On Friday I received my copy of "Bespoke: The Men's
Style of Savile Row" by James Sherwood.
This Rizzoli produced, beautifully illustrated coffee table book
charts Savile Row's contribution to fashion and culture through
profiles of 26 Savile Row master tailors.
As it's going to take me some time to work my way through this
book, I started where any sensible person would: at the back of the
book. These last few pages feature some interesting material - a
definition of the various components of a suit; a sequential,
photo-illustrated discussion of the construction of a bespoke suit;
a guide to different suit fabrics; a definition of various bespoke
terms; and a list of Savile Row master tailors.
Then I turned to the front of the book where the second
photograph caught my eye. It's a beautifully composed, two page
spread of a Dege & Skinner cutter striking a pattern in
their cutting room.
I have just one comment to make to the anonymous Dege &
Skinner cutter who appears in the photograph: the pressing of your
shirt is atrocious.
If you can't find a true quality cleaner in London who knows
something about hand ironing the sleeves, sleeve placket and cuffs
of a shirt, I have a proposition for you: send me 6 of your
favorite Dege & Skinner shirts. I'll
gently clean them, hand press them to perfection and
ship them back to you. All at no charge to you personally or to
Dege & Skinner.
This way you'll be ready for your next photo shoot or client
contact opportunity. And you'll avoid the personal embarrassment
associated with wearing a machine pressed shirt in a service
environment that epitomizes bespoke elegance.
How can I help you?