Tag Archives: Henry Herbert Tailors

Wedding Blues

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Bespoke Morning Suit

Tailor’s Notes

Look around the congregation at any wedding where the dress code is “morning suits” and you’ll spy countless badly dressed men. Men in box-like coats that make them look like undertakers; men in tired-looking garb clearly hired from high-street chains; men with conservative demeanours who have awkwardly decided to have “fun” with their waistcoat. But among the sea of dreadfulness you’ll also spot a few guys who look fantastic. And this is one of them.

The Construction
Made with a canvass, our morning suits are made and cut in England. As with all photographs on our website, thery are actual customers in actual Henry Herbert morning suits. As with every suit we make, they take 8-9 weeks to make – we have a half way baste fitting and then a forward baste fitting before the suit is finished and delivered.

Find out how to order a suit

Men’s Fragrances

Bespoke tailoring instantly conjures up an image that suggests sophistication and style. Whether you’re wearing a classic handmade dinner suit tuxedo or distinctive traditional inspired three-piece suit it goes without saying that you’ll require the essential accessories to perfectly finish off the ensemble. This includes scent.

Limited Edition

The way a man smells lingers on the mind of every woman (and man) who gets a tantalising whiff of the exquisite and expensive aroma. Many fashion houses have their own unique formulas that are beautifully packaged up and introduced as an entry level purchase option for individuals wanting to flaunt style at an affordable price.
Whilst most fragrance brands look to hook potential buyers with limited edition scents that are pocket friendly, one Italian tailoring house has opted to create a buzz for another reason. Brioni’s self-titled, limited-run fragrance has a hefty £215 price tag! The buttery cognac coloured fragrance is packaged in a chunky, squat and square sculptured bottle that complements the label’s range of accessories and furniture.

Brioni’s aim was to package expensive so that it looks like it smells. Brioni features 100 notes that combine to create a dominating rich fragrance that highlights zingy citrus, smoky tones, musk, saffron, Sicilian lemon, leather and cashmere. In essence, it is designed to smell like the classic bespoke suit.
The Smell of Success

For men who aspire to look, and smell, the business careful consideration must be given to the finishing touches. Prestigious fragrance houses specialise in creating personalised bespoke scent that reflects personality, elegance and individual style. Master perfumer Oliver Creed creates “the favoured scent of the world’s most powerful, refined and attractive gentlemen.” His fragrances are bottled up and bought by the Hollywood A-List with a price tag to match – a bespoke formula can set you back a cool £10,000.

Creed’s fragrances are made with natural products that are by definition expensive. Incorporating synthetic products enables him to create a range that is a lower-grade version, without compromising too much on quality. Mass production is not on the agenda.

Aroma Appeal

Fragrance is a powerful tool that can alter mood and influence image instantly. Bespoke tailoring complements elegant sensory blends that create olfactory magnificence. In the same way you wouldn’t spoil the effect of a sophisticated handmade suit by wearing a crumpled shirt and scuffed shoes, your fragrance choice reflects the overall image and style that you wish to create. Perfectly matching fragrance to fashion has long been the pursuit of the rich, powerful and famous and bespoke garments provide the ideal introduction to upgrading your scent palette and collection.

Top 5 Expensive Fragrances

• The most expensive bottle of men’s fragrance in the world is Clive Christian No.1 Perfume for Men – retailing at £1,528.

Clive Christian No.1 – Imperial Majesty Edition Perfume is packaged in a customised bottle and priced $215.00 (or £140,000). His regular edition fragrances are a more reasonable $865 (£562).

Tom Ford has a range of sophisticated Eau de Parfums in the £142-£330 price pocket.

• If you prefer a citrus based fragrance try Annick Goutal’s Eau D’Hadrien, which supposedly smells like the Tuscan sun and costs a few quid short of £1,000.

• If you’re happy to share your unisex fragrance Caron’s Poivre has been around since 1954 and still shifts units despite the $2,000 (£1,300) tag.

Tailor Talk

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TAILOR TALK – A professional tailor might seem to speak a strange language at first –  the language bespoke. But most importantly he, or she, should make you feel at ease and to ask any question you wish. If you are not sure of something, just ask! Bespoke simply means made to your individual and specific pattern. The handmade tailored suit is therefore a one-of-a-kind garment that is created to make you look your very best. Understanding how best to convey your needs ensures that the tailor is able to translate your imagination into the perfect bespoke creation.

A bespoke suit speaks volumes about the wearer’s personality, character and style. Set your own trend by taking inspiration from style conscious leaders and influencers that you admire. Choose classic Saville Row style for a bespoke suit with timeless appeal or opt for contemporary simplicity with James Bond inspired elegance. Use visual references to ensure your tailor knows exactly what you want to achieve. Find a tailor who speaks your language to ensure he makes a bespoke suit that is made from a hand-drawn paper pattern to your exact body measurements.

