Savile Row has been viewed as the world center of sartorial elegance for almost 200 years (just don’t ask an Italian). To this day, the Mayfair street remains a go-to destination for those looking to purchase a bespoke suit. Even so, you can have all the history and heritage in the world but if you don’t move with the times, stagnation and collapse looms just around the corner. Just look at Jaguar, currently thrashing about in the midst of a last-ditch attempt at a brand overhaul, a move that’s going immensely well or horrendously, depending on who you ask.
Enter Richard Anderson, which – since it opened in 2001 as the first new bespoke tailor on the Row for 50 years – has made respecting tradition while keeping pace with the times the name of the game. Well, Richard Anderson has just doubled its Savile Row square footage by opening a new home for its ready-to-wear line, Rich’s.
This new store sits directly beneath Richard Anderson’s bespoke store at 13 Savile Row, and inside visitors will discover the brand’s ready-to-wear classics, from Seersucker Sports Coast and Ventile Raincoast to suit jackets and a host of Japanese denim.
“Rich’s sees our presence on Savile Row double in footprint – taking over the lower ground floor at No.13, it will house our growing ready-to-wear line,” said owner Richard Anderson. “You can expect to shop a comprehensive collection from Moleskin trouser separates and Japanese denim jeans to Scottish knitwear and statement silk gowns as well as our exclusively designed accessories.”
But what exactly is ready-to-wear? Well, it really is as simple as it sounds, the items are ready to wear, you can see them, buy your size and walk out the door in them if you so choose. But it makes a little more sense to break things down in the context of elevated tailoring.
A bespoke garment is one that’s created entirely from scratch, the tailor makes a pattern of the customer utilizing their measurements, while the customer essentially gets free reign when it comes to material and color selection, hopefully with some guidance from the tailor. This format will always result in the best-fitting garment but comes at a higher price with a longer wait time given the garment is made from scratch, usually on and around Savile Row.
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Made-to-measure sits in the middle ground. The garment is based on a pre-existing pattern, which is adjusted according to the customer’s measurements. The price and wait time will be lower than bespoke, as will the opportunity for customization.
Ready to wear is the most affordable option. The items are pre-manufactured to a range of standard sizes, with customers able to peruse and try on items in-store. Many of these pieces can still be adjusted to attain a desired fit, just with less leeway than a bespoke or made-to-measure piece.
[See also: Savile Row’s Norton & Sons Launches Tailoring for Women]
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There’s no correct answer, each format has its pros and cons. Got a surprise black tie event this evening? Good luck getting a new bespoke dinner jacket turned out in time for supper. Thankfully, Richard Anderson offers bespoke, made-to-measure and ready-to-wear, so the options are there.
Alongside the launch of Rich’s, the team at Richard Anderson has also greatly expanded its pre-existing ready-to-wear collection, offering garments in new fabrics and there are rumors of cashmere knits and baseball caps on the horizon.
The opening of Rich’s at 13 Savile Row poses a superb example of how to expand the offering and potentially entice a new client base, while not losing sight of what made Savile Row bespoke tailoring so great in the first place.
[See also: Daisy Knatchbull is Changing the Game for Women’s Tailoring]
