What is a Savile Row Suit?
What is a Savile Row Suit?
A Savile Row suit is named after the street in central London, UK where it was tailored. It's a bespoke suit, which means that it was made to measure by a Savile Row tailor.
Savile Row is situated in the Mayfair part of London and it's a place where some of the world's premier tailors cut and sew suits entirely by hand. The words, "Savile Row Suit" carry a lot of cachet. These types of suits embody elegance and craftsmanship. For this reason, they are typically pricey status symbols.
Explore the Savile Row Legacy
The legacy of Savile Row as a world-class tailoring hub began way back in 1846, when the creator of the classic tux converted his Old Burlington Street tailoring shop into a business which could also be entered from Savile Row. Most people believe that bespoke tailoring began on Savile Row.
During the late eighteenth century, tailors began to operate out of Savile Row and nearby Cork Street. Styles for bespoke suits crafted in Savile Row have evolved with the times. However, classic and traditional styles, which aren't so very different fr0o.0m the dinner jackets created in 1803 or later, are still available.
Modern designers have embraced a "new bespoke" movement and examples of these designers, who are strongly influenced by the legacy of Savile Row, include Ozwald Boateng and Richard James.
Why Buy a Savile Row Suit?
People who invest in Savile Row suits want the very best. Suits of this type average around forty-eight hundred pounds. The production cost of the suits is about thirty-three percent of the retail price. In typical garment production which isn't bespoke, production cost is only thirteen percent of total cost.
Those with refined tastes, who seek out ideal fit and beautiful fabrics, understand the inherent value of Savile Row suits. They are paying for masterly skill and experience, as well as a high taste level. However, these special suits are certainly not within everyone's financial reach.
If you can't afford a Savile Row suit, you may be able to afford a bespoke suit from a tailor who doesn't work on this legendary Mayfair Street. These days, it's actually possible to order custom suits online, just by taking several measurements yourself, plugging them into a website's online form and then selecting your preferred suit colour and cut.
It's also possible to order custom dress shirts in this manner. These services tend not to cost thousands of pounds!