Austerity measures
Last week saw more coverage about ‘Austerity Britain’. In particular, how people were looking to revitalise long forgotten skills. BBC TV’s Newsnight had people talking about reinvigorating the clothes in their wardrobes, the Independent issued a supplement in their New Good Life series (Making and Mending – Sewing, knitting and darning), and the Financial Times ran a page about the rise in the sales of sewing machines and haberdashery.
I visited a number of my favourite suppliers here in London and they all confirmed how there had been an upsurge in interest, although as Martyn Frith of the Button Queen commented, “this was their third recession over 50 years, so it was not entirely unexpected”.
- The Button Queen: Established for over 50 years with a collection of some 2 million buttons, including rare antiques. They will source special requirements.
- MacCulloch & Wallis: Great selection of millinery items in addition to an extensive selection of fabrics and trimmings, all within a listed building in Mayfair.
- Kenton Trimmers: Family business that caters specifically for the bespoke tailor.
- V V Rouleaux: Out of the ordinary, theatrical trimmings and decorations.
A little while ago we ran a post about the fashion industry and how it had spawned a rash of cheap clothing much of which ended up in our land fill sites after only a couple of outings. It is a welcome move forward that people are now looking to remodel and recycle. Unfortunately, because of the structuring of mass-produced garments this is not always as straightforward as it seems. With some new designs, compromises are made in the make, and in the use of cloth and trimmings – and seams have a tendency to autodestruct at the slightest hint of a repair kit!
Nonetheless, I am all for ‘making do and mending’. In fact it has given me great pleasure recently to work with one of my clients, a medical consultant, who wanted to have a hand in sharpening up her tailored wardrobe, and adapting it more to her own changing tastes and body shape. Ultimately she would like to learn more about basic tailoring, extending her creative skills set as well as the life of her garments, and at the same time adding some personal touches to her wardrobe.
Tags: alterations, make do and mend, suits, tailoring
I am the client mentioned in this post. Carol and I looked at all the garments she has tailored for me over the years, mending some and updating others. It was a great pleasure to watch Carol at work and as the garments were my own I could practise some basic skills under her expert supervision. It was a very enjoyable and productive session and fascinating to observe the expertise of a Savile Row tailor at first hand.
Thank you, Frances! Lovely to see your enthusiasm, and thank you for your support.
This is fascinating and makes me think of my grandmother, who was perfect at sewing and making her own clothes. She grew up in a small village in China where HER grandmother taught her how to sew and embroider – if she didn’t get it perfect, her grandmother would check it and make her unpick it and start again. She tells of a translucent fan she had to embroider with a pattern, which had to be perfectly stitched on BOTH sides! When I think of my terrible handiwork when sewing on a button, I am very embarrassed…