Our Heritage

Founding in 1889

Apsley Tailors was established in 1889, during the golden age of British tailoring when Savile Row was cementing its reputation as the world capital of bespoke menswear. The late Victorian period saw unprecedented prosperity, expanding global trade, and a gentleman's wardrobe that demanded impeccable tailoring for every occasion.

Our founder recognized that true bespoke tailoring required more than technical skill - it demanded understanding of each client's lifestyle, preferences, and the subtle details that distinguished a good suit from an exceptional one. This philosophy, established over 130 years ago, remains the foundation of everything we create today.

The Savile Row Context

When Apsley Tailors opened its doors, Savile Row had already been the center of London tailoring for over a century. The street attracted master cutters, skilled tailors, and clients from around the world. Establishing a house on or near this prestigious address required exceptional craftsmanship and reputation.

The late 1880s saw tailoring reach new heights of sophistication. The frock coat, morning coat, and dinner jacket all required expert construction. Trousers had specific cuts for different occasions. A gentleman's wardrobe might include 20-30 bespoke garments, each serving a particular social function.

The Victorian and Edwardian Era

The period from our founding through the death of King Edward VII in 1910 represented peak demand for bespoke tailoring. Gentlemen required extensive wardrobes with strict dress codes governing every social situation.

The Edwardian Gentleman's Wardrobe

Our early clients typically commissioned:

• Morning coats: For formal daytime occasions, weddings, racing
• Frock coats: For business and formal daytime wear
• Dinner jackets: For evening social events
• Tailcoats: For white tie and most formal occasions
• Lounge suits: The emerging "informal" business suit
• Sporting clothes: Specialized garments for hunting, shooting, country pursuits

Each garment required multiple fittings and represented weeks of skilled hand work. Our craftsmen specialized in particular garments - some focused exclusively on coats, others on waistcoats or trousers.

Craftsmanship Standards

Victorian-Edwardian tailoring emphasized:

• Extensive hand work throughout every garment
• Multiple fittings (often 3-5 for complex pieces)
• Fabric selection from the finest British and European mills
• Details like hand-stitched buttonholes and covered buttons
• Lifetime relationships between tailor and client

These standards established during our founding decades remain our benchmarks today.

Through the World Wars

The two World Wars profoundly affected Savile Row and Apsley Tailors. Many of our craftsmen and clients served in the military, and fabric rationing challenged traditional practices.

The First World War (1914-1918)

During the Great War, our workshop pivoted to creating military uniforms while maintaining bespoke service for essential civilian needs. Many clients commissioned uniforms before deployment. The war years saw simplified styles and conservation of materials, but craftsmanship standards never wavered.

The interwar period (1918-1939) brought new styles - the lounge suit fully replaced the frock coat for business, dinner jackets became standard evening wear, and the Prince of Wales (later Duke of Windsor) influenced men's fashion with softer shoulders and wider trousers.

The Second World War (1939-1945)

World War II brought severe fabric rationing and restrictions on tailoring details. The "Utility Suit" regulations limited fabric usage, prohibited certain details, and standardized production. Despite these constraints, Apsley Tailors maintained bespoke service within rationing limits, proving that quality could persist even under restriction.

Many of our craftsmen served or contributed to the war effort while senior tailors maintained the workshop. Clients included military officers requiring dress uniforms and government officials needing business attire.

Post-War Renaissance

The decades following World War II saw Savile Row's renaissance as international clients returned and new generations discovered bespoke tailoring.

The 1950s: Return to Elegance

Rationing ended in 1949, allowing full return to pre-war craftsmanship and materials. The 1950s embraced elegance after wartime austerity. Our clients commissioned extensive wardrobes - business suits in conservative cuts, evening wear for social occasions, and country clothes for weekend pursuits.

This era established many clients who remained with us for decades, some into the 2000s. These long relationships exemplified bespoke tailoring's personal nature - knowing not just measurements but lifestyle, preferences, and family milestones.

