There is something luxurious about slipping into a well-tailored pair of pants made just for you; the fit is impeccable, the fabric is high quality and comfortable. Clients of Savile Row, a custom clothier and shirtmaker in Clayton, would agree. Many return time and again to add another one-of-a- kind piece to their wardrobes—pants, shirts, overcoats, tuxedos, suit jackets and more.
According to president and founder David Shockley, customers come in not just for the stylistic freedom and perfect fit custom clothes provide, but also for the experience as a whole. “We provide everyone with individual service and attention,” he says. Services include everything from custom suits or wedding tuxedos to entire closet evaluations. “Men tend to be collectors of clothes,” Shockley says. “They don’t want to get rid of things that don’t fit or are out of style, but we truly evaluate what they have. Then we can develop a plan.” After purging unworn clothing, Savile Row keeps a record of everything its clients purchase to ensure a complete wardrobe with no repeat pieces.
Custom clothing doesn’t need to be limited to special occasions or just a few pieces. Shockley says ‘office casual’ has been a big area of growth for Savile Row as more clients want sportcoats and casual shirts in checks and plaids. “This ties into the more relaxed dressing you see these days,” he explains. “The business suit is still viable, but you see more men wearing open-collar shirts under their suits. Years ago, a man had to wear a necktie. That’s not the case anymore.” When men are building new fall wardrobes, Shockley suggests three trends to follow: shorter overcoats, more fitted clothing and flat-front pants. “Today’s coats are a little shorter than the traditional calf length, more like a car coat,” he says. “Everything in men’s clothing is a little more fitted and tapered, outerwear included.” Savile Row has about a four-week turnaround, so Shockley suggests starting to think about fall and winter outerwear now. Currently, most of the pants Savile Row makes are flat-front. “Pleated pants are on their way out,” Shockley says. “This has been a gradual shift over the past few years.”
Custom clothing evolves to follow the latest shifts in fashion in order to meet the individual needs of each customer. And those customers are not just men. According to Shockley, 20 percent of Savile Row’s clientele is female, making custom clothing a perfect fit for anyone.