Walk into any bespoke tailoring shop on Savile Row to have a suit made, and chances are the first person you’ll work with won’t be a tailor but a cutter. That’s because bespoke tailoring as an art form is a process that calls myriad skills, from selecting the proper cloth to actual construction and making final adjustments to the garment, all of which are handled by individuals who specialize in their part of the process. Cutters, by definition, consult with customers—taking measurements, helping to select the appropriate cloth. They draft the pattern of the garment that is then used to be struck (chalked out) by either the cutter themselves, or an undercutter, before that “bundle” is passed off to a tailor for assembly. The bespoke process then becomes a perfectly choreographed dance with specific tailors trained to handle certain elements like waistcoats, jackets, trousers etc., all while the cutter liaises with the client to navigate any alterations, passing on instructions to the tailors along the way.
The cutter’s job is a precise and deeply consequential part of the bespoke process—and one commonly misunderstood by those with only a cursory understanding or superficial impression of what bespoke tailoring looks like. This notion that it’s not just a bespoke tailor but a cutter at the heart of the Row. It’s also a profession being honed by a crop of young women who are making a name for themselves in what has been a largely male dominated field, bringing their talents and their fresh perspectives to a centuries-old business.
The Apprentice
At just twenty three years old Mila Dastugue is an undercutter on the Row whose initial training was in the world of film. “I stayed [in bespoke tailoring] for the attention to detail and craftsmanship,” she tells Robb Report. “In a way, it is like embroidery or fabric flowers. It’s an art that is becoming very industrialized so I find it important to keep the handmade process alive.”
Bespoke tailoring, she says, is based entirely on an apprenticeship system and it can take up to seven years to ascend to a position. Distinct from other forms of design, bespoke tailoring is equal parts aesthetic and engineering that demands a level of singular dedication. “You can’t do anything else than what you’re learning,” says Mila. “There is just no time.”
For Ji Hae An-Sykes, an undercutter to the head cutter at Ede and Ravenscroft, it was love at first sight. “When I first saw a bespoke suit with all those beautiful baste lines I was intrigued,” she says, recalling her time studying Fashion Atelier at University of Creative Arts. “It looked like an architectural sculpture with scaffolding around it, soon to be unveiled. I [first] thought the white baste lines were there to stay. I soon realized these were part of a step-by-step construction that slowly builds the coat. I was hooked.”
After completing her BA Honours in Fashion Atelier, Ji says she expected to have a bit of a head start on the Row. “I was wrong!” she says. “I wasn’t even allowed to start sewing until I had learned how to use a thimble.” She explains how her middle finger was tied back to track the action of a needle being correctly pushed through by the sideways motion of a thimble. “Whilst it was humbling, I consider it a key part of my early education.”
Over at Richard Anderson LTD, it’s a family affair – Molly Anderson, 29, is an apprentice undercutter working under her father to learn the craft. “I love working in bespoke suiting as it offers a way for the customer to design their own garments to their exact taste and body specifications, and have it work around their lifestyle,” she says. The daughter of a veteran tailor with over 40 years on the Row, and an artist and art teacher, Molly likens the role of cutters to architects and tailors to builders. “For the garment to be at its best, each person involved works together.” As the member of a small in store team, Molly says she does much of her learning on the job which has allowed her to embrace the uniqueness of their specific bespoke business. “A lot of my training is that of a traditional apprenticeship, in that I didn’t study fashion or tailoring at college or university and started from scratch under my dad’s tutelage… What’s interesting is learning how many of our methods are unique to our shop, which I love as it shows the rich history of tailoring as it has been passed down the generations.”
Creating a New Legacy
Ji, now 33, recalls moving to London at 23 and witnessing the distinctly British embrace of suiting. “Gaggles of guys spilling out of pubs on London summer evenings all wearing some sort of suit; tight pinstripe business suits, opera goers in their elegant black ties or linen separates that suggested a yacht somewhere,” she says. “I was keen to join in with all of it and for that I needed a suit. Even my first humble off-the-rack suit gave me so much confidence that it [became] something I [thought] everyone who wanted a suit [should] feel.”
Savile Row is hallowed sartorial ground, boasting the shingles of legendary tailors who have dressed presidents, kings, and the silver screen’s elite. It’s also a living ecosystem of individuals who shape its legacy as much as they are shaped by that. This means, increasingly, women and people of color making their presence known on the Row. Molly, Mila, and Ji are part of a new class of talents defining the Row’s legacy – their path paved by women such as Katherine Sargent, Caroline Andrew, Anda Rowland, Antonia Ede, Deema Abi-Cahine, Lindsay Taylor, and Su Thomas, and nurtured through programs like Women in Tailoring.
