Gieves & Hawkes

The place for bespoke

With an address of 1 Savile Row, we had high hopes for Gieves & Hawkes to give us a great experience with a bespoke tailor. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time for a bespoke suit so we settled for Ready To Wear dinner jacket and trousers which was still a pleasant experience.
I made an appointment through email, and Rebecca helped us with our choices. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and we ended up buying another navy silk dinner jacket.
Rebecca also gave us a quick tour of the archive room upstairs which stores all the uniforms of the Queen’s guards. On the walls there are also the Royal Warrants from the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince of Wales. There is also a gold embroidered and navy blue jacket on display that Michael Jackson commissioned for his Bad tour.
What was fascinating was that the building was bought from the Royal Geographical Society, and the architecture is still as stately as it was in the 1870s, but renovated inside and beautifully lit.
They did a rush job to get the dinner jacket and trousers tailored so we could take them home with us and made sure we had our paperwork for VAT ready to go.
I really enjoyed our experience with G & H, it’s definitely a place we will visit again the next time we are in London.

I used to like Gieves & Hawkes, but that was back in the day. The quality of their suits and shirts have gone slightly downhill. I might as well go to Aquascutum at 100 Regent Street. Personally, I’d rather go to Huntsman, Dege & Skinner, Richard James, and/​or Richard Anderson which are all in Savile Row.

Gieves & Hawkes used to be a famous bespoke tailor, but today, G & H seem more like a posh high-​street brand. Indeed, they have branched out into so many different fields, that it is hard to keep track.
Their suits and shirts are no doubt of high quality, and many of their products are either manufactured in Britain or in Italy (which in my opinion is a big advantage to so many other high-​end brands that have moved their production to sweat shops overseas).
In recent years, the G & H No. 1 Savile Row shop has undergone big changes. There is a blazer room now, reflecting G & H’s heritage as a navy tailor. Additionally, Carréduckers bespoke shoe makers are working from the No. 1 premises. The building itself is worth a visit as it housed the Royal Geographical Society during the 19^th century and was also the site of David Livingstone’s laying out.
G & H stock an extensive range of formal wear, morning coats, tailcoats and dinner suits. Their ready-​to-​wear business suits come in different ranges from the cheaper versions with glued interlinings to expensive fully-​canvassed versions.
Today, G & H make only about 20% of their money with bespoke tailoring, but their head cutter, Kathy Sargent, has a great reputation and is rumoured to produce suits and uniforms for Prince William.
I have never tried their bespoke offerings since I am quite happy with another Savile Row tailor, but I have been wearing a couple of ready-​to-​wear suits over the last years that I am quite happy with. My dinner suit from G & H has made me look good during so many occasions, and I can recommend their clothes as I consider them good value for money.

Gieves & Hawkes stand at a remarkable address No 1 Savile Row. These tailors have been in business since 1771. They have been clever enough to evolve and change with the times without loosing what makes them great; their absolute care for every suit they create, and these days you can even get a t-​shirt. Now you might think that if you go in for a mere t-​shirt the service wont be the same as if you went to get a bespoke suit, but they are really charming an nice and will be helpful whatever your need is.