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Jason Momoa with Henry Poole’s Simon Cundey, left , and Daniel McDonald, right

By Daniel Evans

It’s not often that Hollywood’s finest take time out to travel across London to visit a particular store in search of clothes but that is exactly what Jason Momoa, of Aquaman and Dune fame, did when he wanted to have the very best in Savile Row tailoring.

Jason knocked on the door at Henry Poole & Co on two Saturdays, only to find them closed. He then called up on a Monday and explained, as a busy actor, he could only get over at the weekend. Daniel McDonald, a cutter at Henry Poole, recognised the name and, soon enough, arranged a Saturday appointment for the American star.

Simon Cundey, managing director at Henry Poole, says Jason certainly does turn heads when he visits. “We have a blast every time he comes,” says Simon. “He shakes up Savile Row by bringing his classic cars or some friends who are amazing characters – skateboarders, rock climbers. You never know who you are going to meet when Jason’s in town.”

Some of the items Henry Poole has worked on with Jason recently have been for film premieres – the James Bond blockbuster No Time to Die, the Ridley Scott film House of Gucci, and Dune, in which Jason plays Duncan Idaho. In the book, Idaho is described as ‘a handsome man with curling black hair to whom women are easily attracted’ … Sounds like a role Jason was born to play.

Jason’s suit-making exploits on Savile Row have been brilliantly captured on a video which is available on YouTube. The opening scene sees Jason pull up on the Row, exit his impressive motor and tell his viewers: “This is the first time I’ve had a hand-made bespoke suit made on Savile Row. Since I was 21 or 22, I’ve been walking past Henry Poole, looking in the window. It’s my favourite window. I’ve always wanted to get myself a suit and now, 20 years later, I’m getting my first English-made bespoke suit.”

As he chats and interacts with the staff at Henry Poole, Jason tells Daniel: “I want a seersucker suit.”

“Do you want to keep it classic or do you want it to go a little bit funky?” asks Daniel.

“It’s important to have both,” says Jason. “Keep it classy and go funky.”

Simon explains the secrets of a good seersucker suit. “It’s super lightweight, very much a summer suiting,” he says. “It’s cotton-based and has a crushed look to it. The traditional colours are mid blue and white and it’s still popular in America – in the Carolinas, New Orleans and Georgia.”

As Henry Poole get closer to finishing the suit for the Dune premier – where Jason walked the red carpet in a claret cotton velvet jacket with a burgundy brocade waistcoat – they decide they need something a little bit different so they go over the road to Hawthorne and Heaney, the embroidery experts, where Claire Barrett adds some delightful finishing touches. As Simon explains: “We can sketch out something we like, and they make it work.”

Simon is clearly delighted to have Jason as a regular client. “He enjoys people and is passionate about many things in life. He’s inspired by creativity and craft,” says Simon. “When he’s here at Henry Poole, he makes a point of going round to see everybody in the workshop. And the thing about Jason is that he is super fit. He’s up there with his 50-inch chest but he’s also got a 36-inch waist. And it’s not often you get guys with that sort of shape.”

The video itself has already had nearly 400,000 views and the comments show just how popular the man is. One fan writes: “Out of all the very rich and famous people who have walked through (Henry Poole’s) door, I bet they have never met anyone quite so genuinely down to earth as Mr Jason Momoa” while another says: “Congratulations to Henry Poole & Co for amazing work. They are definitely the gold standard. So is the embroidery shop across the street. And Jason has such an amazing vibe.”

Yet another writes: “(Jason’s) excitement at getting a bespoke Savile Row suit was genuine and lovely to see. They were truly amazing suits. A man immediately carries himself better and looks more confident when he’s wearing a great suit” while other comments include: “After knowing about Henry Poole & Co for so many years it’s really fascinating to get such a great look inside their establishment … Henry Poole, you went from Winston Churchill to Jason Momoa; not bad going guys, truly not bad… …. Wow, so much goes into the making of these suits. Absolutely amazing craftsmanship …. Those suits were beautiful, especially the one for Dune – just gorgeous!”

But let’s leave the last words to the man himself. After the suit fittings and film premieres, Jason closes the video by saying: “You’ve turned me into a changed man, Mr Henry Poole.”

