This year’s Bespoke Tailors’ Benevolent Association (BTBA) Festival Dinner (pictured, top) proved a great success, bringing together the bespoke tailoring community for a most enjoyable and generously-supported evening on 5th February at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall.
Some 240 guests from across the trade attended what is one of the most important events in the bespoke tailoring calendar and a key fundraiser for the BTBA. Founded in 1859, the charity provides financial assistance to tailors and their families in times of illness, disability or hardship. The strong attendance reflected the continued commitment of the trade to supporting this longstanding work.
The splendid Merchant Taylors’ Hall once again provided the perfect setting for the occasion, and the evening benefited from the presence of the Lord Mayor of the City of Westminster, whose understanding support for the bespoke tailoring community in London’s West End is warmly appreciated.
Guests were also entertained by the evening’s guest speaker, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a long-standing supporter of bespoke Savile Row tailoring, who spoke of his enduring appreciation for traditional English cloth, particularly heavy English worsteds and West of England flannels.
And, thanks to the sterling work of this year’s Appeals Chairman, Thomas Mahon, there were also a wealth of excellent raffle prizes on offer, including a notable contribution from Sir Jony Ive, the former Chief Designer at Apple.
Mr Mahon said: “The evening was a wonderful celebration of our craft and community, with a full house of 240 guests. We were honoured to welcome Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg as guest speaker, and the generosity shown throughout the night, including the exceptional prizes donated by Sir Jony Ive and the support of our other donors helped raise a remarkable sum for the BTBA.”
Looking ahead, the BTBA’s Summer Party will return to Merchant Taylors’ Hall on Friday 10 July, offering another opportunity for the bespoke tailoring community to come together in support of a very good cause.
The second photograph shows (left to right) Suresh Ramakrishnan, President of the BTBA, and his wife; Thomas Mahon, Current BTBA Appeals Chairman; and Claire Mahon, current Treasurer of the BTBA.
Photography by Luke Alland.
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