Well folks, this time I got fascinated by something literally on my doorstep. The mystery of tailors' trade in Savile Row, world famous for elegant bespoke suits and coats has been something I wanted to look at for a long time. By coincidence, I was asked to shoot a portrait of the two leading gentlemen at The Huntsman, a decidedly traditional and classic Savile Row establishment. It exemplifies the traditional British virtues of order, sobriety and elegance that are conventionally associated with Savile Row tailoring.
The Edwardian-style fitting and cutting rooms, mounted stag heads and compartmentalised workshops over several floors suggest an old-fashioned craft refusing to compromise on quality by automation. Customers usually have three to five fittings, and garments are hand-made using paper patterns by a staff of highly skilled cutters, coat, waistcoat and trouser-makers, alteration tailors and finishers, taking several weeks. They don't do 'modern', they don't advertise, and they don't need to. Their standards explain Huntsman's prices, still among the highest on Savile Row.
I liked The Huntsman so much, I've gone back several times to produce a reportage feature on the tailor's craft. Although the initial requirement was to shoot in colour, I decided to produce the feature in Sepia, a classic monochrome format befitting the subject. View the full gallery of The Huntsman.
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