The 1960s-70s: Changing Times

The cultural revolutions of the 1960s-70s challenged traditional tailoring. Youth fashion emerged on Carnaby Street, and ready-to-wear expanded. However, Savile Row adapted, offering contemporary styling within bespoke quality frameworks.

Apsley Tailors navigated this period by respecting tradition while accommodating modern preferences - narrower lapels when fashion demanded, wider when trends shifted, but always maintaining construction quality and fit excellence.

The 1980s-90s: Global Expansion

The 1980s brought renewed appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. International clients - particularly from the United States, Middle East, and Asia - discovered Savile Row. This globalization continues today, with clients visiting from Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and worldwide.

During these decades, we refined our bespoke process, incorporating new communication methods while preserving traditional craftsmanship. Clients could commission suits during London visits and receive garments internationally.

The Modern Era

The 21st century has brought both challenges and opportunities for traditional bespoke tailoring.

Preserving Craft in the Digital Age

While technology has transformed many industries, true bespoke tailoring remains fundamentally unchanged. We still draft patterns by hand, cut fabric with shears, and finish buttonholes with needle and thread - techniques that haven't been surpassed by machinery.

However, we've embraced technology where it enhances service: digital pattern archiving ensures your specifications are never lost, improved communications allow international client service, and modern fabric sourcing provides access to the world's finest mills.

The Modern Bespoke Client

Today's clients differ from those of 1889, yet share core values:

• Appreciation for quality over quantity
• Understanding that true craftsmanship requires time and skill
• Desire for garments that fit perfectly and express individuality
• Willingness to invest in pieces that last decades rather than seasons

Our modern clients include business executives requiring impeccable professional attire, grooms commissioning wedding suits, and gentlemen building wardrobes that reflect personal style. Some are continuing family traditions - third-generation clients whose grandfathers first visited our workshop decades ago.

House Style Evolution

Every Savile Row house develops a signature style - a subtle aesthetic thread running through its creations. The Apsley Tailors house style emphasizes elegance, proportion, and versatility.

Core Style Elements

• Balanced proportions: Lapels, pockets, and details harmonize with the wearer's frame
• Natural shoulder: Moderate padding that enhances rather than exaggerates
• Classic elegance: Timeless styling that transcends fashion trends
• Subtle details: Refined finishing that's felt rather than flaunted
• Perfect fit: Comfort and appearance balanced seamlessly

Adapting to Individual Clients

While we maintain house style principles, every suit is personalized to the individual. A bespoke suit should reflect the wearer's character, lifestyle, and preferences - not impose the tailor's aesthetic.

This philosophy means our suits range from conservative business attire to more adventurous styling, always grounded in quality construction and appropriate proportion. Learn more in our Complete Bespoke Suit Guide.

Savile Row History and Significance

Understanding Apsley Tailors' heritage requires understanding Savile Row itself - a street synonymous with the highest standards of bespoke tailoring.

The Street's Origins

Savile Row was developed in the late 17th century and became associated with tailoring in the early 18th century. By the 19th century, it was firmly established as the center of the finest men's tailoring worldwide.

The street's reputation stemmed from the concentration of master craftsmen, healthy competition driving innovation, and proximity to wealthy clients in Mayfair and St. James's. "Savile Row" became shorthand for the pinnacle of bespoke tailoring.

Why Savile Row Endures

Despite predictions of decline, Savile Row thrives because:

• The apprenticeship system preserves skills across generations
• Client relationships span decades, creating continuity
• Quality and craftsmanship can't be replicated by industrial production
• Global clients recognize Savile Row's unique value
• The street adapts while preserving core standards

Our location at 2 Mill Street, just steps from Savile Row proper, places us within this ecosystem of excellence while allowing us to maintain our distinct character and personal client relationships.

Our Commitment to Craft

What has allowed Apsley Tailors to thrive for over 130 years? An unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, client service, and continuous improvement.

The Apprenticeship Tradition

Bespoke tailoring skills are passed through apprenticeship - years of training under master craftsmen. Our senior tailors learned from those who learned from previous generations, creating an unbroken chain of knowledge extending back to our founding.

