Description

André Guillerme-Guilson was one of the last independent Parisian master tailor until his passing in 2018. Born in 1939​​​,​​​ he opened his first shop at age 20. In the 1970's​​​,​​​ due to the rise of ready-to-wear and the lack of success​​​,​​​ he decided to close his shop and work for the bespoke tailoring giant Francesco Smalto. There​​​,​​​ he learned with the master how to create a classic Parisian suit. From the trademark lapel that Smalto perfected after working with Joseph Camps​​​,​​​ to the cigarette shoulder and the sharp silhouette typical of Francesco Smalto​​​,​​​ Guilson made suits as an apiéceur for a number of years. However​​​,​​​ he wanted to regain his independence. With the help of Michel Barnes (Arthur & Fox)​​​,​​​ he moved to the 16th Arrondissement​​​,​​​ Avenue Victor Hugo​​​,​​​ the center of the Parisian bourgeoisie at the time. He later moved to Rue Boissière​​​,​​​ with the help of a client and friend​​​,​​​ and created the atelier Guilson. He will stay there for 25 years before moving to the 8th arrondissement​​​,​​​ Rue Saint Philippe du Roule. Guilson will become influential in the development of french tailoring​​​,​​​ first as a member​​​,​​​ then as president of the Chambre Syndicale des Tailleurs (Union Chamber of Tailors). There​​​,​​​ he worked to train new tailors so that Parisian Bespoke could live on. That is why he created the Association de Formation Tailleur (AFT)​​​,​​​ a tailoring school that trained countless newcomers in the art of suitmaking. With the help of workers from Camps de Luca​​​,​​​ Cifonelli​​​,​​​ Smalto​​​,​​​ and many other tailors​​​,​​​ the school trained new tailors (from seamstresses to cutters)​​​,​​​ who will later work for these ateliers. For instance​​​,​​​ Florian and Aïdée Sirven both came from the AFT​​​,​​​ and one of Guilson's worker​​​,​​​ Brahim Bouloujour​​​,​​​ won Meilleur Ouvrier de France​​​,​​​ before opening his own atelier (Brano). At age 79​​​,​​​ André Guillerme-Guilson sadly passed away in 2018​​​,​​​ and the school was closed. But his work lives on in the many tailors he trained and helped​​​,​​​ crafting new bespoke suits in the Parisian tradition. His style was influenced by Francesco Smalto and Camps de Luca​​​,​​​ but the client's desire was always first. One of them was the fashion designer Thierry Mugler​​​,​​​ for whom he made countless suits and jackets​,​​​ along with a few curiosities (notably officer suits with artificially arched legs and sleeves). I propose a beautiful bespoke Guilson grey jacket with a subtle houndstooth pattern​ in a light wool. Made in the 1990's​,​​​ it will become one of your favorite jacket for the mid-season. It features everything you want from Guilson: a classic parisian lapel in the style of Camps de Luca​,​ a rich cigarette shoulder​,​ a precise cut and excellent fabric. It also has a nice decoration from the previous owner​,​ l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole. As always with Guilson​​​,​​​ it is fully handmade​​​,​​​ from the lining to the buttonholes​​​,​​​ from the shoulder to the collar. The conditions is excellent​,​ aside from a tear in the lining of the right sleeve. It can easily be repaired. The jacket is best fitted for someone with a 40UK​​/​​​50FR size​,​ around 1m80. Here are the measurements Shoulders: 45​​cm Sleeve length: 64cm (with 5cm of fabric to let out) Chest: 51​,​5cm Waist at button: 51cm Jacket length: 79cm (collar included​​​​,​​​​ with 4​,​5cm of fabric to let out) Lapels: 8​,​5cm 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: Anderson & Sheppard​​​,​​​ Henry Poole​​​,​​​ Huntsman & Sons​​​,​​​ Nutters of Savile Row​​​,​​​ Chittleborough & Morgan​​​,​​​ Richard Anderson​​​,​​​ Meyer & Mortimer Possible to try it in Paris 15th Arrondissement.