Tag Archives: London

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

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.

Roman holidays….Silvio & Babarella join the HH fleet…..

Silvio & Babarella…theyjoin the Henry Herbert fleet today to serve our Savile Row by Scooter Service. Serving up traditional and authentic English tailoring, our Vespa’s can meet you around the clock – wherever and whenever is good for you. Ciao bella!

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.

Henry Herbert Tailors: London’s Wedding Tailor


London’s Wedding Tailor

Henry Herbert Tailors wedding suits offer tailored elegance for wedding days – from morning suits for the groom to wedding suits and bespoke shirts for the whole wedding party. We use the most luxurious English, Scottish and Italian fabrics, and the finest cottons.

Our tailors can visit you anywhere in London, with our Savile Row by Scooter Service, or you can meet with our trained tailors by appointment on Savile Row.

To make an appointment, simply Book a Tailor.  Or let us know your wedding day requirements, and we can provide you with a quote.

Great looking shirt modelled by a great looking girl

A great looking crisp white shirt, Henry Herbert Tailors made for a young lady in London. A great cut shirt, in a great fabric modelled fabulously by the young lady.

Henry Herbert makes a suit for Lord Herbert!

Fabric:  Chalk stripe English flannel

Fabric source:  Huddersfield, England

Cut: Traditional, Double-breasted

Notes: The classic English double breasted suit, in a wonderful chalk stripe fabric from Huddersfield based mill, Dugdales Bros. This creation, by Henry Herbert Tailors, was made for Lord Herbert (pictured) – no relation to the firm, but, hopefully, a happy customer in his striking and well fitted suit. His choice of a navy chalk stripe cuts a dashing figure against the backdrop of Chelsea harbour in London.

Autumn is approaching…make a getaway in a three-piece.

When you think of the three-piece suit, you think of the Thomas Crown Affair, or Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II, looking as fierce as any actor ever. You think of high-powered attorneys and CEOs roaming the courtrooms and boardrooms of the 1970s.

The question is: Do you ever think of yourself in one?You might want to start. The three-piece suit no longer suggests you have the corner office (or a tommy gun); it suggests you have style. Of course, it’s not as easy as one two three. You need to know how to wear it and where to wear it. The three piece offers a razor sharp suit. It even has other uses as recently reported by the New York Times. Whatever your use for a three-piece, every well dressed gentleman should have one.

Linen Ahoy!

Bespoke Savile Row Tailored British Linen Suit

Fabric: Linen

Fabric source:  Edinburgh, Scotland

Cut: Slim, Single breasted, Two Button

Occasion: Everyday, professional

Notes: A glorious looking blue linen suit from Harrisons of Edinburgh, which Henry Herbert made for a magazine editor (and former Royal Navy officer) in London. Linen is an excellent choice for staying cool whilst looking sharp in the warmer months.  You can just see a flash of the special lining that he chose too. He also requested brace buttons, which sit discreetly inside the trouser waistband, together with a fishtail finish to the rear of the trousers. A great looking suit which sits well on his tall frame.

Time for a Three-Piece Suit

Three Piece Suit WaistcoatBespoke Wedding Waistcoat

An example of an excellent and very fine cloth from Taylor & Lodge of Huddersfield, England, in a recent Henry Herbert three-piece suit. The customer chose a simple and elegant style to the suit – a two button single breasted jacket, with a straight pocket either side. The suit is enhanced hugely by:

1. Excellent choice of cloth,

2. Savile Row tapering to the sides of the jacket, and

3. A very simple coat style complemented by a waistcoat.

Just what’s inside a Henry Herbert shirt box?

Every shirt we make is handmade to the highest Savile Row standards. We use the finest cottons, Mother of Pearl buttons and brass collar bones. The packaging, shows the care and attention we take when delivering every shirt.  This is a bengal stripe shirt on its way to a customer.

Photography credit: Petra Exton

A legally lovely wedding

Henry-Herbert-Tailors

A Henry Herbert suit for a young London based solicitor for his wedding day. The suit was made from a splendid Super 120’s cloth from Thomas Fisher, from Huddersfield and looks smashing with the accompanying lounge waistcoat…and his new wife.