Bespoke: Savile Row Ripped and Smoothed

The true life story of a boy who came as an apprentice to Savile Row, home of London's most venerable and skilled tailors, and ended up creating world-famous suits for the stars. On a bright, bitterly cold, snow-covered morning in January 1982, Richard Anderson, then 17 years old, made his way with his father, to an interview as an apprentice with Huntsman's tailors on Savile Row. They were late, but Richard got the job, with its pitiful wage of GBP2,000 a year, and his life was changed forever. Huntsman's was arguably the most prestigious tailors on 'the Row' and starting on the bottom rung, Richard was to get to know every aspect of this venerable and arcane institution. From Cummings, the keeper of the patterns in the basement, to Hammick and Hall, the Managing Director and Manager, to Lakey, the put-upon trouser cutter, each had their own highly defined role in the process of producing a suit which would often cost over GBP10,000 for one of the high profile clients. Witty andtold with great candour, Bespoke is a fascinating behind the scenes expose of life on Savile Row from one of Britain's most celebrated and successful tailors.