Today, we continue this tradition, training the next generation while respecting the techniques perfected over more than a century.

Hand Work and Construction Quality

Every Apsley Tailors suit includes extensive hand work:

• Hand-padded lapels creating superior roll and drape
• Hand-stitched floating canvas molding to your body
• Hand-finished buttonholes (a hallmark of authentic bespoke)
• Hand-felled seams and edge finishing
• Hand-attached linings allowing freedom of movement

These techniques require years to master but create garments that machine construction cannot match. Explore our process in the Bespoke Tailoring Process guide.

Fabric Relationships

Our relationships with the world's finest fabric mills span decades. This ensures access to exceptional materials and allows us to source specific cloths for client requirements. From Loro Piana's finest wools to Holland & Sherry's distinctive weaves, we provide fabrics worthy of our construction quality.

The Next Generation

As we look toward the future, Apsley Tailors remains committed to the values established in 1889 while serving modern clients' needs.

Sustainability Through Quality

True bespoke tailoring is inherently sustainable - creating garments designed to last decades rather than seasons. In an era of environmental concern, this approach offers an ethical alternative to disposable fashion.

Educating New Clients

We invest time educating clients about bespoke tailoring's value, construction methods, and care. This knowledge helps clients make informed decisions and appreciate the craftsmanship in every garment.

Expanding Access

While maintaining quality standards, we work to make bespoke accessible to those who value it. Through transparent pricing, flexible appointment scheduling, and international service, we serve clients worldwide. See our pricing guide for investment information.

The Continuing Legacy

Every suit we create becomes part of our heritage - a garment that may serve its owner for decades, perhaps passing to future generations. This responsibility drives our commitment to excellence in every stitch, every fitting, every detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How has bespoke tailoring changed since 1889?

Core construction techniques remain virtually unchanged because they've never been surpassed. What's evolved: styles and silhouettes following fashion, fabrics and materials available, communication methods, and international client service. The fundamental process - individual patterns, multiple fittings, hand construction - persists unchanged.

Do you have records from early clients?

We maintain pattern archives and some historical records, though complete records from 1889 forward don't exist due to the World Wars and changing record-keeping practices. However, we have patterns and information for clients from several decades back.

What's the oldest suit you've seen still in use?

We occasionally see clients wearing suits we created 40-50 years ago, still in excellent condition. Proper care and quality construction allow bespoke suits to last generations. Some clients have inherited suits from fathers or grandfathers that remain wearable.

How many suits does Apsley Tailors create annually?

True bespoke is time-intensive. Each cutter can produce only a limited number of suits annually while maintaining quality standards. We prioritize excellence over volume, ensuring every client receives the attention their commission deserves.

Has Apsley Tailors always been at 2 Mill Street?

Our current location at 2 Mill Street, London, provides the perfect setting for our workshop and client consultations. The space allows us to maintain traditional craftsmanship while serving modern clients in comfort and privacy.

Do you serve international clients?

Yes - we've served international clients throughout our history, with particular growth from the 1980s onward. Today we regularly work with clients from the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, and worldwide. We accommodate international schedules and can arrange concentrated fitting appointments.

How do you preserve traditional skills?

Through the apprenticeship system - training new tailors under experienced craftsmen, typically over 5-7 years. This hands-on learning preserves techniques that can't be taught from books or videos. We also maintain our pattern archives and construction documentation.

What makes Apsley Tailors distinct from other Savile Row houses?

While all reputable Savile Row tailors maintain high standards, each house has unique character. We're known for balanced elegance, personal client relationships, commitment to traditional construction, and accessible approach that welcomes first-time bespoke clients alongside those with decades of experience.

Can I visit your workshop?

Yes - we welcome clients to visit our workshop at 2 Mill Street, London. Seeing where your suit will be created, meeting our craftsmen, and understanding the process enhances the bespoke experience. Book a consultation to arrange your visit.