Tailoring for Women

Last Sunday, I caught an interview with Cherie Blair on the BBC’s Politics Show.  It ended a programme segment hosted by three guest women presenters, each from quite different backgrounds; a fire-fighter, a mother trying to get back into the workforce, and a company director.  An interesting debate.  And three observations in particular struck a chord which has some relevance to my own professional arena.

The other day  it was suggested by a male colleague that it was just too difficult for “gentlemen’s’ and ladies’ tailoring to co-exist”.  ( I use the word ‘ladies’ advisedly!).  Despite the number of professional women currently  hammering at the executive ‘glass ceiling‘ (some of them are my clients),  it seems strange that this sort of attitude still prevails.  Cherie commented on how society works best when women and men work together with “complementary skills on an equal basis”.   I know I learned a huge amount from my colleagues on Savile Row; in fact TfW is a service that grew from within a male tradition.  Yet despite my own background in haute couture, I feel that the opportunity for reciprocal learning was never quite part of the sharing process.

She also commented on how volume counted, that is, the more women that reach senior executive positions, the more accepting and quicker the change; a statistic of around 20%-30% was suggested for producing critical mass.  As one of the only women specialising in authentic bespoke tailoring for women I think we have some way to go on this one!

Maybe it is just that the trade is not ready for an influx of women.  Judging from the recent BBC series about Savile Row, it seems as if the upholders of this male tradition are still pretty well ensconced in their gentleman’s emporiums.

Maybe I should declare myself an endangered species.  And while we are at it, perhaps someone should mention that kissing the back of a lady’s hand by way of greeting is a bit ‘old hat’!

A client rang me the other day. “I was made redundant a couple of months back and with a number of job interviews to face I think I need an edge,” she said.

The timing of this was particularly appropriate because it coincided with a piece of research carried out by a colleague of mine, Kate Rawlinson. She used to be a sub-editor for the fashion magazines and decided to give it all up to train as a bespoke tailor. The outcome of her research was an interesting mix of opinions which showed that almost 60% of women would consider having a suit made, but that this was overridden by concerns about whether or not they would like the result, and also value for money.

The most important criteria when buying a suit was thought to be the fit (82.5%) followed by the quality of fabric (52.6%). Next came quality of construction (51.5%) and then value for money (49.5%).

With just over 80% of women saying that they wear a suit to work there is undoubtedly a demand but the quality and in particular fit of what is on offer was considered as leaving much to be desired; check my post on ‘Shoddy Fashion‘.

What does all this mean? For me it indicates that there needs to be better education process in place reassuring women that going the bespoke route gives you something that covers all the bases with regard to fit, fabric, and quality of construction. There needs perhaps to be more guidance on what to expect during the process, and we have tried to cover some of this in Briefing for Bespoke. If any of you have any thoughts about ways in which we can make this more helpful please get in contact.

One of the big problems appears to be that it is difficult for women to find bespoke tailors who can cater for their needs not just as clients, but as women too. “…the service just seems like a bolt-on, not really geared up for women” said one respondent.

As for value, did you realise that an authentic bespoke suit could last you for 10 years, if not longer. Factor that out and put it against your mobile phone bill!

In the Independent on Sunday Hot List last week the comment was made that ‘men should be making an appointment with their tailor and ordering something chic and long-lasting’. I would suggest that the same goes for women too, and not only when they need an edge.

In closing, one final crie de coeur from the survey…”I love my out-of-work clothes and wish I could feel the same about my suits”

Photo: thanks to The Costumer’s Manifesto

We are thrilled this year to be able to link with this auspicious event and further promote and acknowledge the part women play in business.  This will be the 6th year of the Awards and they include a number of categories ranging from financial to legal services.  I believe from the creator of the event, Gwen Rhys, that it is complete sell out this year and has been promised the attention of BBC TV, so it should be quite an event.

I am, myself, a member of the City Women’s Network (CWN) which has a membership that extends right across these business sectors and it is always a stimulating experience to attend their meetings and learn from such a broad spectrum of expertise. It seems that there are now many such networks at local, national, and even international level.  My friend, the concert pianist Diana Baker, was a speaker at the Women’s International Network conference a couple of years ago and I had hoped to attend their conference in September this year.  Maybe I will have better luck in 2009.

More recently the Everywoman took place in London with the indomitable Ruby Wax as one of the key speakers.  What an inspiration!

