Tucked away between Conduit and Vigo, and a mere stones throw from the hustle and bustle of Regent Street is a thriving epicentre of bespoke tailoring. Rich in history and heritage Savile Row is a name synonymous with the finest of menswear artisanship. Credited with creating the bowler hat, the most British of accessories, and the tuxedo too, it is on this road that some of the finest made-to-measure suits in the world are produced.
With an impressive array of inhabitants, No.1 Savile Rowe has been one of the most prestigious of London addresses since the 18th century, housing the likes of Bryan Fairfax and The Royal Geographical Society. In the 19th century “The Row” became London’s tailoring hub and the go-to destination for the suited-and-booted to purchase their sartorial supplies. It was only natural then that Hawkes, the most reputable of court tailors, would move into No.1 in 1913.
Fast forward 100years, and Gieves and Hawkes remain the residents of No.1, producing bespoke British tailoring of international acclaim. Gieves and Hawkes is a heritage brand at its truest, it is their ability to defy trends and the influx of todays faster fashion that has kept them firmly put on the menswear map. They are still today, contemporary and highly of relevance to the British premium consumer. Gieves and Hawkes, was the first Savile Row tailor to offer ready-to-wear menswear, and with Jason Basmajian at the realm as Creative Director, the brand has re-imagined itself for the modern-day gent, creating streamlined suiting and updated colour schemes.
The SS14 collection remains true to the brands traditions of bespoke, but has been injected with a modern-day mix of sartorial, military and sportwear styling. Think slimline suits and injections of rose amongst earth tones that nod to the brands history of fashioning some of Britain’s greatest pioneers and explorers. Entitled “The Grand Tour” Gieves and Hawkes takes us on a sartorial discovery of the world, drawing on inspiration from Barbados, Amalfi and Nairobi. Despite these exotic influences, they remain committed to handcrafting their collection exclusively in England. As one would expect fabrics are the finest available, and shoes are handcrafted on British soils too.
Unmissable pieces from the SS14 collection has to be the two piece single-breasted plaid suit in olive, chocolate and royal blue, a safari style rucksack offering an on-trend update to their accessories, and the iconic British trench reinvented in silk twill and storm treated linen for a lightweight, waterproof outerwear item – you may journey the world but this is your piece for the sartorial gents return to Great Britain.
Images courtesy of Gieves and Hawkes.
