The Savile Row Tailor

Steven is Back..............

 and soon to be off again. New York beckons and I am busy preparing for my 4 day trip starting on 31st January. My friends at the London Lounge commissioned another unique cloth and I made it into the above Sports Jacket, and I must say it was wonderful cloth to work with. I think this is going to be an exciting year because I have made a decision that will give me more time to concentrate on the thing I love; and that is making suits. From January I have employed someone part time to deal with all things paperwork and general problem solver, which will hopefully stop me shouting at the PDQ machine when it decides to stop working! Now that I have managed to free up more of my time I can concentrate on my cutting and this should allow me to take on new clients.

Velvet Coat....

A long long time ago......................

Here are a few videos of Savile Row Tailors in the 1940's please take a look. I think they great!

Savile Row 1946 Video 1 :  Making a suit Video 2 :  Savile Row on tour Video 3

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Suede and Leather Coats all completely hand-made .....

Any one fancy a hand made suede, leather or even a crocodile skin coat made from your very own paper pattern cut by my goodself? This suede coat has been made up to the clients specifications, completely hand made, patch pockets with flaps, and cashmere lined. The saddle stitch on the edges are in a tan colour but again you can choose any colour that you wish. The coat is made in Italy to the highest of standards, and is very light wight and comfortable to wear. Just as I like it!

Press Evening, Showing an Overcoat and Sports Jacket.............

I took part in my first press event last evening, with another dozen or so representatives of the tailoring trade. It was great fun catching up with some of the other Tailors's who I don't get to see every day. My helper for the evening again was my beautiful girlfriend Celia. We showed off my own overcoat, this has been made up with a guards back and a inset velvet collar. My second garment we decided on displaying was my own sports jacket made up single breasted with peak lapels and slanted pockets great for travelling maybe wearing with jeans or brown whipcord trousers. I also took along a fitting that I had tried on during the day, this was an 8oz super 130's Eaton Scabal cloth. I also took along the paper pattern I had cut for my client and the shears that I use to do so. This  was to show the way I like to work which is in the Savile Row traditional way, that I have been lucky enough to have been brought up on. (Not sending the suits away may be over seas to a factory!) I thought you may like to take a look at a few of the photo's that where taken last night. Nearly forgot! I was giving away an envelope filled which information about my tailoring bussiness and have some left over if any one is interested please e-mail me with your name and address and I would be delighted to pass one on.

  

 
 
 
 Celia with Nicolas from Holland and Sherry

Smith Woollens 12 oz; Steven Hitchcock Savile Row bespoke handmade forward fitting ....

  
 
Smith Woollens Ltd   This is a single breasted, 3 button roll thur, straight cross pockets.

Dormeuil Grey Super 130's Cloth: Steven Hitchcock Bespoke Jacket......

  
 
This is a Dormeuil Super 130's Cloth. Single Breasted, 2 Button Front, Straight Cross Pockets with Peak Lapels.

Blue H. Lesser 13 oz Cloth; Hitchcock Bespoke Jacket..........

H. Lesser & Sons   Just great cloth. 

New York Dates Just Confirmed For February 2010.............

I travel to New York to offer my clients who live there the very best of service.

I have planed trips for February, June & October 2010.

I will be staying in New York at The Helmsley Carlton House

680 Madison Avenue, between 61st & 62nd Streets.

I would be delighted to meet up with you to discuss future commissions.

If you would like to make an appointment, or just wished to be placed on my mailing list so I can inform you of my next trip please contact me.

My dates are as follows:

 

Sunday the 31st of January - Wednesday 3rd

of February 2010

 

Whilst in the U.S.A:

It is always best to call me on my cell phone + (1) 646 241 9039.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Steven

I have planed trips for February, June & October 2010.

I will be staying in New York at The Helmsley Carlton House

680 Madison Avenue, between 61st & 62nd Streets.

I would be delighted to meet up with you to discuss future commissions.

If you would like to make an appointment, or just wished to be placed on my mailing list so I can inform you of my next trip please contact me.