So, well done in advance to all the recipients of the Awards.  A great achievement.

It may appear strange that I lead off one of this week’s blog posts with mention of a man’s magazine, but there is a reason for this.  Man’s World is one of the leading mens lifestyle magazines in India, and I was asked to submit some of my thoughts about the Savile Row tradition and how women fit into the scheme of things.

These are some of the questions and my responses.

What about suits for ladies on Savile Row? Most male tailors believe that female clients shift the goalpost much too often. Is that the case and if so, how do you tackle it? What do you think about doing suits for men?

The female form is far more complex than that of a man.  The journey from shoulder to hip, and from hip to floor needs a wholly different approach in both measuring and the balancing of proportions.  Also I question too whether the traditional fabrics used in the inner workings of the jacket are always best suited to the female form.  Some of the new fabrics have interesting properties that I find quite intriguing and perhaps more suitable.

As for doing suits for men.  I still occasionally make them and enjoy the experience, although the challenges are fewer because a man’s suit is something that has evolved over a long space of time and which fits into a well established pattern .  The women’s suit, that is to say something created specifically for women, is still in a process of evolution. Although there are exceptions, generally speaking  I find that women tend to get a man’s suit that has been cut for a women.  Quite a different proposition.

Can you define bespoke?

What do you need, we will make it, and you will feel supremely confident in wearing it.

Can you define Savile Row?

Savile Row is the contemporary manifestation of a highly skilled tradition that stretches back more than 4oo years.  Isn’t it interesting that the Japanese word for a Western business suit is… sebiru-ro… Savile Row!!

Is Savile Row fashionable?

An interesting question.   If you look at any of the fashion magazines you will see constant reference to tailored garments and how fine tailoring can make a fashion house really stand out.  Also you will find that tailors around the world want to align  themselves with Savile Row whether they have any authentic connection or not.  Savile Row has a unique position as a luxury brand without a single owner, and it is something that people aspire to be a part of whether they are makers or wearers.  Asking whether or not it is fashionable is really forgetting that it is actually one of the few constants in a world which is beset by the whims of the fashion industry.

Is it elitist? What would be the most honest reaction of most SR addresses to a person walking in with trainers and torn jeans?

Sadly most tailors would fail to see the opportunity for educating a new client.  Also people dress differently these days.  The fact that someone wears jeans doesn’t necessarily reflect the true reality of the person wearing them.  As research shows, we judge people first by the way they look, not by what they say.  Maybe we need to reflect on this a little more.

Today, is Savile Row mere geography? What about Hong Kong, Thailand or even Hounslow?

Savile Row has two elements.  a) The physical space in Mayfair and the community that is built around it, and b) its universal recognition as a benchmark of quality and service.

What is the biggest change you have seen in the world of men’s fashion? What is the biggest change in Savile Row?

Cheaply available suits that seduce people into believing that they are getting something that they not.   See our post ‘The credit crunch, suits, and a pricing conundrum’.

So if you were in my shoes,  how might you respond?

Photo: thanks to Man’s World, India

It was sad to read in the press over the weekend of the demise of the great fashion house Hardy Amies.   Reports in the Guardian and the Times painted a very gloomy picture, but somewhat different from the experiences I remember from when I had the good fortune to spend some time with them a few years back.

The talent throughout the business was outstanding and none more so than in the making rooms.  To quote from one of my past clients, the conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, “their performance just blew my mind!”

I remember working alongside “Pino” in the tailoring department who had a great rapport with the clients and the workers.  He had many years in the trade working on long runs of fashion lines and also in the more intimate setting of the bespoke cutting rooms.  This brought an authoritative mix of skills and solutions to the design briefs and his exhortations to “…work to a system!”  still ring in my ears along with sound of the old treadle machines.

The company also has many different facets therefore I find Jeff Banks comments in the Guardian a little puzzling when he talked about the brand becoming ‘mumsy’.  Bespoke, made to measure and accessories for men and women were all part of the mix.  And as far as the 2008 collection is concerned,  from its imagery, I am sure that there would be many a consort who would like a ‘mum’ like that on his arm.

If the company is finally broken up, I hope that the next incumbent to fill 14 Savile Row will bring as much to the trade as Sir Hardy.

Photo: thanks to www.elegant-lifestyle.com