Specialist tailors have mastered specific structuring techniques that create distinctive styles of tailoring. Whether your preference is traditional British or modern continental it is essential that you find a tailor with a complementary house style. You will feel more comfortable and relaxed with a tailor who specialises in your preferred garment style than one who has a long list of celebrity clients but doesn’t make the kind of suit you want to wear.

The tape measure never lies! No matter how you think you look the tailor will take multiple accurate measurements to capture your natural shape, size and posture. There is therefore no use in sucking in your belly when the tape measure winds around your waist. Allow the tailor to measure up so that the suit can be adjusted to compensate for specific features that you’re not comfortable with.

When visiting a tailor it is important to present the bigger picture. This means openly discussing your specific needs and requirements, along with suit purpose. When you’re being measured up you should therefore attend the appointment in suitable clothing that gives the tailor an opportunity to evaluate your unique shape and size. Wear a favourite suit and dress shoes to demonstrate how you naturally carry the garments.

When choosing a bespoke suit it is best to opt for a handmade suit that flatters your shape and size without being overly flamboyant in design. Save the quirky personal touches for the details. Add bold and luxurious silk lining to the jacket, elongate or widen the lapel and finish off with smart symmetrical buttons on the jacket sleeves. For a perfect silhouette choose a double vent.

A bespoke suit is made to your unique body shape and should therefore fit you perfectly. This means that you’ll have no need for belt loops on the trousers. Choose adjustable side tabs, with buttons, for added comfort and a streamlined look.

Take your time over any decision regarding fabric, colour, fit, style and cost. After all you want to be completely satisfied with your bespoke suit so use the multiple fittings as an opportunity to double check details. By the third fitting your suit should be practically ready to wear. Once your handmade suit is ready to wear your personal specifications will be stored in the tailor’s file, for your next appointment.

Wool: the Cloth of Kings

As part of “Throwback Thursday”, we thought it was timely to revive this piece, written by Henry Herbert founder Charlie Baker-Collingwood on Wool: the Cloth of Kings.

I felt extremely privileged to attend the Society of Dyers & Colourists conference at the magnificent Clothworkers’ Hall in London. We were treated to a fascinating group of speakers – including the Scottish weaver Malcolm Campbell who gave a truly gripping talk about wools. Wool is an extremely important textile in so many ways and indeed the cause has been taken up by HRH Prince of Wales with the Campaign for Wool. I  tried to scribble down as much of what he said as possible,

“In 1792, James MacArthur arrived in an inhabited Australia with eight yews and two rams. The Australian wool industry grew from that and today the country, as a result, has over one hundred million sheep. Indeed the global population of over six billion people live amongst a global sheep population of over one billion….56 million of those sheep living in Iran alone (the UK has a sheep population of about 25 million).

Wool can come from a variety of sources including camels, buffalos, sheep and many other animals and they can be spun to accommodate local preferences – buffalo wool for suits in America, cashmere wool for the Indian market and camel wool for the Sheiks of the Middle East. Indeed the tennis balls at Wimbledon are made from wool and the versatility of the fibre means it can be used from carpets to lingerie….and of course for suits.

Wool is a bacteria preventing, temperature cooling, water absorbing, and protecting fibre – all qualities that provide an excellent foundation for suiting. It keeps you warm when it is cold and cool when it is too hot. Master craftsmen and finishers today can add technical applications to wools including stain resisters, water resisters or a silver shield to give this fabric an even more hi-tech touch. Only wool can offer the variety of colours, provide the drape and guaranteed durability that every good suit needs. We must accept that wool is an expensive and valuable fibre, not only to preserve the quality of great looking suits but just as importantly to preserve the livelihoods of the wool farmers themselves. There have been reports of some wool farmers turning to growing grapes, or even marijuana plants (where it is legal for medicinal purposes) because the competitive pressures of producing wool have been too great. By purchasing a tailored suit with the finest wools, you are not only treating yourself to a glorious garment – you are supporting a precious industry.”

~ By Charlie Baker-Collingwood of Henry Herbert, October 2010

Just when is bespoke, well, bespoke?…..

 

Just what does bespoke mean?

It is a term that our industry is constantly challenged by. To many people it can mean many different things. It can range from the absurd arguments – something being made in the Far East versus in the United Kingdom, to a battle between theorists about the number of hand stitches that go into every garment. Very respected tailors have offered their thoughts before, suggesting the word bespoke comes from the word bespoken (to be-speak your cloth).

However, a qualified tailor in China can be just as good as a tailor on Savile Row. And what if the tailor on Savile Row is Chinese? And the tailor in China is British? As strange as it may seem, it happens. Where does the argument about garments being made overseas conclude in those circumstances?

