How Gieves & Hawkes made the bespoke suits:
Four hundred and fifty years of shared experience and knowledge; one amazing location. The customer entering Number 1 Savile Row, seeking the finest levels of craftsmanship and personal service, discovers a world of quality, attention to detail and passion for the sartorial arts. A new customer, whether visiting with an introduction or mere curiosity, is taken and introduced to the cutters in the bespoke room where, in a relaxed atmosphere, the foundations are laid for a relationship of trust between cutter and customer which may last for decades.

Cutter and customer discuss tastes, interests and lifestyle and a picture of the man and his requirements is formed, with cut and fit built around the customer's needs: two-button work suits with a military air, or relaxed cashmere jackets - anything is possible. Next the cloth is chosen from a selection of thousands, from traditional Irish linens to feather-light Italian worsteds.

The cutter gently steers the customer towards something suitable, using his years of experience in how different cloths tailor and wear. The customer's measurements are taken, as well as notes on build, stance and posture. Later, at his station the cutter sketches the customer's unique pattern on brown paper, using process and instinct to shape two-dimensional panels that will combine into a 3D structure. The paper pattern is laid onto the chosen cloth and subtly adjusted to ensure that the fabric matches at the seams of the garments. Pockets and flaps must be exact. Even the smallest detail can undermine the line and balance of the whole.

A few weeks later the customer comes in for his first fitting, and for the first time can see and feel the beginnings of a suit that previously only existed in his mind. At this point the cutter's priority is to perfect the balance of the suit, accommodating the subtle twists in the body and pitch of the arms. Requiring at least three fittings, the bespoke process is the peak of sartorial precision. With each stage the suit takes on shape and structure, as the silhouette and profile are finalised.

The exquisite, hand-worked details are added as the suit reaches completion - fine buttonholes, horn buttons, the discreet label that reflects centuries of tailoring tradition. Then a final pressing and the suit is ready for collection. Over the years the cutter and customer create an elegant wardrobe that will last a lifetime, often passed from father to son, and son to grandson: a testimony to the enduring legacy of craftsmanship, taste and elegance that has endured at Gieves & Hawkes bespoke.

   
Read more about the event and the brands that will  show their newest creations here: London  Collections: Men - Spring/Summer 2015