Successful Apprentices

The presentation of apprentices' certificates at Merchant Taylors' Hall, 9th July, 2010.

Fifteen successful tailors, who had trained under the watchful eyes of their Savile Row Master Tailors, received the first Savile Row Bespoke Apprenticeship Certificates from Technical Committee Chairman, Michael Skinner, at Merchant Taylors' Hall on 9th July.

200 guests witnessed this important inaugural event at the Master Tailors' Benevolent Association's annual summer party.

The successful apprentices were:

From Anderson & Sheppard: Daniel Kinsey, Paulo Nicodemi and Oliver Spencer
From Dege & Skinner: Roxanne Emerald Jones, Sarah Louise Massey and Rebecca le Moignan
From Gieves & Hawkes: Joanne Louise Baker and Ayres Goncalo Silva Ferriera
From Henry Poole: Ray Duffy, Terry Francis Jnr, Craig Holloway and Jinny Seals
From H. Huntsman: Jordan Heard and Liv Guri Ostrem
& From Meyer & Mortimer: Chadni Odedra

MTBA President, Cameron Buchanan, introduced Savile Row Bespoke Chairman, Mark Henderson, who spoke in glowing terms of the skill and dedication of the master tailors and their apprentices. They had achieved outstanding results and so high was the standard that two of the recipients had won the coveted Golden Shears Award, while another had been runner-up.

Savile Row Bespoke is also a joint sponsor of the next Golden Shears Award, which will take place during 2010. The final judging will take place before a packed house in a glittering catwalk presentation at Merchant Taylors' Hall on March 14, 2011. Limited sponsorship is available through the Merchant Taylors' Company and entry is free. Application forms may be obtained from co-ordinator Katharine Green at katharinegre@yahoo.co.uk

Savile Row Bespoke has worked closely with Newham College over the development of the apprenticeship scheme, while Philip Parker and Su Thomas, in particular, played a major part in its success. On behalf of Savile Row Bespoke, Philip had earlier presented a handsome cheque to the year's outstanding young tailor at Newham College.

Apprenticeships are vital to the future of Savile Row's iconic status and this event represented a further major step forward.