Similarly, there are tailors who insist on a minimum of five, six or even seven fittings for every suit they make. But what if the customer doesn’t need it? Surely the process is there to serve the customer, not the tailor. Similarly, what if a tailoring house has only one house style….is that really a bespoke service for the customer? There are some fabulous tailors, but they may only offer one house style cut, albeit in any size and figuration you may wish. But is that truly bespoke?

Cutting the cloth and who cuts the cloth is often the crucible of many arguments.  And what if a machine cuts the cloth from measurements the cutter has decided?  A laser machine cuts much more finely than garments which are hand cut. Hand cutting leaves lots of loose threads and room for many complaints from a customer, but some prefer it. So why not let the customer – with guidance – cut some of his own cloth. Surely a customer cutting his own cloth would be truly bespoke?

Additionally, but just as importantly, I firmly believe that a bespoke garment is not just about providing a unique pattern and size to each and every customer. It is about providing a truly bespoke service. Is  bespoke when a customer is expected to meet a tailor between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday and at just one location: the tailor’s shop? Is it a truly bespoke service when a garment is being sent to a customer, that the customer cannot choose the exact hour and even minute they want it delivered? Should a customer not have the mobile telephone number of their tailor, so that when something does go wrong – a split hem or a loose thread – that the tailor can have it fixed in an instant for that all important meeting or cocktail party?

A truly bespoke suit or shirt can only so called, I believe, when it is complemented by a truly bespoke service.

Please do email me your thoughts at cc@henryherbert.com

Written by Charlie Baker-Collingwood, Proprietor of Henry Herbert Tailors


Spring into Summer – Summer Suits

Summer Suit fabrics to keep you cool:  lightweight wools, silks, mohair, cottons and linens. Irish linen is considered the best and the least likely to crease. All offer the opportunity to have a very sharply cut bespoke suit that will keep you cool, and smart, in the summer. This photograph is a fabulous photograph taken by The Sartorialist. The Image (C) – The Sartorialist.

 

Henry Herbert is recruiting!

Henry Herbert Tailors are looking for new Tailoring Specialists.

The team at Henry Herbert is growing. Lots of customers look to us to enable professional and high quality bespoke tailoring and now we’re looking to you to help us grow and spread our Savile Row by Scooter Service.

If you want to make measurable changes to how Savile Row tailoring is delivered  then Henry Herbert might be for you. And if you’re a talented and innovative true-believer you might be for Henry Herbert. We’re looking for clever and conscientious people to work in a supportive and diverse environment. Hint: a personality as fun as our brand is not just a plus – it’s A+.

The role of a Tailoring Specialist would involve visiting existing and new customers on a Vespa scooter in central London.

The successful candidate must have: • Outgoing, friendly personality • Fluent spoken and written English • Preferably experience in a customer service role • Ability to multi-task efficiently • High level of personal drive and sound judgment • Outstanding communication and administrative skills • Strong attention to detail • Ability to work on your own initiative • Reasonable travel time to our office in central London.

Please apply with CV and covering letter to cc@henryherbert.com

The DB is Back.

Fabric: Fine pure wool.  Fabric source: England. Cut: Double breasted. Price: Contact Henry Herbert Towers.

Country Tweed for the City….

Fabric: Lightweight tweed.

Fabric source: Edinburgh, Scotland.

Cut: Slim, Single Breasted, with double breasted waistcoat.

Occasion: City to country to weddings!

Notes: This stylish young gentleman, who divides his time between the Cotswolds and London needed a lightweight tweed from Holland & Sherry which would work well in both environments.  This suit is all about versatility and juxtaposing the city with the country. The suit offers a contemporary cut double breasted waistcoat.

Price: Contact Henry Herbert Tailors.

If Your Suit Is Jetlagged – Just Turn Speakers Up & Press Play……

Liberty Print Shirts

Henry Herbert Tailors offer a bespoke shirt making service with Liberty prints. The service is simple and quick.

1. Buy your fabric from Liberty, either online or from the world famous Liberty store on Regent Street. You will need to buy two metres of fabric.

2. Send the fabric to Henry Herbert Tailors, quoting your collar size. The address is Henry Herbert Tailors, 156-158 Gray’s Inn Road, London, WC1X 8ED. Please include your full name, address and contact email & telephone number.

3. As soon as we receive the fabric, a Henry Herbert tailor will be in touch to confirm your order. Each shirt is £175 incl. VAT which includes all tailoring and delivery charges. Payment will be taken upon confirmation of order with a Henry Herbert tailor.

4. You will receive your Liberty print shirt three weeks later by special courier service.

5. That’s it! To learn more about Henry Herbert Tailors just visit our About page or please feel free to contact us.