February 21, 2012   11 notes

thesuitroom:

When Savile Row Did Ivy League:

Beautiful example here of English soft tailoring, made by Sandon of Savile Row and custom dated 1968. The shoulders on this are as soft as any vintage Ivy sack, and many of the Ivy League style proportions and details are present including

—minimal waist suppression

—center vent

—swelled edges on the lapels

—flat front, high waisted trousers with a tapered 8.5” bottom, thick cuffs and lapped outseam

Pure 60s Ivy this is not, but it is nevertheless interesting to see a work of soft-tailoring from the Row, as there is a bit of a misconception that English tailoring is synonymous with padding, structure, and suppression.  The button stance is high, similar to an American suit from the same period, although in custom tailoring the button position is more a function of the individual wearer’s height and less a stylistic detail.

Worth remembering also that American custom was much sought by Savile Row in those days, and this example may have been made to a US customers express wish.  Lovely example Z.

About 25 years ago I was invited into the last room of John Lobb of St James and the huge number of lasts that belonged to Americans was very much in evidence. The usual suspects like Fred Astaire but also others like Paul Newman. The necessity was for earning hard foreign currency to survive and the trunk shows in the US surely brought in many Americans to dictate some of their own traditions to the British makers.

  1. summersinnewport reblogged this from ivyinspired
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  3. theweejun reblogged this from thesuitroom and added:
    Worth remembering also that American custom was much sought...example may have been...
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