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'm proposing a stunning example of their work: a navy blue blazer with gold buttons in a beautiful fresco wool. Made in 1997 by John Hitchcock​,​ it is a classic 3 roll 2 blazer that can be paired with almost every trousers possible (linen​,​ cotton​,​ denim​,​ wool) in almost every colour (white​,​ grey​,​ beige​,​ pastel blue​,​ yellow​,​ green​,​ etc.). 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​. Coat hanger is not included. The jacket is best fitted for someone with a 36UK​​​​​​​​​/​​​​​​​​​​36FR​​ size​​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​​ around 1m75. Here are the measurements: Shoulders: 43​,​5cm Sleeve length: 61cm (with 5cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 50cm Waist at button: 47cm Jacket length: 80cm (collar included​​​​​​​,​​​​​​​ with 5​,​5cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 8cm 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.