“I feel very lucky to be working on the street at this time,” says Molly, as Savile Row has been historically male dominated. “One would argue that door has opened and over the last few years there are more women in the trade than ever at every level.” She says that while there is still a long way to go, she feels a special kind of pride in taking a position working under her father that is traditionally reserved for men. It lends a perspective to the work that is unique to women – especially as the female clients flock to the Row for their bespoke wares. “Being a female cutter means you can give your two cents on what cloth is comfortable and appropriate for ladies specifically,” she says. “And you can try and test different styles to recommend that male cutters can’t always do.”
The increasing presence of women on the Row has been hard-earned, says Mila who finds the profession at times lonely grappling with the still considerable gender gap. The women who do make it though, she says, make for formidable allies. “All of the women I’ve met in this industry have had it twice as tough as a lot of the men, it means they bring a strong determination, they are not here because it’s just something they fell into,” she says. “They had to fight for it and you can be sure they won’t give up once they have finally put their foot in the door.”
The shifting dynamics are analogous in many ways to the relationship between cutters and tailors, says Ji. “I have heard that there was an ‘upstairs/downstairs’ culture back in the day,” she says. “I think it derived from the fact that cutters (‘upstairs’) were employed by the tailoring houses whereas tailors were freelancers – which meant that the cutters controlled the amount of jobs a tailor would have. This meant that there was a power imbalance, with tailors reluctant to do anything that might mean cutters reduced their workload and in turn, their income.” These days, she says that power imbalance has leveled as have the conditions for working as a woman on the Row. She, too, observes that this is to the benefit of the consumer with more people are able to find their needs met when they are represented by the people making their clothes. “Diversity encourages a wider perspective,” she says. “And with that progress, with tailors from different backgrounds and cultures joining the Row, it has become more accommodating and subsequently attracted a new clientele and future workforce.”
A Woman’s Touch
The relationship between a cutter and tailor and their client is an intimate one, based on trust and understanding. As Molly, Ji, and Mila all agree, this dynamic is one that can only benefit from a new, more diverse generation of talent on the Row like themselves who perfectly balance a reverence for tradition with a fresh perspective on style and luxury. We asked each of them their personal preferences when it comes to what to advise a client on – and what you should ask for on your first Savile Row visit.
Mila:
“For men I love a wide legged trouser, high-waisted, very 40s style. A low gauge on the lapels, think anything Pat Riley wore basically. For women, the waistcoat and trouser combo instead of a jacket, flared trousers. For a first suit I wouldn’t recommend any specific style but I would absolutely say: get two pairs of trousers. Your jacket will never really wear out but your trousers will definitely, get two.”
Ji Hae:
“Currently I would say my style is relaxed tailoring, I don’t feel beholden to any rules as a woman and I can play around with the form. My tailoring has become softer and relaxed, an elegant fit rather than trying to show the measure of my waist. I love hand sewn details like braided edges or piped inner seams. [For clients] we always recommend a navy single breasted two piece as a starter if you are new to suits because it’s so versatile and you can use it as a base to see what suits you and what feels comfortable. From there you can build up your wardrobe if you want to wear a suit for all occasions you could add some separate trousers to get multiple outfits out of your navy jacket or you may feel ready for classic cut check double-breasted suit, throw in a waistcoat and you won’t look out of place next to Bertie Wooster. But also forget the rules. It’s bespoke so you can have whatever you want. I think a certain confidence comes from knowing you are dressed well or dressed to reflect who you are. Some might call it vanity but I’ve seen and personally felt how powerful that confidence can be. It’s a real joy when I am on a journey with a customer and they envision where and what they are going to do wearing the suit I played a part in to create. ”
Molly:
“I really like a quite androgynous style; my suit jackets are very much inspired by my father’s house-style that gears towards his largely male clientele, in that they’re cut with a high-armhole, fitted waist and strong shoulders to make the wearer appear taller and slimmer which works beautifully for women also. I also get a lot of inspiration from 70’s tailoring and fashion, coupling fitted coats with wide-leg trousers in out-there colours and patterns.
[I would recommend] our house style, of course! Flattering on everyone, the Richard Anderson house cut is based on his training at Huntsman in the 80s and 90s, but with his own unique flair and style to bring it to the modern day. Our coats are usually single-breasted with a one button front and a notch lapel cut in proportion to the wearer. It’s timeless, flattering, and with a mid-to-high waisted smart trouser in a cool navy wool-worsted, you really can’t go wrong! And from there you can be more experimental with your style and cloth choices and build the dream sartorial wardrobe.”
