FOREWORDS
Savile Row and America, an enduring partnership
Nick Foulkes, Curator of Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship
At the end of January this year, Pierre Lagrange, Chairman of Savile Row Bespoke Association asked me if I would care to curate an exhibition of Savile Row clothing in Washington, D.C. I am still unsure as to whether it was wise to accept. However, such is my respect for the history, the craft skills and the culture
of this world-famous London street that when Savile Row calls, I have a hard time saying no.
Savile Row is one of the unique things that makes Britain, a small, damp, post- imperial island off the northern coast of mainland Europe, truly great. A Savile Row suit is a distinguished object, a stroke of sartorial shorthand for taste and refinement. More than the name of a single London street or even a neighbourhood, Savile Row is an internationally renowned brand — two words that mean the same thing in every language; two words with the power to summon up a world of craftsmanship and elegance.
So it was with a mixture of pride and (a rare quality for me) humility that I set to work producing a show that I have called Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship. It is an exhibition dedicated to the men and women past, present and future, without whom Savile Row would be just another street among many.
Savile Row is one of the unique things that makes Britain, a small, damp, post- imperial island off the northern coast of mainland Europe, truly great. A Savile Row suit is a distinguished object, a stroke of sartorial shorthand for taste and refinement. More than the name of a single London street or even a neighbourhood, Savile Row is an internationally renowned brand — two words that mean the same thing in every language; two words with the power to summon up a world of craftsmanship and elegance.
So it was with a mixture of pride and (a rare quality for me) humility that I set to work producing a show that I have called Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship. It is an exhibition dedicated to the men and women past, present and future, without whom Savile Row would be just another street among many.
A Message from Sir Peter Westmacott, British Ambassador to the United States
Eight years ago when I was Her Majesty’s Ambassador to France, we decked
out the magnificent 18th-century residence in Paris with a display of historical and contemporary British bespoke menswear and French haute couture to celebrate the excellence of Savile Row tailoring. Since Washington is every inch a suited
city, where appearances matter, it struck us that our fine 20th-century residence on Massachusetts Avenue was tailor-made for a similar show.
Savile Row is the birthplace of sartorial inventions, like James Bond’s tuxedo, that have forever altered the landscape of fashion. Today, a new generation of tailors is energising the industry, honouring their heritage while applying contemporary technologies to the finest fabrics and styles to win admirers worldwide. Today, Savile Row is a vital part of the thriving British fashion industry, worth £26 billion ($39.5bn) to the British economy in 2014 — and it is rapidly expanding around the globe.
When I got a job after leaving college, the last thing my father did before taking me off the payroll was buy me a decent suit. I remember it well: a hand-made three- piece pinstripe by John Bedford of Bristol costing £69. Forty years on, it would cost a bit more, but it gave me good service and lasted long enough to be worn on occasion by both of my sons. I haven’t forgotten the experience — wearing a nice suit makes you feel special. Today I wear everything from made to measure Chester Barrie to Marks & Spencer off-the-peg, because a good British suit is always well made and a pleasure to wear.”
Savile Row Bespoke is very grateful to Sir Peter and Lady Westmacott for their generosity in hosting Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship.
Savile Row is the birthplace of sartorial inventions, like James Bond’s tuxedo, that have forever altered the landscape of fashion. Today, a new generation of tailors is energising the industry, honouring their heritage while applying contemporary technologies to the finest fabrics and styles to win admirers worldwide. Today, Savile Row is a vital part of the thriving British fashion industry, worth £26 billion ($39.5bn) to the British economy in 2014 — and it is rapidly expanding around the globe.
When I got a job after leaving college, the last thing my father did before taking me off the payroll was buy me a decent suit. I remember it well: a hand-made three- piece pinstripe by John Bedford of Bristol costing £69. Forty years on, it would cost a bit more, but it gave me good service and lasted long enough to be worn on occasion by both of my sons. I haven’t forgotten the experience — wearing a nice suit makes you feel special. Today I wear everything from made to measure Chester Barrie to Marks & Spencer off-the-peg, because a good British suit is always well made and a pleasure to wear.”
Savile Row Bespoke is very grateful to Sir Peter and Lady Westmacott for their generosity in hosting Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship.
