DISCOVER
EXTRAORDINARY
Cutting it: the female tailors shaking up Savile
Row
By Chloe
Street
28 February
2022
The world
of bespoke suit and shirt-making has traditionally been a man’s world, says
Chloe Street. But change is afoot, and these brilliant women are tearing up the
rulebook at the seams
Say the
words ‘bespoke suit fitting’ and the image conjured will likely be one of two
men: the male client, trying on his made-to-measure tailoring, and the other a
male tailor, pins and tape measure in hand.
But times
are a-changing, and not only are more and more women embracing the delights of
bespoke suiting, but there are increasing numbers of talented women joining the
industry, many of whom are specifically focused on catering for them.
“Women have
been present in the back rooms of the tailoring profession as finishers and
assistant tailors for centuries,” says Kathryn Sargent, who runs an eponymous
tailoring house on Brook Street near Savile Row. It’s “tradition, class systems
and protocol” she says that have kept them from the front of house.
Daisy
Knatchbull, founder of female-only tailoring specialists The Deck, thinks part
of the problem has been a lack of obvious routes and role models for women
wanting to enter the industry, “as well as unfortunate prejudices, sometimes
not always conscious.”
However,
not only are the barriers to entry being dismantled by a few pioneering women
leading the way, but the increasing appetite from female clients means there’s
increasing appetite for female tailors, as many women would rather be measured
and fitted by another woman. “I think bespoke tailoring has become more accessible,
more open to people, the myths have been debunked and people feel like
exploring, expressing and investing in themselves,” says Sargent.
Not only
does a bespoke suit have obvious appeal in terms of fit, but as we all become
more eco-conscious, they’re growing in popularity as a sustainable, timeless
investment that can be passed down for generations. “We’re seeing consumer
tastes move away from the ‘more is more’ 90’s lifestyle to more considered,
thought-through purchases,” says Phoebe Gormley, of Gormley & Gamble
tailors. And Knatchbull agrees that people are “consolidating their wardrobes
and looking to invest in longevity, versatility and durability. We have seen a
huge increase in sales post-lockdown as the more conscious consumer is choosing
to purchase high quality investment pieces such as a suit from The Deck.”
Feeling
tempted? These are the female tailoring maestros to know…
Daisy
Knatchbull, of The Deck
.jpg)
The Deck
Launched:
2019
The story:
Knatchbull worked on Savile Row in her twenties, where she was “lucky enough to
experience the empowering nature of a tailored suit young - something many
women have never had the chance to experience in their life,” she says. Then,
in 2016, she became the first woman to wear top hat and tails at Royal Ascot.
The positive reactions she received inspired her to set up her business, with a
mission to bring the magic of bespoke tailoring to more women. She is the first
women-only tailor to have a shop address actually on the street Savile Row.
The
service: She caters for a purely female client base, from ages 18 to 80, which
is fairly unique on Savile Row. “We wanted to give women the chance to be
focused on exclusively within tailoring and challenge the conception that being
fitted for a suit is an
intimidating process by offering an empathetic women-for-women service;
understanding their needs and emotional relationship with clothing,” she
explains. “There are very few places making for women compared to men, and
almost none for women only.”
The Deck
offer four signature suit styles – the ‘suits of The Deck’ – which between them
aim to offer something for every woman, regardless of shape or size. Each
design is made to a client’s measurements as well as their cloth, lining and
button preferences. They also offer waistcoats, skirts and dresses too with
more categories in the pipeline.
“The
process begins with us learning everything we can about the client - what she
does, where she goes, what she likes - and together we ensure we are creating something
that will last a lifetime in her wardrobe,” says Knatchbull. “Each suit tells a
unique story, written by each of the women that wear one.”
Why she
loves it: “For me the best part of my job is the moment a client tries on their
finished suit, particularly a woman who has struggled their whole life to find
trousers or a jacket that has ever fitted them because of their size, height or
shape,” says Knatchbull. “I’ve had many women burst into tears, and women who
cannot stop staring at themselves. It’s the most rewarding feeling. So I guess
proud of making women feel more confident, strong and empowered in themselves.
That’s what gets me out of bed each day!”
Kathryn
Sargent, of Kathryn Sargent
.jpg)
Kathryn
Sargent
Launched:
2012
The story:
Sargent started at Gieves & Hawkes in the mid 90s and rose to the position
of head cutter (the most senior role), becoming the first woman in the history
of Savile Row to do so. “I always dreamed of my own atelier so that was the
next logical move,” says Sargent, who became the first, and only, female Master
Tailor in the Savile Row area when she opened her year-long seasonal store on
Brook Street in 2016.
The
service: Sargent, who’s been in the business 25 years, has trained in all
aspects of tailoring and pattern cutting from the ground up in a traditional
bespoke tailoring house, which gives her an unparalleled know-how. “I think my
feminine qualities and being a very chatty person from Leeds has helped relax
clients,” she says. “By getting to know them I can really make something that
suits their lifestyle and body shape, making them them.”
