A small street in London that has written itself into fashion history, Savile Row continues to offer a range of suave tailoring choices to the cognoscenti with an eye for tradition

Although creativity has liberated men’s formal dressing in recent seasons, when picturing the archetype of a suave gentleman, it’s hard not to picture Sean Connery as an immaculately attired James Bond accessorising a martini – shaken, not stirred – and sporting a sharp suit or a timeless tuxedo. Or Daniel Craig, who will step out in such sartorial snap on screens for the last time as the secret agent in No Time to Die this April.

Ian Fleming portrayed his 007 buying his signature suits on one of the most important streets in global fashion history: London’s Savile Row. The Row has not only been a bastion of bespoke tailoring for the past two centuries, but one of its oldest tailors, Henry Poole & Co, also played a leading role in the creation of the tuxedo. The most famous story about the emergence of the tux involves a wealthy tobacco magnate’s son from New York State’s Tuxedo Park, Pierre Lorillard IV. Inspired by a dinner jacket designed by Henry Poole for the Prince of Wales, he decided to do away with the traditional long tailcoat, wearing his new short jacket to the Tuxedo Club’s first annual ball in 1886. Lorillard kick-started a fashion revolution for men’s eveningwear and the tuxedo soon became a classic, bearing the name of the small village where it made its debut famous the world over. 

Savile Row continues to serve tasteful tailoring to discerning gentlemen. Housed at arguably the most prestigious address at No. 1, Gieves & Hawkes offers collections full of rich textures and sophisticated colour palettes, perfectly embodying the trend of understated luxury. Another Savile Row staple, Dege & Skinner, draws on its 150-year heritage to produce a range of traditional tuxedos as well as beautiful velvet smoking jackets, fit for any gentlemen’s club. 

Alexander McQueen also worked on Savile Row, notoriously sewing profanities into the lining of a jacket destined for Prince Charles, and the famed menswear brand that bears his name continues to offer quirky alternatives to classic evening-wear with items such as knotted skull cufflinks with crystal-eye details.

No eveningwear ensemble would be complete without a fine timepiece and a pair of slick shoes. FP Journe, with a reputation for creating complex horological creations, is the only watchmaker to make its movements in 18K rose gold, and its Chronomètre Souverain and Grande Sonnerie watches are the ideal wrist accompaniments. Santoni’s luxury leather shoes, completely handmade by Italian artisans, run the gamut from the classic to the innovative, and are the perfect way to complete the 007 look.

Images: courtesy of Philipp Plein; FP Journe; Dege & Skinner; Alexander McQueen; Santoni; Daniel Craig in Casino Royale ©2006 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation and Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc; Sean Connery in Dr No ©1962 Danjaq, LLC and United Artists Corporation

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