London is the iconic ‘home of menswear’, however, travel north
to the Bowes Museum in County Durham and you will find an exhibition
celebrating the supremacy of men’s tailoring on Savile Row together with the finest
cloth in the world. Lack of time following the preview event has delayed the
writing of this post; but, as the exhibition is running until May 11th
2014, there is still plenty of time to visit!
As the subject of the Bowes Museum’s inaugural exhibition of
tailoring, Henry Poole & Co. is currently showcasing its incredible 200-year
old tailoring archive for the first time; exploring the history of high-end British tailoring and celebrating the
art
and craftsmanship of bespoke. The global phenomenon of luxury menswear has given British
menswear a boost of momentum, and as young designers show alongside
traditional tailoring brands at London Collections: Men, I am excited to observe that interest
in bespoke tailoring has seen a bit of a renaissance in recent years.
Photo Credit: Fashion156, Presentation photography: Ama Samra |
Photo Credit: Telegraph Fashion, London Collections: Men spring/summer 2014 live blog
|
Established in 1806, Henry Poole is steeped in heritage, and with a
keen interest in contemporary menswear, I found it fascinating to delve into
the history of the tailoring brand that launched the start of Savile Row. I learnt that it was Henry Poole who made the original dinner
jacket, or Tuxedo as it has become known, for the Prince of Wales in 1865; creating
a garment that transformed men’s approach to fashion and etiquette.
The wool fabrics displayed in the exhibition are all sourced
from British mills and include the famous Churchill stripe fabric, which, as the name
suggests, was especially created for Winston Churchill, one of Henry Poole’s
many eminent clients. Emperor Napoleon III was another illustrious client of
Henry Poole, and Jules
Vignon’s 19th Century painting from The Bowes Museum’s permanent collection is
displayed as part of the exhibition, depicting a dashing Napoleon in full ceremonial
outfit. More recent recognisable clients of Henry Poole include David Gandy, who recently wore Henry Poole & Co’s renowned Tuxedo to attend GQ ‘Men of the Year’s Best-Dressed Men’ Event.
Photo Credit: davidjamesgandy.blogspot.co.uk |
What is particularly interesting about the curation of the exhibition
is the mix of Poole’s contemporary tailoring and historical ceremonial dress;
from the tweed shooting jacket and the sports blazer to the collection of ceremonial
outfits from Poole’s historical archive.
It was brilliant to be able to talk briefly to Henry Poole’s Keith Levett, to
discuss the past and future of tailoring, and how heritage tailoring brands are adapting with
the changing times.
Over
the next six months, a series of gallery talks and live demonstrations by tailors
from Henry Poole are bringing the skill of tailoring to life at The Bowes
Museum, enabling a wider audience to connect with the beauty of bespoke. It is
wonderful to see the history and craftsmanship of Savile Row’s oldest tailor
exhibited, as tradition will always remain at the core of the brands DNA. However,
how to master a successful balance of heritage and innovation is important
for the future, to ensure that Savile Row itself does not become a thing of the past.
Thank you to the Bowes Museum for allowing me to take a few photographs for my blog during the preview event only.