Watch the video here

Jason Momoa with Henry Poole's Simon Cundey,

Writing exclusively for Savile Row Style, wet shaving expert and Wilde & Harte Director Paul Thompson introduces an exciting new razor collection to the luxury grooming sector, which celebrates the exquisite craftsmanship of royal armours and British made razors

The ‘Line of Kings’ – Razors inspired by the grand armours of English kings and forged in partnership with the Royal Armouries.


The collection features a shorter length, more bulbous design of our best selling ‘Art Deco’ Eltham razor handle. The collection is named after Eltham Palace, the former Royal Residence to a young Henry VIII. Examples of the Henry’s armour are displayed by the Royal Armouries in the ‘Line of Kings’ exhibition.

Above: The ‘Line of Kings’ Eltham Mach3 Razor

The collaboration boasts a Gillette Mach3 razor, a Gillette Fusion razor and a stainless steel (plastic free) safety razor, each manufactured from stainless steel.

The ‘Line of Kings’ – A cutting edge attraction

From the reign of Henry VIII onwards, distinguished foreign dignitaries were invited to visit the Tower of London to inspect the royal armoury. First created in the second half of the 17th century – the ‘Line of Kings’ exhibition has a history spanning over 350 years and remains a popular visitor attraction to this day.


A ‘Line of Kings’ razor truly celebrates the magnificent craftsmanship of royal armours and is a historical connection to the past kings of England dating back to the 16th century. Each razor makes the perfect gift to oneself, or to the special person in your life.


Above: The ‘Line of Kings’ Eltham Fusion Razor & razor stand

 

Why use a Wilde & Harte razor?

Razor Guarantee: Purchase in confidence with a 2-year Gillette razor guarantee or LIFETIME safety razor guarantee.
Choice of designs:  Our razors are available to purchase in a choice of contemporary and traditional, classic designs.
Hand polished finish: Each razor is polished to an impeccable mirror finish by skilled metal finishers.
100% Plastic-free shaving solutions: We offer a range of safety razors, which are kind to the environment, your skin AND your pocket.
We are members of the Made in Britain campaign: An initiative which is endorsed by the British Government, supported by British manufacturers and recognised by global consumers.

About the brand

Wilde & Harte design and manufacture razor collections inspired by the splendour and grandeur of iconic houses and palaces in London. Where style meets sustainability, the brand offers hand crafted 100% plastic free shaving options and accessories to minimise plastic consumption and lower shaving costs. Wilde & Harte are members of the Made in Britain campaign.

To learn more and view the 20% OFF voucher code, our ‘Line of Kings’ offer exclusive to Savile Row Style, please visit www.wildeandharte.co.uk/savilerow

Writing exclusively for Savile Row Style, wet

Food enthusiasts, certainly those who like their ingredients fresh and their food full of flavour, will be delighted to hear that Mayfair’s first Armenian restaurant will open its doors on Monday. The menu has been put together by Marcel Ravin, a two-Michelin-starred chef and the driving force behind The Blue Bay restaurant in Monaco. Dishes will range from the Famous Cherry Kebab – spiced kebab skewers, cooked over charcoal and then covered in home-made cherry sauce, with the fruit picked in Armenia – to the Signature Lusin Kibbeh: mixed meat, bulgur and nuts, seasoned with Armenian spices and pomegranate molasses. The dishes will be cooked by in-house chefs, rather than Ravin.

In the past, Ravin, left, has said:I’ve always cooked for others before cooking for myself. I want to create emotions and make people happy. I want to move people. Eating is more than just an action. I don’t just cook to bring ingredients together. I design my dishes so that there’s a succession of flavours. An explosion in the mouth.”

Lusin, which takes its name from the Armenian word for “moon”, is the latest expansion of a restaurant chain that already operates in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia. The restaurant itself will have space for up to 100 diners over two floors, with walls featuring stone originally sourced from the mountains of Armenia. The entrance showcases three outstanding pillars that have hand-made carvings resembling Armenian Khachkar, symbols and signs from the “Tree of Life” to the “Eternity” symbol. Cocktails include fresh twists on classics and the drinks menu has been crafted by mixologist Giancarlo Mancino, official beverage and bar consultant for the Rosewood Hotels worldwide. Armenian wines are also available to try.

