Tom Ford is a modern icon, an American fashion designer who is considered to be one of the world’s greatest couturiers and a leading tastemaker. He founded his eponymous label in New York City in 2005 having previously been the creative director at Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, where he transformed the brand into the global powerhouse it is today. Ford first emerged as a serious design talent whilst at Perry Ellis where he worked alongside his peer, Marc Jacobs. His signature style is overtly modernist, embracing sharp lines and angles, minimalist colour palettes and defined silhouettes, however Ford manages to pay homage to traditional methods and drapes in order to accentuate the figure. This style has won the label a great many admirers, with the brand being a go-to for the best-dressed members of High Society, silver screen stars and titans of industry. Indeed, Ford has regularly been sought out by Hollywood studios to craft bespoke pieces for their wardrobe departments, even dressing Daniel Craig’s James Bond – the manifestation of the British style, the Savile Row suited gentleman. Ford, a customer of Anderson & Sheppard, is an aficionado of the Row and its sartorial legacy. He has carefully studied the tailoring art and the English-style, borrowing heavily from the tradition for his own tailoring service. A full-suite fashion house, the Maison is now split between its beauty and cosmetic offer (owned by Estée Lauder) and the fashion business (under the Zegna group).
Tag Archives: KNITWEAR
ANDERSON & SHEPPARD
A bastion of British tailoring, Anderson & Sheppard has been one of Savile Row’s pre-eminent houses since it’s establishment in 1906. The firm has been the preferred tailor to many international celebrities throughout its history (names such as Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper, Noël Coward, Laurence Olivier, Cole Porter, and Rudolph Valentino), in part due to the more relaxed structure championed by Frederick Scholte and Per Anderson, the firm’s founder who trained under Scholte. This style marked the firm as maverick young Turks, a counter to the traditional, heavily structured military style that had long defined the Savile Row suit. Anderson & Sheppard and their contemporaries essentially revolutionised the English-style, with the English cut today being synonymous with the silhouetted and drape espoused by this cadre of tailors. The style would attract a young Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and latterly, the Duke of Windsor), earning the firm the prestige and honour of being a tailor by appointment to the Court of St James. Many decades later, another Prince of Wales would commission his suits from the house before he too would become King, HM King Charles III. The firm would also become a benchmark reference for the high couture fashion industry, having influenced customers including Tom Ford. No longer on the Row but located off-Row on Burlington Street, today the firm continues the bespoke tradition whilst also supplying a range of ready-to-wear apparel from their nearby haberdashery.
MARTHA SU MISURA
Martha su Misura is a full-suite bespoke tailoring house just outside of Modena. Helmed by Martha Naudascher, the firm offers made-to-measure and custom shirtmaking, knitwear, suiting and more for men and women. The atelier also manages a small boutique with a range of ready-to-wear items and accessories to outfit their discerning clientele.
PETER MILLAR
Launched in 2001, Peter Millar set out to offer luxurious and elegant sportswear and casualwear for the well-dressed man. Taking inspiration from the golf courses of old and using those styling cues to create clubhouse appropriate clothing lines, Peter Millar quickly established itself as a go-to label for the sports enthusiast. The North Carolina label uses cottons and fabrics from the region, renowned for their high quality and comfort, to produce sophisticated tailored pieces to elevate golfwear and redefine business casual attire. The brand, now within the prestigious Richemont stable, has expanded to offer a full range of menswear and womenswear from performance apparel to countrywear lines borrowing from the British and American traditions.
LUIGI BORRELLI: FROM MASTER SHIRTMAKER TO LUXURY OUTFITTERS
Luigi Borrelli is a highly reputable menswear store, founded in Naples in 1957. The store was established by renowned Neapolitan shirtmaker, Luigi Borrelli, who sought to continue his family’s trade, having been taught his craft by his mother. His eponymous sartorial outpost became known as a haven for luxurious, handmade and beautifully tailored pieces. Borrelli today has stores across Italy and has recently expanded overseas with its first international branch in Tokyo.
COLHAY’S: A LUXURIOUS MODERN TWIST ON AN ANCIENT KNITWEAR TRADITION
Colhay’s is a luxury knitwear brand that produces some of the world’s finest cashmere and lambswool sweaters. They are known for their high quality materials, craftsmanship, and timeless designs. Their sweaters are handmade in Scotland using traditional methods and are designed to be passed down from generation to generation.
CORNELIANI: ARCHTYPAL ITALIAN TAILORED STYLES FROM A RENOWNED FASHION HOUSE
Corneliani is an Italian luxury menswear brand known for its impeccable tailoring, sophisticated designs, and commitment to timeless elegance. Founded in 1930 by Carlalberto and Claudio Corneliani in Mantua, Italy, the brand has established itself as a leader in the world of high-end men’s fashion offering a broad range of quality knitwear, fashions and tailored pieces which may be customised through their made-to-measure service.
RHANDERS: DENMARK’S FINEST GLOVES
Rhanders is a Danish glovemaking company that was founded in 1811 but with a history that dates back much, much further. It is one of the oldest glovemakers in the world, and is known for its high-quality, handcrafted gloves, even being appointed as purveyors to the Crown of Denmark.
CONNOLLY: AN ICONIC MAKER OF LEATHER GOODS
Connolly is a British luxury leather brand founded in 1878. The brand is known for its high-quality leather goods, which are used in a variety of industries, including automotive, aviation, marine, furniture and the House’s very own line of fashion and accessories. Connolly leather is sourced from the finest hides from around the world and is tanned and finished using traditional methods. The brand’s leather is known for its durability, softness, and beauty.
ISSEY MIYAKE: A VISIONARY JAPANESE FASHION HOUSE
Issey Miyake is a high-end Japanese fashion brand, named for the late designer who founded the house in 1970. The designer behind the eponymous label was a known for his innovative and technology-driven clothing designs, a brief which continues to influence the label’s collections today. Miyake was born in Hiroshima in 1938 and lived through the atomic bombing of the city as a child. This experience had a profound impact on him and his work, and he often spoke about the importance of peace and harmony in design and in culture.
FITZGABRIELS 