My dates are as follows:

 

Sunday the 31st of January - Wednesday 3rd

of February 2010

 

Whilst in the U.S.A:

It is always best to call me on my cell phone + (1) 646 241 9039.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Steven

I have planed trips for February, June & October 2010.

I will be staying in New York at The Helmsley Carlton House

680 Madison Avenue, between 61st & 62nd Streets.

I would be delighted to meet up with you to discuss future commissions.

If you would like to make an appointment, or just wished to be placed on my mailing list so I can inform you of my next trip please contact me.

My dates are as follows:

 

Sunday the 31st of January - Wednesday 3rd

of February 2010

 

Whilst in the U.S.A:

It is always best to call me on my cell phone + (1) 646 241 9039.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Steven

Busy times in New York...........

Wow!!!  September has been my busiest month ever! I am writing this post from my hotel suite in New York City, (in between fittings) as I have had little time to write anything back home in London over the last month. This is due to the fact I have had so many clients, new and old placing bespoke orders with me. I am very lucky to have so many existing clients kindly re-ordering and placing their faith in me. As I am sure you are aware I like to make a limited amount of bespoke suits each year, and I am pleased to say after 10 years of running my own business in the trade I am getting very close to that limit which is great for myself and the craftmen tailors that work with me. As I mentioned earlier, I am in New York this week. I have brought my girlfriend Celia with me as she loves this great City, and its many delights!

 

Celia Williams. 

I have also brought over with me a great book that my friend Eric Musgrave has put together. "Sharp Suits". Which has some really great photos, some of which I had never seen before. These photos show off the cut of the suit continuously evolving over the last one hundred years.

 
Back cover of " Sharp Suits." I belive this suit was cut by Anderson & Sheppard.

My Ten Year Celebratory House Tie, photo in paper today...........

Here's a photo of my Ten Year Celebratory House Tie! All clients that order this month will receive one free of charge. If you so wish to buy one, please let me know the cost will be £70 plus shipping.

I was today featured in the Evening Standard news paper, taking about pin stripe suits, there is a photo of me wearing the tie in question. Please click here to view.   

                               

Steven Hitchcock Bespoke Tailor, 10th Anniversary September the 1st 2009

I am so proud to say that I have run my own bespoke tailoring business for the last ten years. Starting in 1999 from Old Burlington Street, working from the tailors James & James until today at 13 Savile Row.  I feel very proud to have made this 10 year land mark, selling only the finest bespoke hand-made suits, not falling into the easy trade of ready to wear suits, shirts and shoes as so many so called “Savile Row tailors” do today.

I believe over the twenty years I have been in the tailoring trade I have never stopped learning, or producing the very best truly bespoke clothes.

I will only make a limited amount of suits each week, which works out great for me and my craftsmen tailors. I do not have a PR team promoting me in magazines week in week out, just a web-blog and more importantly clients that re-order year after year.

A question I get asked an awful lot is, “do you feel that bespoke tailoring is a dying craft?”

My answer has always been the same, that is, clients will always wish for the best tailored suits so the pure Savile Row bespoke tailors will undoutley continue to thrive, I also believe we can already see a lot of independent firms starting up. Tailors that have put in the time to learn through traditional means, and the so called bigger firms selling more ready to wear clothes.(As their shop window displays will comfirm.) I do feel that the bigger firms will struggle to find the best cutters and tailors to work for them as more tailors are finding out for themselves you can control and achieve better results on your own. This will still be hard work as you need to do everything yourself, but in the long run as I have found, much more satisfying!

 

I’ve had a house tie made up in my colours to celebrate the ten years, I will be giving away a tie to everyone who places an order with me in September 2009. I will of course extend this offer to my American clients on my October visit to New York.

Tweed Jacket.........

 

This is a tweed jacket made from W.Bill's cloth.

Soft Style................

I have just received these photo's from a very happy client of mine.

The first suit is a very dark grey wide stripe with a guntlet cuff, the vest has a step colar.

The second photo is a fawn cashmere jacket only, also with a guntlet cuff.

