We are very pleased to report that the third Pre-Apprenticeship Bespoke Tailoring course at our official training partner, The London Academy of Bespoke (LAB), is now underway.

Ten students are enrolled on the January 2026 course, which is fully subscribed. The group reflects the international reach of Savile Row, with one student travelling from Brazil and another commuting from Rugby in the Midlands. All are taking their first steps towards a career in bespoke tailoring by learning the core skills required for future cutting, coat-making and trouser-making apprenticeships at Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRBA) members and other tailoring houses.

LAB’s teachers are all Savile Row-trained and the course builds on the curriculum established during the first two Pre-Apprenticeship programmes. Drafting is taught by Victoria Townsend of LAB, while trouser making is instructed by Amelia of SRBA member Chittleborough & Morgan. As previously, Fridays are set aside for independent practice; previous students particularly valued the opportunity to continue working in the LAB workrooms outside of scheduled teaching hours.

Visits and workshops also form an important part of the programme and give students a clearer understanding of the wider bespoke tailoring trade. On the previous course, students visited the military room at Gieves & Hawkes, gaining invaluable insight into one of the Row’s historic areas of expertise. Cloth merchants have also visited the students, and this will continue on the current course. A forthcoming workshop with Sam Goats of Woven in the Bone will allow students to see how fibres are transformed into finished cloth, while Ernest Wright, the Sheffield-based shears manufacturer, is also scheduled to visit.

Joanna Spreadbury of SRBA member Huntsman, and the most recent winner of the Golden Shears award for apprentice tailors, also addressed the previous students and shared her own experiences of training on Savile Row, offering a valuable first-hand perspective on bespoke tailoring apprenticeships and professional life.

This emphasis on meeting people and making connections has already proved effective. Previous Pre-Apprentice course students have gone on to positions with SRBA members including Henry Poole, Chittleborough & Morgan and Dugdale Bros.

Demand for places remains high. The next Pre-Apprenticeship Bespoke Tailoring course at LAB, starting in September, is already oversubscribed. For unsuccessful applicants, Victoria Townsend suggests considering other LAB courses that can support a future apprenticeship application, such as the full-time five-month coat-making course. The next Pre-Apprenticeship course with availability is scheduled for January 2027.

Reflecting on the aims of the programme, Victoria notes: "The most important part of our role is setting expectations clearly and positively. The Pre-Apprenticeship Bespoke Tailoring Course marks the beginning of a professional career in bespoke tailoring. From there, a coat-making apprenticeship typically spans around three to four years, followed by a further two to three years of dedicated practice to develop true mastery. This depth of training is not a barrier — it is precisely what makes bespoke tailoring one of the world’s most respected heritage crafts.”

One student on the current course is being supported by a bursary from the SRBA, further underlining our commitment to training and to the future of bespoke tailoring on Savile Row.