Godfather
of the Row: Angus Cundey, MBE. 1937-2024
https://savilerow-style.com/news/godfather-of-the-row-angus-cundey-mbe-1937-2024/
Angus
Cundey, known affectionately as The Godfather of Savile Row and the driving
force behind Henry Poole & Co for many years, has died after a short
illness. He was 87. The company, now headed by his son Simon, made the
following announcement earlier this week: “It is with a very heavy heart that
we share this message. After a short battle with cancer, Angus H Cundey MBE,
the sixth generation to lead our family business, passed away peacefully at his
home on August 12.
“He lived
and breathed Henry Poole, built special relationships with clients, and was
fond of and proud of the skills of all the staff and of their achievements in
making Henry Poole what it is today: one of the finest tailors in the world. He
was called “the Godfather of Savile Row” as he fought continuously to achieve
the Row’s global recognition, its protection and preservation. He was the
chairman of trade-related organisations such as the FMT in Europe, the SRB and
the BTBA. He was much loved by the trade and all the people involved in it, and
was honoured with an MBE for his services to the industry. He leaves a legacy
and will be greatly missed by all of us. Rest in peace.”
A few
hours later, Savile Row Bespoke said: “Our deepest condolences go to the
family, friends and team at Henry Poole. RIP The Godfather of Savile Row.”
It was
back in 2018 that Angus Cundey was presented with an MBE by The Queen for his
services to bespoke tailoring and trade charities. He acquired many accolades
throughout his illustrious career and was a past president of the Federation of
Merchant Tailors, Chairman World Congress of Master Tailors 1973, President
Master Tailors Benevolent Association and a founder of Savile Row Bespoke.
In an
interview with Savile Row Style Magazine back in 2016, he told one of his
favourite stories – that, until his headmaster put him right a few weeks before
he left school in 1954, he knew hardly anything about Henry Poole. “When I was
about 17, my headmaster [at Framlingham College] summoned me to his study and
said: ‘Now Cundey what are you going to do when you leave at the end of the
term?’. I replied that I was going into the RAF as I wanted to learn how to
fly, but he said, ‘Cundey have you not heard of your wonderful family business,
the most famous tailors in the world?’”
Although
Angus and his sister regularly came up to London in school holidays to see
their father at work, Samuel Cundey never explained that Henry Poole was the
family business and that Angus could be the sixth generation of the family to
work there. Luckily for tailoring, the young Angus had time to mull over his
future on the train heading back to London at the end of that final school
term. “I sat there thinking: do I really want to be a pilot or a tailor? When I
got out at Liverpool Street I asked my father, will there be a place for me at
Henry Poole? A great big smile came across his face and he said, ‘of course’.”
And Angus
was very supportive of Stewart Lee, publisher of Savile Row Style Magazine,
when he wanted to launch his own gin brand – Savile Row Gin. “I had a heart
stopping moment,” recalled Stewart. “The whole project depended on getting the
whole-hearted support of Savile Row tailors. At lunch at Brown’s I told Angus
Cundey about it, and for the longest ten seconds of my life, he took a deep
pause…He cocked his head to one side and then said yes, he thought it was a
wonderful idea.”
Naturally,
Stewart was keen to pass on his words of sympathy to the family. “Angus was The
Godfather but also the Gentleman of Savile Row,” he said. “It was an honour and
a pleasure to have got to know him over many years. Sending my sincere
condolences to all the family. The world of bespoke tailoring has lost one of
its finest.”
The
long-awaited sequel to the 2006 cult classic is officially titled The Devil
Wears Prada 2 and is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
The
"Core Four" Returns
The
sequel reunites the original main cast, nearly 20 years after the first film:
Meryl
Streep as the legendary Miranda Priestly.
Anne
Hathaway as Andy Sachs.
Emily
Blunt as Emily Charlton.
Stanley
Tucci as Nigel.
They are
joined by major new additions, including Kenneth Branagh as Miranda's husband,
along with Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Simone Ashley, and Lady Gaga, who
reportedly contributed an original song titled "Runway".
Plot: A
High-Fashion Power Struggle
The story
shifts the focus to a modern media landscape where print journalism is in a
steep decline.
The
Conflict: Miranda Priestly is struggling to keep Runway magazine afloat amid a
changing industry. She finds herself forced to face off against her former
assistant, Emily Charlton, who is now a high-powered executive at a luxury
group that controls the advertising revenue Miranda desperately needs.
Andy's
Role: Andy has evolved into a serious features editor. In the trailers, she is
seen returning to the offices of Runway to help Miranda navigate a growing
scandal that threatens the magazine's survival.
Production
& Release Details
Directed
& Written by: Original director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh
McKenna are both back.
Filming
Locations: Production took place between June and October 2025 across
Manhattan, Newark, and Milan.
Dutch
Release: For those in the Netherlands, the film is scheduled to premiere
slightly earlier on April 30, 2026.
While the
film borrows elements from Lauren Weisberger's sequel novel Revenge Wears
Prada: The Devil Returns, the screenwriter has noted that much of the movie
features original material tailored to how the fashion and publishing worlds
have changed since the original.
