels often accentuating the shape. In this latest collection, short trousers, as at top, are an alternative to his usual long lean lines.

Above, white skirt suit from Huntsman, with shawl collar and panelled skirt. Right, Sexton at work with a jacket typical of his styling.

Another Row firm seeing a steady rise in female customers is Richard Anderson. Director Brian Lishak said some are attracted by  items in their window but Richard’s book, ‘Savile Row – Ripped and Torn’ published last year, has also proved a draw.

“Though it hasn’t been published in the US yet,” he explained, “it is available there on Amazon and it has certainly brought customers. We had one US career woman arrive and bring her son and husband as well, which was nice!”

Cropped jacket left, from Richard Anderson.

Richard Anderson does all the cutting here, creating softly tailored designs free of the hard masculinity that overshadowed past attempts at women’s wear in the Row.

Since launching his firm Stowers Bespoke last year, Ray Stowers has made rapid progress in his aim to make it an expansive emporium. In addition to the classic Savile Row tailoring that he and his two partners provide, he has added a men’s shoe collection with a bespoke service, umbrellas, a selection of millinery creations, and a women’s couture collection from the House of Alistair.

But for those female customers who want classic Savile Row tailoring, Ray or his partner Brian Jeffrey are adept at making a soft yet fully tailored construction that will keep its shape whilst pandering to the feminine one of the customer.

Classically tailored button-one jacket with peaked lapels in pink pin-stripe, by Stowers Bespoke.