The venerable firm of Dege & Skinner, founded in 1865, is a leading men's and ladies' bespoke tailor and shirtmaker. From its workrooms in Savile Row, London, Dege produces suits, shirts, neckties, military uniforms and riding clothes for clients around the world. The firm has one of the two most extensive travelling tailor programs that I'm aware of, visiting customers in the UK, USA, Europe, the Gulf States, and Japan on a regular basis. Last week they paused in San Francisco.
Graham Lawless, sales director, alternates with Managing Director William Skinner on the road. Outside of London, either Lawless or Skinner are the face of the firm to tailored clothing customers. Each travels most of a month each year. Says Lawless, "We don't believe we can just sit back and wait for our customers to come to us. We go where they are." He's wearing one of the firm's suits, a three button roll top.
The Dege house style evolved from its uniform work for the British cavalry in the 19th century. It's a military cut with a lot of structure, like these samples. To the left is a one button, peak lapelled odd jacket of silk and linen. On the right is a double breasted worsted. The other three coats hanging in the room when I visited were riding jackets.
Dege is the only Savile Row tailor with its own staff making bespoke shirts and neckties for customers. Robert Whittaker, who joined the firm 13 years ago from Bowring & Arundel (once among my favorite haberdashers), takes great pride in the bespoke necktie program. Dege commissions its own necktie silk, weaving just enough for four neckties in any colorway. Once the silk is sold out, it's gone forever.
Of course, bespoke clothing with a 150 year heritage is not inexpensive and the strength of the British pound means it keeps getting more so. Two piece suit prices start at £2,265 ex VAT (approximately $4,530) and blazers at £1,695 ex VAT (approximately $3,380 ex VAT). Bespoke shirts start at £142.50 ex VAT(approximately $285 USD). And it looks to me like next year the dollar cost will be still greater. But they don't have anything like this at Barney's New York.
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4 comments:
Will,
I would like to have Your opinion about the idea , shared by many of us interested to the world of masculine bespoke dressing,that
Savile Row Bespoke Premises are undeservedly overestimated today. Indeed with the exception of
military uniforms, riding clothes and formal deresses like morning and evening coats, the overall quality of tailoring in terms of cutting and style for standard suits and jackets is inferior for example to that of italian and particularly neapolitan bespoke premises ando also its average price ,as well documented by You in this post, is very high and absolutely not competitive. In Italy ,in fact , on average You can have two magnificent bespoke suits at the price that You pay for one in Savile Row.Unfortunately Savile Row prices have started to conditioning also those of some italian tailors like Rubinacci, that in his London Premise, is adjusting the prices to those of Savile Row.
Angelo
Southern Italy has cost of living and overhead cost advantages compared to New York, London, Paris, Vienna and even Rome that are reflected in lower prices. Sicily is even less expensive than Naples.
Enjoy the prices while you can - Matuozzo and Ambrosi are not much below world prices today, and the gap will close very fast.
In addition, Naples suit prices do not reflect the cost of flying two men to San Francisco and housing them in a $1,000 per night hotel suite.
As to style and cut, there have long been differences between Southern Italy and London just as there are differences between Knize of Vienna, Rafael of New York and Cifonelli in Paris. Vive la difference!
Hi Will
Was wondering what your impressions were of Mr Whittaker's shirt quality comparatively to T&A's bespoke product?
Shirt construction is not rocket science and there are only a few sources for great cloth. The important differentiator is the person who measures you and helps you with decisions if that's necessary. There I think Mr. Whittaker has it all over the majority of the staff in the bespoke department at T&A.
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