Lusin will open on October 31 at 16 Hay Hill, London, W1J 8NY. For more information, visit lusinrestaurant.com or follow them @lusinmayfair

 

Food enthusiasts, certainly those who like their

By Daniel Evans

Anyone looking for reassurance that the future of Savile Row is bright after a pandemic which has blighted many a retailer need only spend a few minutes in the company of the effervescent ball of energy that is Daisy Knatchbull. As she sits in the offices of The Deck, a women-only tailor at 19, Savile Row, Daisy is quick to sum up what she sees as the ambition of the business. “It’s where classical elegance meets modern femininity,” she says without hesitation. “I’m not a tailor – that takes years and it’s an impeccable skill – so I thought I’d go out and offer a made-to-measure service for women myself which we launched in 2019. The business just flew. We started in a little basement in the King’s Road. We dressed a lot of celebrities early on and we had a lot of loyal clients.

“Then, in September 2020, we got the opportunity to move here to Savile Row. It was a lifelong dream of mine to sit among the bastions of British tailoring. It’s an honour and exactly where I wanted us to be. I never imagined it would happen this quickly but it’s fantastic. We really want to make this work and be around the best in the business. We want to be here in one hundred years.”

Daisy, who has an all-women team behind her, continues: “I love that we’ve made history with the first shopfront for women on Savile Row and I’m excited for what’s to come. I want The Deck to become the place to go for all women’s tailoring – not just jackets, trousers, dresses, skirts but also for overcoats, jumpsuits, shirts, knitwear whatever it is. We want to produce timeless clothes that are never going to go out of fashion and which celebrate the woman of today. People had been doing women’s on Savile Row for ages but it made up a tiny portion of their business and no-one was really focusing solely on women because it was often deemed ‘more difficult than men’ due to our varying body shapes and curves. We have so many women who come in and burst into tears because they have never had a pair of trousers that have fitted them before. The ready-to-wear industry insists that women are one size. Of course, it is sometimes more complicated doing women’s tailoring because no two women are the same. I think a lot of women want what we have but don’t know we exist. That’s why it is so addictive. Once they have had something with us, they want to come back. It’s a really incredible feeling and suddenly, what you had before doesn’t seem as appealing.

“We ensure longevity, versatility and durability in everything we do. If you can help people understand why it is worth the investment and that this is something you can pass down to the next generation. And we do free repairs for life. As soon as people receive a garment from us, they understand. They’ve got something that’s made for them, with their choice of cloth, linings and buttons made with the highest quality cloth in the world from Savile Row merchants. It makes sense. There won’t be a child in a factory somewhere in Bangladesh making the clothes. The pandemic has only accelerated the changes that need to happen in fashion. And that’s exciting. Savile Row has always had this message that this is something to pass down to your son, your nephew. Now we can say the same for women. Bring your daughters, pass it down to your nieces, pass it down to your godchildren, your sister. When you deliver a good, quality product that people are happy with, they see the value in that and will come back.”

So why call yourself The Deck? Daisy explains. “We are called The Deck as there are four suits in a deck of cards and we start with four looks. You can mix and match and change all the styling details as you wish. The singe-breasted jacket, the double-breasted jacket, the boyfriend (a more over-sized, four-buttoned, double-breasted) and the safari jacket. Then for trousers – we have the cigarette, straight-leg, wide-leg and flair-leg. I enjoy making good-quality, beautiful things that make people happy. You have to have a belief and a mission when you start your own business otherwise what is it all about? You need to make money, for sure, but there has to be a driver in that you want to see change.

“Our clients are investing in craftsmanship. Good quality clothes made with natural fibres and traditions and techniques. It’s anti-fast fashion. It’s good for the planet. Our real ‘enemy’ I guess is fast fashion. People are wanting to turn to more slo-mo fashion and invest in hyper personalised products and craftsmanship. We are doing something so unique that we don’t need to be around other women’s shops.”

