Patrick Grant Instagram – I’ve been writing books. Two of them, back-to-back, which in hindsight might not have been the cleverest idea. The first is called The Savile Row Suit and it’s out now! (my second, Less, is out in May). This book is a celebration of the wonderful craft of bespoke tailoring as practiced by the amazing community of tailors Ive had the great privilege to work thith these past twenty years. Its also personal reflection my time on the Row.
This community of craftsmen and women is unique, and incredibly special, and the clothes they produce have no equals in quality. They are produced with exceptional skill and care, with a tiny environmental footprint, and are almost without exception cherished by those who own them. Theyre, often repaired and altered over decades of happy use, and frequently passed on. The tailors, tailoring houses and cloth houses can trace a lineage back through seven centuries of exceptional British craftsmanship and this gives the clothes made there a meaning far beyond their physical make-up.
The values I learned whilst working on Savile Row are the values I still bring to Community Clothing; namely quality, enduring value, and a commitment to well paid, skilled work. Many of the factories I work with today, from knitwear to cloth makers, are mills I first worked with two decades ago when I started with Nortons. Whilst the price points could not be more different, the ethos of Community Clothing and the great tailoring houses of Savile Row are very much the same and I am proud to be associated with both of them.
Huge thanks to everyone who helped me with the book: to Riki Brockman @solomon.browne.bespoke for writing most of the technical sections, and thanks to Rachel Smith @ragen_cagen , Chris Ktori, Felicity Hamacher and the team at @Emmawillislondon, especially Lizzie Willets for patiently allowing us to follow and document your methods. I dont think there has ever been such a complete record of this incredible craft.
You can buy a copy of The Savile Row Suit through the @gestalten website, and at a handful of other good book sellers.
Enjoy | Posted on 24/Apr/2024 19:17:16
