Diffusion of a market - Saville Row

2006 was my 3^rd year of design school, I had just completed the 'advanced construction' paper at university, lead by a very good and inspiring tailor, I chose to pattern make and construct a three piece suit. At this time Men's fashion, lead by the designer Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, revered the British suit cut, exemplified by the traditional tailors of Saville Row. During a visit to London in mid 2006 I made a sort of 'pilgrimage' to Saville Row, to find that my reverent views of this street and its stores were appropriate though out of date.

My visit to Saville Row was a major 'tipping point' for me and my view on the suiting and fashion industries. My visit went as follows:

      Oswald Boateng - relatively new to Saville Row though the product is an interesting modern take on a traditional product, friendly staff.

      Evisu - one of the first casual wear companies to open a store on Saville Row, selling made to measure denim, very brand orientated £500 jeans. (This brand and store exited the market as fast as it entered it).

      Traditional suiting stores - with doors locked and very little interest from sales-people I got the message of exclusivity and alienation from a different class, a different time, and a different set of values than my own.

I understood that this was an upper class institution with certain criterion for acceptance, though I also saw the place as out of touch with the modern market – a market where one's origin, culture or social class in Britain has no influence on their demand for a £2000 bespoke suit.

As seen in the Saville Row documentary the standards of British tailoring are upheld, yet challenged by a modern and globalised market; a market with very different values and distribution of wealth to the market targeted by traditional Saville Row stores. It is therefor not surprising that a variety of more modern brands will take over the premises of old standards.