Inside London’s Savile Row / HUNTSMAN struggle for modernising and survive.

TAJ PHULL

Managing Director

Taj heads up Huntsman retail at 11 Savile Row. With an extensive career in bespoke tailoring, Taj knows just about everybody on Savile Row. An avid sneaker fan, Taj is just as passionate about shoes as he is about suits.

https://www.huntsmansavilerow.com/the-team/client-managers/

 

HUNTSMAN 2013–2015 / 2016–2017

2013–2015

Since taking over the company in 2013, Owner and Non-Executive Chairman Pierre Lagrange has introduced a number of developments which differentiate Huntsman from the majority of Savile Row tailors. Under Lagrange's direction, Huntsman launched its 'Archive Collection' in 2013, a capsule collection of ready-to-wear tailoring, shirting and accessories, returning a ready-to-wear product to Huntsman. The collection focused on both rejuvenating some aspects of Huntsman's traditional block, but also sought to integrate true menswear classics into the collection, as inspired by Huntsman's extensive historical archives. E-commerce was introduced at the same time, allowing for the ready-to-wear collection to be purchased online. Huntsman's website states that newly appointed Creative Director Campbell Carey is responsible for overseeing the ready-to-wear collection.The house's new General Manager Carol Pierce (formally the head of Dunhill's bespoke division) was also appointed in 2015 to oversee the house's bespoke operations.

 

Alongside regular visits to the east coast of America, visiting clients based in New York City, Boston and Washington (as well as Chicago), the house also undertakes regular west coast tours, visiting San Francisco and Los Angeles. Huntsman is also the first Savile Row tailor to open a permanent location in New York, a move that was announced in May 2015. An Asia tour has also been scheduled for September 2015, including a trunk show in Seoul and visits to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing.

 

Additionally, Huntsman is the sponsor of selected initiatives in the world of professional Polo.[39] In June 2014, the Huntsman Polo Team was formed and won bronze, silver and gold cups in the Land Rover International Polo Tournament. In November 2014, the house partnered again with another team led by His Royal Highness Prince Harry, dressing his 'Huntsman Sentebale Polo Team' for the Sentebale Polo Cup in Abu Dhabi.A limited number of exclusive polo shirts were available to purchase after the tournament, with a percentage of the proceeds going to Sentebale.[39] Huntsman also designed a unique lining for the contest, featuring a motif of forget-me-nots, a mark of respect to those children which the Prince's Sentebale charity (the motif of which is also the forget-me-not) works to protect from poverty and disease.

 

Huntsman was one of five founding members of the Savile Row Bespoke Association - Savile Row's protective trade body.

 

2016–2017

In February 2016, Huntsman became the first Savile Row tailor to open a permanent location in New York, with a location at 130 West 57th Street. American clientele now enjoy a permanent home in the States in a pied-à-terre in New York with antique Huntsman tweed covered furnishings and historic photographs from Huntsman's past adorning the walls.

 

Alongside regular visits to the east coast of America, visiting clients based in New York City, Boston and Washington (as well as Chicago), the house also undertakes regular west coast tours, visiting San Francisco and Los Angeles. Huntsman expanded its trunk shows, pioneering visits to different corners of Asia, including a trunk show in Seoul and visits to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing.

 

With daytime fashion in mind, 2016 featured a busy social calendar for Huntsman. The house participated in the polo and racing seasons with the highlights being Huntsman's Royal Ascot residence on the Rosebery, as well as the house's post-racing party. 2016 also saw Huntsman taking on more modern projects including cutting bespoke tweed driving suits for Marc Newson and Charlotte Stockdale in the 2016 Mille Miglia Race.

 

Huntsman's Savile Row premises play host to a variety of exciting events, including charity auctions for several worthy causes, which have raised up to £80,000 in donations. Exhibitions for artists such as Cecil Beaton,Alex Talbot Rice and Gray Malin were hosted by the house, as well as whisky tastings, private lunches, and book launches

 

In 2016, over half a million people tuned in live to learn all things bespoke from Huntsman owner Pierre Lagrange at an event in Beijing. In February, Huntsman even graced the London Fashion Week catwalk as a part of the inspired Gareth Pugh show. The ‘Treasures from Chatsworth’,a miniseries presented by Huntsman and produced by Sotheby's, was launched in 2016 too - detailing the magnificent collections of the Cavendish family whilst also putting a spotlight on how contemporary Huntsman's age-old bespoke craftsmanship is.