TAILORS CELEBRATE MERGER

The best dressed celebration in town took place early in Feb, when the tailors put on their glad rags and congregated for their annual dinner at the grand Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City of London.

This year’s was an extra special event, marking the coming together of two venerable charity institutions devoted to the tailoring trade. One, started in the 1830s, was for the lower ranks, you might say, and the other, started in 1887, for the masters.

The Tailors Benevolent Institute was the idea of one of Beau Brummell’s tailors, John Stutz, who wanted to help sewing tailors who fell on hard times. Years later, two master tailors, having just enjoyed a TBI dinner,  thought the upper echelons of the trade also deserved a similar charity, and so the Master Tailors Benevolent Association was formed.

The two were W. Goodall and Howard Cundey, who were sharing a hansom cab at the time, as befitted their rank.  In today’s egalitarian times, it finally seemed sensible for the two institutions to come together and doubtless Howard Cundey would have been pleased that his great grandson, Simon Cundey of Henry Poole, played an important role in bringing the merger about.

So this year’s evening event, formerly known as the Master Tailors Benevolent Association Dinner, became the Bespoke Tailors Benevolent Association dinner.

As ever, in the course of a fairly rumbustious occasion, funds were raised for charity as the denizens of Savile Row and environs swapped shop and tall tales.

Not so long ago, this was a white tie occasion but now mainly sees plain black dinner suits, with a sprinkling of contrasting dinner jackets and trousers, and one or two somewhat startling lighter ensembles. Also not so long ago, it was male only but now not only can tailors bring their ladies but plenty of ladies have infiltrated the once solidly male tailoring ranks.

Guest speaker was A A Gill, the acerbic columnist of the Sunday Times, who gave a speech that was just sufficiently risqué to maintain his reputation, without frightening the horses. Cameron Buchanan, who was President of the MTBA, continues as President of the new body and proclaimed his Scottish pedigree by wearing tartan trews with matching vest. A man in a grey suit with white braiding and a frilled shirt was one of the ‘interesting’ sights.

The new owner of Huntsman, Roubi l’Roubi, was present with his team. The forthcoming marriage of Michael Skinner, chairman of Dege & Skinner, was announced. Despite the economic climate, everyone was in good spirits and at the after-dinner reception, plenty of good spirits were in them.

At top, the receiving line, from left, President of the BTBA, Cameron Buchanan and his wife Emma; Anda Rowland, Appeal Chairman, and partner Jerome Faillant Dumas.. On the top table, wearing her chain of office, Judith Warner, Lord Mayor of Westminster, next to A A Gill, guest speaker. Above,Buchanan shows off his tartan trews and vest, with Terry Brown of Scabal. Pix by Kerri D Photography.