Her clients
are 50-50 male to female and number everyone from professionals to brides and
grooms to be, NASA scientists, opera singers and famous athletes. She purposely
doesn’t have a house style, but instead focuses on pieces that suit the client.
“The beauty of bespoke tailoring is that it gives the wearer freedom to develop
their own signature look that is completely unique to them,” she explains. “A
beautifully tailored jacket frames your face in how the collar, shoulder line,
shape of the lapel all relate to each other.
The cut should be in the correct proportions and flattering so the
result appears effortless.”
Why she
loves it: “I fell in love with Savile Row and Mayfair the first time I walked
around, the sense of London history, it is the number one global destination
for the craft of true bespoke tailoring,” she says. “Now it’s my world, I have
many many friends throughout the area, it’s a little village, a community.” For
Sargent, the best part is “to be able to create every day, meet amazing clients
and, build the relationships I’ve built with clients, work with my amazing
team. I never know what the next
commission will be!”
Phoebe
Gormley, of Gormley & Gamble
Phoebe Gormley
Launched:
2014
The story:
Phoebe Gormley started making clothes when she was 14, and ended up falling in
love with cutting up her father’s old suits. She soon discovered Saville Row
where she did several internships before heading to university. “With one hour
of lectures per week I became bored enough to start writing a business plan,”
she says, “and on seeing the viability of one women’s wear only tailors in a
city with thousands of menswear tailors; I decided to take the gamble.” Gormley
invested the money that was meant for her final year’s tuition fees (hence the
gamble in the name) and opened G&G when she was 20, seven years ago.
“I stood
out like a sore thumb as a woman and someone under 25,” she remembers. “The
naivety of youth meant I didn’t know quite how much I would stick out until it
was too late to turn back! So, I powered on.” Within a year she’d taken on a
space just off Savile Row on Maddox Street, becoming the first women’s wear
only tailors in the area in its 200-year history.
The
service: Gormley caters to an entirely female client base and the majority of
what they request can be split into three parts. The first is classic workwear:
the second is occasion wear – “I adore making suit and separates for brides and
guests,” says Gormley, “whether that’s a cream silk tuxedo to wear to the
registry office or a perfect jacket to go over the already-found dress, there
is so much passion and excitement in occasion wear, it’s always fun,” – and the
final category is beautifully tailored pieces that aren’t suits.
“Womenswear
is often confined within the measly scope of sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, whereas
men’s has short, regular, long, classic fit, slim fit and extra slim, all of a
size 36,” she says. “So we make lots of silk shirts, cashmere blazers, the
perfect winter coat, for people who care about clothes that fit properly. I
also love working with silk and mixtures of patterns, textures and materials,
everything from Loro Piana wool/cashmeres to Liberty print silks, it’s all
possible in womenswear,” says Gormley, who dresses everyone from princesses to
schoolgirls, CEOs, brides and bright-eyed graduates.
Why she
loves it: For Gormley, its all about empowering women. “When a woman says
‘nothing fits me’ she blames her body. When a man says ‘nothing fits me’ he
thinks, ‘so I’ll have it made’. Your body isn’t wrong, it’s not too curvy, too
straight, too long or too short, your shoulders aren’t too big, your boobs
aren’t too big. Off-the-peg sizing is a joke, and you are a goddess,” she says.
I adore giving women a place to resolve this total failure of off-the-peg
sizing, partnering it with immaculate customer service, and hundreds of years
old heritage craftsmanship and British manufacturing, and making heirloom
pieces that last a lifetime, not just a season. It’s a total joy to do my job.”
Emma Willis
MBE, of Emma Willis
Emma Willis
Launched:
1999
The story:
Having worked for other menswear brands, Willis launched her own label in 1989,
focusing on bespoke shirts made in England from the finest materials. Initially
she sold her bespoke shirts in City offices before putting down roots on Jermyn
Street in St James in 1999.
All her
shirts are designed, cut, stitched and finished at Bearland House in the centre
of Gloucester – “British bespoke shirt making is rare as is having one’s own
manufacturing employing and training locally,” says Willis, who also
established a charity Style for Soldiers in 2008, which provides smart clothing
to injured service personnel.
The
service: Willis, who employs an all-female team of cutters, makes beautiful
bespoke shirts using the very best Swiss and Italian fabrics in quiet, elegant
designs and colours. Her clients are mainly men, and span everyone from film
producers to hedge fund managers, farmers and property dealers, but she has many
female customers too and a ready-to -wear collection on Net a Porter.
Why she
loves it: “Our shop is very social with our customers often meeting and
befriending one another,” she says. “I get visitors from all over the world and
post pandemic this has been even more enjoyable with the sense of relief to be
able to see each other again and meet new people.”
For Willis
though, the best part is the people she meets in her shop. “I never know who it
may be next and all those amazing contacts have enabled me to do with my
charity and other initiatives.”
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