LONDON (UK) – From behind a thick red curtain, Neil Latchman checks a suit made especially for him by Maurice Sedwell, a tailors which has been operating in London since 1938.
With non-essential shops reopening as UK relaxes lockdown restrictions, customers who prefer their attire to be stitched are making a beeline to Savile Row, the central London street synonymous with tailor-made clothes.
Latchman remains still while his chest is measured by shop manager Judith Ekblom Jarrold wearing a plastic face visor while standing in front of dozens of suit jackets in old-fashioned glass cabinets.
“Part of the joy of bespoke is that interaction that we have with customers – getting to know them, having them in the shops so that we are able to make a really personal experience,” she said.
Maurice Sedwell’s tailors cut and sew fabrics like vicuna and cashmere for customers including politicians and business leaders. Despite the safety precautions, Ekblom Jarrold says it is mostly business as usual.
“There’s not much difference in the way we interact with our customers. One of the key things for us has always been making sure that we’re not invading their personal space,” she said.
Latchman said that knowing Maurice Sedwell would not be full of customers made him feel more secure and he had decided not to wear a face mask, as he explained why he opted for bespoke suits.
“It gives me the body that I don’t really have,” he said, “so there’s a lot of work, a lot of craftsmanship, a lot of art that goes into it.”
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field