Click here to check out the Daisy Knatchbull gallery

Daisy’s early success has been confirmed by The Deck being chosen by Walpole as one of the Brands of Tomorrow and  a collaboration with Turnbull and Asser, where Prince Charles has had his shirts made since he was a lad.

Walpole is the industry body for the British luxury sector and its initiative will guide 12 of what Walpole calls “Britain’s most innovative fledging luxury companies”.  Walpole launched the Brands of Tomorrow programme in 2007 to build a pipeline of next-generation brands as part of its vision for securing the long-term growth of the UK’s luxury sector. Each of the selected brands will attend a series of practical workshops on key business development topics and will be paired with a mentor who is a senior leadership figure from the luxury sector. As Walpole chief executive Helen Brocklebank explained: “This initiative was designed to help early-stage luxury brands drive their success, creating economic growth for the country. As we move beyond the pandemic, and forge a new vision of Global Britain, its role has never been so important.” It’s a partnership which clearly delights Daisy. “It’s an amazing thing to be recognised as a brand of tomorrow,” she says. “That’s big. It’s lovely to get that recognition.”

Daisy is equally pleased by the Turner and Asser partnership. “We are doing a collaboration for four women’s shirts which is really exciting,” she says. “We’ve gone to the best in British shirt making and said we want to design four shirts – the four easy, breezy white shirts that you can wear smarten up, relax, tone down, pair up.”

Daisy has spent her working life in fashion. “It’s where I always wanted to work,” she explains. “From a young age I was interning wherever I could, doing work experience, making coffee – learning, growing, trying to figure out where I wanted to sit in the fashion industry. After various fashion internships, I got a job assisting the fashion director of the Sunday Times Style magazine. That was really cool and I loved it but I was always looking for the next thing. I like to think I have an entrepreneurial mind where I was always trying to find the gap in the market, trying to see if there was any room for me to make my mark on the womenswear world.”

Daisy landed a job on Savile Row with Huntsman as PR co-ordinator which gave her the chance to be in the heart of the tailoring world and learn about that. “I’d never been on Savile Row,” she says. “I was there for four and a half years and worked my way up to be communications director for the business. In 2016 I wore a top hat and tails to Royal Ascot and that got a fantastic reaction and set something going in my mind about this suit-shaped gap for women.”

As she rises to the top of her trade, Daisy is keen to help other women navigate the same path. “Young, female entrepreneurship is something I’m passionate about,” she says firmly. “I do a lot of stuff around mentoring young women trying to get ahead. It’s about nurturing young, female entrepreneurship. It’s harder as a woman entrepreneur.  When I started out, I hadn’t studied finance, economics, business. I wish I’d done that so I had to teach myself all of these things. I didn’t want to feel stupid or ask the wrong question or feel ashamed I felt that way.  I have a network of female founders who can share their experiences – their highs, their lows. It’s a very lonely thing starting your own business but talking about that with other people who are in the same boat makes us stronger. There are a lot of talented women out there. Change is coming. There’s never been a better time to be a woman.”

Unsurprisingly, Daisy is full of confidence about the future. “We want to scale globally,” she says. “We have so much demand overseas. There are some really cool things that are happening and I’m excited about that. I want The Deck to be somewhere as many women as possible know about. We get a lot of clients who come in and say ‘I wish I knew about you. I wish you had been around 10 years ago’. It’s just about getting that message out and consistently delivering on quality. Too many businesses as they grow lose sight of quality and the ethos that underpinned them at the very start. It’s important that we keep really tight on that as we grow. The next market for us would be the America. We are currently concentrating on the face-to-face but lots of exciting things for the online are coming up soon. It’s about being sensible.”

As I leave the store, where staff are busy dealing with a man who wants “something special” for his sister’s birthday, I can’t help feeling that Daisy’s will be a positive and energetic voice on Savile Row for many years to come.

 

DAISY’S QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Bowie or Jagger? That’s really hard…Jagger. No, Bowie.

Ascot or Henley? Ascot

Pimm’s or champagne? Pimm’s

Cornwall or Cotswolds? Cornwall

Skiing or sailing? Skiing

Rugby or football? Football

Coffee or tea? Tea

Salmon or steak? Steak

Favourite Bond? Sean Connery

By Daniel Evans Anyone looking for reassurance that