    

 

 

Thanks for a great summer New York trip...........

Just a quick note to say thanks for a great trip. Last week I travelled with my cloth samples and suit fittings across the pond to New York. I was very pleased that all the fittings went so well and thankfully surprised the amount of new clients that placed commissions with me, this with my regular clients will keep me extremely busy.

I am working from home today as I have a little jet-lag, returning home at 11pm last night. Which gives me this opportunity to write this post among other things. I look froward to getting my cutting head on and creating paper patterns for my new clients, over the next few weeks.

Thanks once again Steven.

Feeling the heat fancy a half lined coat ?.............

Here are a couple more example's of my bespoke tailoring first a light weight gabardine coat great for the hot summer we are hoping for here in London.This has been made up with half lining, with pink piped edges, this coat also has a gauntlet cuff designed by the client.

The second, a blazer also with piped edges, and gauntlet cuffs, you can clearly see the high arm hole that I belive gives so much more comfort and style to the coat. The sleeve's are sewn in by hand for ease of movement.

 

   

  

More exciting times in Japan......

I am very pleased to announce that we have just opened a new Steven Hitchcock Silver label made to measure concession in Japan, this time in Osaka.  I would like to wish the team there the very best for the future.

Following in his grandfather's footsteps.................

Today was a rare treat as I managed to cut out an over-coat for my self, with my helper for the day Connor. Now it is great to help Connor out as he is at the time of life when he is unsure of the career he would like to follow. It is a great honour to help this young man, as his grandfather Pat Davey was the master tailor who I learnt my trade from when I first started back in the year 1990. One of the first coats I ever made for myself was a black chalk stripe under the watchful eye of Pat. I have since put a little weight on over the years, but still held on to the suit. I thought it would be nice to have it altered for Connor.

Below Connor maybe following in his grandfather footsteps?

     

A True Savile Row Service.......

It was pointed out to me earlier this week by a great client of mine, that I am the only tailor who has a premises in Savile Row now that specialises in the softer style suits. I had never thought about this before, indeed he was right.  The firm I was trained by, Anderson and Sheppard have moved out and are now 50 yards around the corner in Old Burlington Street, the same Street that I started my bespoke tailoring business in 10 years before.

 

As I am based in Savile Row every day I am pleased to offer my clients a proper Savile Row service. As my client also pointed out he very much likes the idea of being able to see me any day of the week, as I informed him it’s always best to book an appointment, but if you find yourself passing your very welcome to pop in. (If you’re a new client please ask for me by name, thank you.)

 

He again was very pleased that he could see me cutting paper patterns for my new clientele here in the shop, and to see all the craftsmen tailors out through the back workshop working on new commissions.

It was pointed out to me earlier this week by a great client of mine, that I am the only tailor who has a premises in Savile Row now that specialises in the softer style suits. I had never thought about this before, indeed he was right.  The firm I was trained by, Anderson and Sheppard have moved out and are now 50 yards around the corner in Old Burlington Street, the same Street that I started my bespoke tailoring business in 10 years before.

 

As I am based in Savile Row every day I am pleased to offer my clients a proper Savile Row service. As my client also pointed out he very much likes the idea of being able to see me any day of the week, as I informed him it’s always best to book an appointment, but if you find yourself passing your very welcome to pop in. (If you’re a new client please ask for me by name, thank you.)

 

He again was very pleased that he could see me cutting paper patterns for my new clientele here in the shop, and to see all the craftsmen tailors out through the back workshop working on new commissions.

 

As I am based in Savile Row every day I am pleased to offer my clients a proper Savile Row service. As my client also pointed out he very much likes the idea of being able to see me any day of the week, as I informed him it’s always best to book an appointment, but if you find yourself passing your very welcome to pop in. (If you’re a new client please ask for me by name, thank you.)

 

He again was very pleased that he could see me cutting paper patterns for my new clientele here in the shop, and to see all the craftsmen tailors out through the back workshop working on new commissions.

A Snowy Savile Row Yesterday......

 

Me and my trusted tailoring tools move back into Savile Row...................