Bespoke Menswear Trunk Shows

The drape cut was developed by the Dutch-born Savile Row tailor Frederick Scholte in the 1920s. Scholte's innovation was a reaction against the restrictive, military-style tailoring of the Victorian era, creating a more comfortable and fluid silhouette. This new style, also known as the London Cut, quickly gained favor with style icons of the era, most notably the Prince of Wales, who would later become the Duke of Windsor. The defining feature of the drape cut is the small, high armhole paired with extra fabric through the chest and across the shoulder blades. This "drape" creates a fuller, more athletic-looking chest while allowing for a greater range of movement without the jacket collar lifting off the neck. The shoulder is typically soft with minimal padding, and the waist is suppressed to create a subtle hourglass shape. While Scholte was the originator, the firm Anderson & Sheppard became the most famous practitioners of the English Drape. Per Anderson, who was mentored by Scholte, refined the cut to be more wearable for a wider clientele. It was Anderson & Sheppard that attracted Hollywood stars like Fred Astaire and Gary Cooper, who appreciated the elegance and comfort the cut provided. Steed Bespoke Tailors, established in 1995, continues this tradition of soft, understated elegance. A two-piece bespoke suit from Steed starts at £5,500, with a timeline for completion typically ranging from eight to twelve weeks, involving multiple fittings to perfect the silhouette. Emiko Matsuda, a former head of bespoke at Foster & Son, now creates her own bespoke shoes. Her training under the legendary last-maker Terry Moore is evident in her classic, elegant designs. A bespoke shoe commission with Matsuda starts at around £4,000, a process that involves detailed measurements and fittings to create a perfectly customized last. Foster & Son, where Matsuda and her mentor Terry Moore honed their craft, is one of London's oldest shoemakers, founded in 1840. The firm has a long history of serving a distinguished clientele, including Hollywood legends like Cary Grant and Charlie Chaplin. A pivotal moment for the company came in 1966 when Terry Moore joined, further refining their classic and elegant shoe shapes. Trunk shows, like the ones mentioned, are a longstanding tradition for Savile Row and West End artisans to serve their international clients. These events allow customers outside of London to have in-person consultations, measurements, and fittings without traveling to the UK. Tailors and shoemakers typically visit major cities in the US, Europe, and Asia several times a year.