The Golden Shears awards, chaired by Simon Cundey of Henry Poole & Co, are the ideal place to see the best in bespoke tailoring and what the younger generation are bringing into the business.
To enter this year’s event, tailoring students and apprentices from across the country submitted work which was first judged by a panel of Savile Row insiders, who awarded marks for technical skill, design, cutting and tailoring. The top 25 eventually feature in a catwalk show at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, which this year is on Monday, March 20, where more marks are awarded for aesthetic value by a VIP panel industry aficionados.
Technical judge Antonia Ede, Founder of Tailoring House Montague Ede, is a major fan of the event. “Not only does the Golden Shears celebrate young talent in the trade and coming up through the colleges, it also works as an amazing platform and showcase for those tailors to display and prove their worth,” she said.
“Although primarily a competition, I think a huge part of the taking part process is the education gleaned from the entering. Having to design, cut, make and finish a look is no mean feat and, having spoken to past entrants and witnessed the love and dedication poured in to the final piece, I know that each tailor would say they learnt a great deal about themselves and their craft in the process.”
The Golden Shears and £3000 are awarded to the entrant with the highest total of marks in both stages of the competition. The runner-up receives Silver Shears and £2500, and a ‘Rising Star’ wins Silver Shears and £2000. The principal sponsors of the evening are CapitB and the Savile Row Bespoke Association.
Roll of honour 2017
Fashion Tailoring Academy, Camberwell
Laura Pizzetti
School of Creative Arts, Hertfordshire University
Aigerim Kaziyeva
London College of Fashion
Donghyun Kim, Elin Sjovik, Emily Latham and James Eardley
Leeds College of Arts
Monica Birzan
UCA Rochester
Matthew-Erik Beal
Anderson & Sheppard
Emily Hayward
Chittleborough & Morgan
Alireza Haraji
Couch & Hoskin
Jorden Barratt and Zoe Yates
Dege & Skinner
Alexander Hills
Gieves & Hawkes
Riki Brockman
Huntsman
Rebecca Mahoney
Kathryn Sargent
Alistair Nimmo and Tara Hansen
Maurice Sedwell
Jessica Robinson
Norton & Sons
Kirsten McDove
Richard Anderson
Emily Self
Robert Dick
Jack Lamb
Savile Row Academy
Rachel Singer and Richard Butler
Thom Sweeney
Louise McGowan
Welsh & Jefferies
Charles Urraca Serra