Description

Anderson & Sheppard is a legend of English tailoring and the epitome of Savile Row’s style. Founded in 1906 by Peter Gustav Anderson at 13 Savile Row as Per Anderson​​,​​ it became over the years a renowned tailoring house. However​​,​​ it was with the addition of tailor and cutter Frederik Scholte​​,​​ another Savile Row tailor (working from 7 Savile Row at the time)​​,​​ that the house truly earned its iconic style: the drape cut. Created as a reaction to the Victorian and Edwardian style common with English tailoring (tight waist and chest​​,​​ narrow lapels​​,​​ high-rise and tapered trousers​​,​​ mostly inspired by military dress)​​,​​ the drape cut could be defined in one word: movement. The chest has a fuller cut​​,​​ while the small high armhole and natural shoulders maintain the collar on the wearer’s neck. This “soft tailoring”​​,​​ almost anathema to Savile Row military tradition​​,​​ obtained an important patronage early on: the Prince of Wales​​,​​ later Duke of Windsor. With another addition​​,​​ trouser cutter Sydney Horatio Sheppard​​,​​ the house became Anderson & Sheppard and in 1927 moved to a bigger shop on 30 Savile Row​​,​​ where it would stay for almost 80 years. The 1930s were a golden era for Anderson & Sheppard. Many artists flocked to its doors​​,​​ including many Hollywood actors. The most notable are Charlie Chaplin​​,​​ Rudolph Valentino​​,​​ Douglas Fairbanks Jr.​​,​​ Gary Cooper​​,​​ Laurence Olivier​​,​​ George Gershwin​​,​​ and of course Fred Astaire. After WW2​​,​​ Anderson & Sheppard maintained their reputation as one of the best tailors in the world. From a rebellious tailor​​,​​ it was seen by the 1960’s as an institution on par with older names such as Henry Poole​​,​​ Davies & Son​​,​​ and Huntsman. Only the arrival of Tommy Nutter and Edward Sexton rocked the overall quiet of the Row. Anderson & Sheppard continued on and gained the patronage of another Prince of Wales​,​​ Charles​​,​​ today’s King Charles III​​,​​ who remained a devoted client. However​​,​​ that doesn’t mean Anderson & Sheppard didn’t move with the times. The famous cutter John Hitchcock​​,​​ trained by the legendary Charles Bryant​​,​​ modernised their cut to fit the taste of a younger clientele while keeping its style. In 1983​​,​​ Mr. Hitchcock became managing director and earned a Royal Warrant by 1989. New clients included director Martin Scorsese​​,​​ French industrialist and art patron Pierre Bergé​​,​​ and writer Fran Leibowitz. Fran Leibowitz was only the second woman to have the right to commission a bespoke jacket at Anderson & Sheppard in the 2000’s​​,​​ after Marlene Dietrich. By 2005​​,​​ almost a century after its founding​​,​​ Anderson & Sheppard moved to another address​​,​​ 32 Old Burlington Street​​,​​ only a few meters away from their former location. Its style and cut remain the same since. In 2012​​,​​ Anderson & Sheppard decided to open a haberdashery at 17 Clifford Street​​,​​ to offer new items such as shirts​​,​​ knitwear​​,​​ ties and trousers (ready-to-wear and made-to-order)​​,​​ for clients who wants more casual clothing to complement their best suits and jackets. I propose an incredible example of their work: a navy blue double breasted coat with a subtle herringbone pattern. Made in 1969 in a sturdy wool​,​ it is a stunning piece that can be worn with your best business suit​,​ or with a heavy sweater or a tweed jacket for a more casual look. It will become your favorite coat and will last you a lifetime. As always with Anderson & Sheppard​,​​​ it is fully handmade​​​,​​​ from the lining to the buttonholes​​​,​​​ from the shoulder to the collar. The conditions is excellent​,​ especially for its age. Coat hanger is not included. The coat is best fitted for someone with a 40UK​​/​​​50FR​​ size​,​ around 1m75. Here are the measurements Shoulders: 45cm Sleeve length: 63cm (with 6cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 54cm Waist at button: 52cm Coat length: 111cm (collar included​​​​​​,​​​​​​ with 7cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 11cm Quality similar to the following bespoke houses: - In France: Camps de Luca​​​,​​​ Cifonelli​​​,​​​ Francesco Smalto​​​,​​​ Claude Rousseau​,​ Arnys​​​,​​​ Lanvin Mesure​​​,​​​ Henri Urban​​​,​​​ Max Evzeline​​​,​​​ Opelka​​​,​​​ Kenjiro Suzuki - In Italy: Caraceni (Augusto or Domenico)​​​,​​​ Rubinacci​​​,​​​ Dalcuore​​​,​​​ Panico - In England: Henry Poole​​​,​​​ Huntsman & Sons​​​,​​​ Nutters of Savile Row​​​,​​​ Chittleborough & Morgan​​​,​​​ Richard Anderson​​​,​​​ Meyer & Mortimer Possible to try it in Paris 15th Arrondissement.