Norton and Townsend
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The perfect way to complement your unique sense of style and achieve a superb quality fit, wearing a made to measure suit brings a touch of luxury to special occasions. At Norton & Townsend we made high quality tailored suits in London, offering a fuss-free service designed to bring bespoke tailoring direct to your door.
London has been at the forefront of Britain’s highly renowned bespoke tailoring industry since the 17th century. Savile Row in London’s Mayfair became the epicentre of the city’s tailoring industry and although the street was originally built to house British military officers and their families, as sartorial elegance became the focus of an increasingly style-conscious gentry, bespoke tailors based in the street began to flourish.
The early years of the 19th century saw the arrival of Beau Brummel who quickly gained a reputation as the epitome of sartorial taste and elegance. During a military career in the personal regiment of the Prince of Wales, Brummel became a close friend of the prince. On leaving the army and becoming a civilian, Brummel became something of an authority on fashion, adopting a style which favoured understated yet beautifully fitted and exquisitely made tailored garments.
Brummel’s look featured a capsule wardrobe of dark coloured coats, ankle-length trousers rather than the usual stockings and knee breeches. The final flourish was a dazzlingly white linen shirt and coordinating cravat, tied with an elaborate knot. Brummel patronised many of the tailors who had established themselves on Savile Row which had become known as the ‘golden mile of tailoring’, thereby cementing the link between the London street and style.
Although there have been significant advancements in technology since Brummel’s day, today’s bespoke tailors still use the traditional techniques which would be recognised by the Savile Row tailors of the early 19th century. Tailoring is still recognised as an art form which requires great skill and many years of training and experience. Although contemporary fashion is dominated by ready made clothing and mass production, the skill and expertise of tailors is becoming seen as increasingly important. As such, Savile Row is still seen as the go-to destination for handmade bespoke suits in London.
There’s no such thing as a standard-sized completely symmetrical body and this is the big difference between ready-to-wear and bespoke tailoring. Although hand-finished ready-to-wear suits are available, they’re made with a one-size-fits-all approach. In other words, if your shoulders slope slightly or if you have a longer than average torso, even a suit in your size is unlikely to fit you properly.
You probably already know your chest, collar and inside leg measurements. However, ordering a bespoke suit involves have many measurements taken as this is the only way to achieve that all-important bespoke fit. Your Norton & Townsend tailor will take numerous measurements – as many as 20 for the jacket alone – to make sure we get the fit just right, whilst paying close consideration to the width of your shoulders, the length of your arms and more. In addition, as bespoke tailors, we’ll also take time to assess your posture, gait, sitting position and individual sense of style. Ordering a bespoke suit is a collaborative process and we’ll work closely with you as this is the best way for us to make the perfect suit.
When it comes to choosing a style it’s your call and whether you’re buying a suit for to wear on your wedding day or simply to the office, we’ll help you decide on every aspect. As experts in creating made to measure suits in London, we’ll guide you through the process to help you choose the perfect fabric, style details, lining and trim.
We offer our clients a choice of thousands of superb quality fabrics ranging from luxurious cashmere and tweed, through to blends, linen and more. We know that such a huge choice can seem a little daunting, but rest assured that your Norton & Townsend made to measure tailor will be on hand to help you choose the best fabric and lining for your chosen style.
Once your measurements have been taken, you’ve chosen fabric and style details such the design of pockets and lapels, it’s time for our team of talented pattern cutters to take over. The role of the pattern cutter is essential as it is their job to create the unique template we’ll use to make your suit. After the fabric has been cut we’ll create a basic form of the final suit which is designed to be tried on and then taken apart again if necessary to ensure the finished garment fits perfectly. It’s at this point that any adjustments will be made before a final fitting is carried out.
From this point onwards it takes around six to eight weeks to create a bespoke suit although the exact timescale depends on your chosen style and how many adjustments are required. Rest assured though that we won’t ask for final payment until you’re 100% happy.
Our bespoke tailoring service starts and finishes with an emphasis on quality delivered with a professional, friendly approach. Our tailors in London take great pride in creating superb quality bespoke tailoring for all occasions, from wedding suits and evening attire, through to country wear, overcoats and jackets. To find out more about our bespoke suit services, please get in touch to arrange an initial consultation appointment.
