Savile Row tailor designs new school uniform
July 6, 2010 by Rob Powell
A failing school in Norwich has turned to Savile Row as part of a plan to turn around its fortunes, according to the Guardian newspaper.
Costessey comprehensive school is being turned into a new Academy, and has commissioned Savile Row tailor, Thomas Mahon, to design a new uniform. The school has reportedly spent £34,000 on new blazers, trousers and skirts.
Alexander McQueen dies at Mayfair home
February 11, 2010 by Rob Powell
The internationally renowned fashioned designer, Alexander McQueen, was found at his Mayfair home this morning after apparently committing suicide.
The influential British designer was in mourning for his mother who recently died. He posted a message to his now-deleted Twitter account last week saying “awful week but my friends have been great but now i have to some how pull myself together”. His very last Twitter message was posted earlier today and said: “im here with my girl annie tinkerbell wishing kerry the slag ,happy birthday in NY ,your 40 now girl time to slow it down we think.”
His death was confirmed with an official statement on his website:
ON BEHALF OF LEE MCQUEEN’S FAMILY, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN TODAY ANNOUNCES THE TRAGIC NEWS THAT LEE MCQUEEN, THE FOUNDER AND DESIGNER OF THE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN BRAND HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD AT HIS HOME. AT THIS STAGE IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO COMMENT ON THIS TRAGIC NEWS BEYOND SAYING THAT WE ARE DEVASTATED AND ARE SHARING A SENSE OF SHOCK AND GRIEF WITH LEE’S FAMILY.
His career started with an apprenticeship at Savile Row Anderson & Sheppard, before moving on to Gieves & Hawkes.
McQueen’s body was removed from his Green Street apartment this afternoon and then ghoulishly followed through London streets by a 24 hour news channel’s helicopter.
Abercrombie & Fitch Face Employment Tribunal
June 24, 2009 by Rob Powell
Abercrombie & Fitch has been accused of allowing discrimination of a staff member who has a prosthetic arm.
The clothing store in Savile Row, famed for its beautiful models and shop staff, hired law student, Riam Dean, but she claims because of her prosthetic arm, was forced to work in the stockroom rather than face customers. She claims she was told she would be allowed to wear a cardigan to cover her arm, but was later told by a manager, she could only work with customers if she took the cardigan off.
The BBC quotes her as saying: “I was always prepared for children to be curious about my disability, but to be faced with adult bullying, no-one could have prepared me for such debasement” . She is suing the company, which denies her claims, and seeking damages up to £20,000.
Red Faces at 40 Savile Row, M&S Bespoke Shirts Triumph
November 28, 2008 by Rob Powell
A test of made to measure shirts carried out by Which? has placed a £30 shirt from Marks and Spencer well above a £165 shirt from tailors at 40 Savile Row. The embarrasing results came after three bespoke shirts were ordered over the internet. The M&S; shirts apparently fitted well, whilst the shirts from 40 Savile Row were described as too “baggy”.
To find out more about the M&S; Bespoke shirt range, visit the Marks and Spencer website and select the Made To Measure option under Menswear.
Li & Fung Buys Hardy Amies
November 17, 2008 by Rob Powell
Li & Fung, a Hong Kong based fashion company, has done a deal with the Administrators of Hardy Amies to buy all rights to the brand and the lease of its Savile Row store.
The deal does not include the historic company’s other retail outlets and they look set to close.
Hardy Amies had been struggling and went into Adminsistration last month. Kroll were appointed to handle the company’s assets but were not able to sell the entire business as a going concern.
More on this story from Drapers Online.
Hardy Amies Enters Administration
October 4, 2008 by Rob Powell
Hardy Amies has entered administration after being unable to find financial backing to secure its long term future. The Savile Row company had suspended trading in its shares last week in a bid to stave off this move, but reports are that the company how now appointed Administrators.
Related:
Hardy Amies Appoints Administrator
Hardy Amies Faces Administration
September 28, 2008 by Rob Powell
Famous Savile Row brand, Hardy Amies, is seeking rescue funding to avoid administration or possibly bankruptcy.
The Financial Times quotes Andrew Manders (chairman) as saying: “We are working against quite a tight deadline. Either we find someone to buy the business as a whole or to buy a stake, or someone to inject more funds into the business. It’s only a matter of time before we need funds.”
Hardy Amies was dressmaker to the Queen for nearly 50 years, but over in the Guardian, the brand faces criticism from Jeff Banks who says the company has let it’s image become too “mumsy”.
Savile Row Tailors Lose Bespoke Claim
June 18, 2008 by Rob Powell
Savile Row tailors have lost a complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority about the use of the word “bespoke”.
The complaint centered around Sartoriani in Old Bond Street who advertised bespoke suits, but employed the use of machines to cut the cloth once measurements had been taken.
The ASA has rejected the claim that suits have to be entirely hand made without the use of the a pre-existing pattern to warrant the description “bespoke”. Their findings concluded:
We considered that both fully bespoke and made-to-measure suits were “made to order” in that they were made to the customer’s precise measurements and specifications, unlike off-the-peg suits. We considered that customers would expect a bespoke suit to be tailored to their measurements and specifications. We considered that the majority of people, however, would not expect that suit to be fully hand-made with the pattern cut from scratch. We concluded that the use of the word “bespoke” to describe the advertised suits was unlikely to mislead.
Read more
Telegraph: Savile Row tailors lose fight to preserve the term ‘bespoke’
AFP: Ad watchdog fails to suit Savile Row
BBC Savile Row Documentary
June 12, 2008 by Rob Powell
If you missed the BBC’s acclaimed four part documentary series on Savile Row, you might be interested to know that it is being shown again on BBC4 and you can of course catch it on BBC iPlayer.
5 Savile Row For Sale
May 31, 2008 by Rob Powell
Dutch insurance conglomerate and fund manager, ING, is selling part of its London property portfolio including 5 Savile Row. Property Week reports that the 32,000ft block is being marketed at £43million, having been purchased from GE Real Estate earlier this year for £51million.