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Tom Corby on Lord Snowdon, the Maverick Royal
Tailor David Ward on why Savile Row needs protection
Tim Newark on his favourite London clubs
Robin Dutt interviews actor Simon Callow
Helena Nicklin’s wine column
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Gieves and Hawkes apprentice Riki Brockman fought off stiff competition to win the much-coveted 2017 Golden Shears award on Monday night. Having passed the first stage of the competition judged by a panel of top bespoke tailors, Riki went on to win the final in a catwalk show held at the esteemed Merchant Taylors’ Hall in the City of London.
Riki Brockman with his winning design
Despite having a profound respect for men’s classic tailoring, Riki’s main inspiration comes from the street and workwear. Prior to starting his coat-making apprenticeship at Gieves and Hawkes Riki had studied drama and film before taking a short course in tailoring at Newham College.
Brockman’s winning entry – a coyote brown dungaree with beige zipped waistcoat and single-breasted jacket in mid brown – was awarded first place by a panel of celebrity and industry expert guest judges including model David Gandy, TV presenter and model Jodie Kidd, Atonement film director Joe Wright, designer Oliver Spencer and British GQ’s deputy editor Bill Prince.
Dubbed “the Oscars of Savile Row”, the Golden Shears Awards (established in 1974) is a bi-annual competition championed by the Merchant Taylors’ Company, whereby tailoring students and apprentices from throughout the country vie for the Golden Shears trophy and prize money.
Created to support young aspiring tailors from universities, colleges and in apprentice schemes whilst promoting the art of bespoke tailoring, 2017 finalists included entries from London based tailors and colleges such as Thom Sweeney, Norton & Sons, London College of Fashion, Huntsman, Anderson & Sheppard and Kathryn Sargent, with a handful from further afield such as Leeds College of Arts, Rochester, Hertfordshire and Glasgow.
The Silver Shears were awarded to Jorden Barratt, an apprentice at Couch & Hoskins in the City of London for her design of a short black riding cape with silver braid detail, tail coat with embroidered lapel and black trouser, and the Rising Star accolade was won by Matthew Erik-Beale, a student currently studying at the University of Creative Arts in Rochester.
Pictured above with Riki Brockman, from left, are guest judges Oliver Spencer, Joe Wright, David Gandy, Jodie Kidd and Bill Prince.
Gieves and Hawkes apprentice Riki Brockman fought
By Daniel Evans
By Daniel Evans
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
The Golden Shears awards, chaired by Simon
