Saturday 11 March 2017

Prince Charles' former tailor says Savile Row being ruined by 'half-baked brands' peddling fake Chinese suits / VIDEO: London Fitting Event, March 2015 // English Cut - Savile Row




Thomas Mahon is an English master tailor, noted for outfitting the British Royal Family and for his blog, English Cut
Mahon was born in Corby Hill, near Carlisle in Cumbria and was educated at the former grammar school,White House in Brampton. He entered the tailoring trade by accident, taking a summer job at S. Redmayne's a local tailor, and "...fell in love with it." He moved to London and trained as a striker (apprentice cutter) to Dennis Halbery at Anderson & Sheppard.

In 1995, Mahon started his own bespoke tailoring company called Steed Bespoke Tailors with his friend Edwin Deboise, before going independent in 2001. In 2005, he began his weblog English Cut with aid of cartoonist and Internet entrepreneur Hugh McLeod, in order to promote his business and share his knowledge of the traditional tailor's craft.

Mahon's customers reportedly include Prince Charles and David Beckham, although Mahon will admit only to having Prince Charles as a client.

Mahon credits his weblog with helping build his business to the point where he had to temporarily stop accepting new clients in 2007.

Mahon is married to his wife Claire and have three children. In his spare time he is a sailing instructor with the rank of Petty Officer in the Sea Cadet Corps the UK's Naval Cadet Force.


Prince Charles' former tailor says Savile Row being ruined by 'half-baked brands' peddling fake Chinese suits

Nicola Harley
10 MARCH 2017 • 8:17PM

Prince Charles's former tailor says Savile Row is being ruined by “half-baked brands” selling fake Chinese suits.

Tailor Thomas Mahon has now moved his main London base from Mayfair to Marylebone after revealing that less than half of the famed area is still operating as a proper workshop.

“I guarantee you if you are browsing in Savile Row now you will pick up a garment made in China."
Thomas Mahon
He says he has grown disillusioned with Savile Row.
“You’ve now got these half-baked brands that don’t really make things. Only about 35 per cent to 40 per cent of it is now functioning with a proper workshop. In the old days you didn’t even have suits in the shops, everything was made by the tailors," he said in an interview with the Evening Standard.

“I guarantee you if you are browsing in Savile Row now you will pick up a garment made in China."

Mr Mahon, who runs English Cut and formerly worked as head cutter for tailors Anderson & Sheppard, said Savile Row is "not the same place" any more.

His bespoke clients, who are believed to include David Beckham and Bryan Ferry, have stayed with him after he moved his flagship store last November.


Mr Mahon, one of Britain's most respected tailors, made Prince Charles's suits for three years until 1995.


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