On the finish of final autumn, I requested Steven Hitchcock to make an overcoat – it was slightly late to start out enthusiastic about it, however I hoped to have the ability to put on it by the top of the winter. Sadly my travels and Steven’s acquired in the best way, at it was just a few weeks in the past that we had the second becoming, proven right here. 

I used to be to get an overcoat from Steven as a result of I had seen a few English-drape coats on mates over the previous couple of years, and actually admired the type. They appeared good and stylish, with out the drama of items I’ve had from the likes of Cifonelli or Edward Sexton. 

Additionally, this was one of many few coat kinds I hadn’t coated in our Model Breakdown collection, so there was a usefulness past the non-public. I selected Steven as a result of, as described in my piece on my favourite-ever tailors, he has proved to be the most effective and most constant by way of match and end amongst these reducing this type. 

The fabric is Fox Tweed, which is heavy for tweed (17/18oz) however gentle for an overcoat. I nonetheless picked it due to how helpful I’d discovered my Liverano tweed coat, in a fair lighter tweed (the PS Harris Tweed), and since I knew how a lot I preferred the standard. 

(When speaking about fabric, ‘high quality’ refers to not how good it’s, however the explicit mixture of yarn, weave and end – every little thing besides the color mainly.)

I had additionally seen the identical fabric used as a jacket on our buddy, the editor Paul Croughton, and the yarn colors had been the identical as the PS houndstooth tweed, so total this tweed was a reasonably protected wager. As I’ve talked about not too long ago, I more and more make fabric decisions on this foundation. It could actually appear boring, however I positively make fewer (costly) errors than I did up to now. 

An instance of that is utilizing De Le Cuona fabric for current commissions, which labored out properly for this cream jacket however much less so for this orange one. The difficulty with the latter was that it proved to be bolder than anticipated, so it nonetheless will get worn however solely in fairly explicit circumstances (each heat and barely dandy TPO (time/place/event)).

The primary becoming with Steven was good, and this second one had nearly every little thing nailed. It was what I anticipated from Steven, mainly, which is all the time good.

Within the picture above you may see the distinctive mixture of a mushy, pure shoulder however particular sleevehead and full sleeve. One of many methods by which Steven differs from Anderson & Sheppard, the place he initially skilled, is that he likes a cleaner end to features just like the sleeve, whereas retaining as a lot fullness as attainable. The identical goes for the drape within the chest. 

It’s now 26 years since Steven arrange on his personal, and I’d solely consult with A&S to those who don’t know him in any respect, for rapid context. To others I’d describe this mix of consolation and cleanliness, softness and magnificence, which is he has refined over that point. You’ll be able to see it within the jackets beneath he has made for me over time – and naturally all examples will be seen on his devoted web page, like all manufacturers/makers. 

The coat is a basic 6×2 double-breasted (six buttons, of which two on the skin will be mounted) with turnback cuffs and what Steven calls a guardsman’s again. I’ll go into extra particulars within the full assessment article in a number of weeks, however the turnback cuffs had been the one design element I allowed myself (and even then, as a result of they might be so simply eliminated). 

One of many stuff you typically be taught slowly with bespoke is that ‘type’ is extra concerning the total outfit than the person piece, and that subsequently it’s good to not get obsessive about a number of design particulars. If all the garments have that, they’ll be a large number when all put collectively. 

I’m really working with a consultancy shopper in the mean time who’s coming to tailoring for the primary time, and it’s attention-grabbing to see how buried he has shortly develop into within the particulars – regardless of being middle-aged, wealthy and profitable. I don’t suppose we ever be taught these classes except really identified to us, or we undergo the method ourselves. 

Fittings with Steven now happen in his flat/workroom in Fitzrovia, as he and Celia dwell outdoors London more often than not. It really works properly – the place feels private however skilled, and he has management over it, in contrast to utilizing a fabric service provider’s premises or lodge suite. It’s additionally 5 minutes from our showroom. 

Steven now successfully closes his books annually when he has as many orders as he can take, and I feel that is typically a superb method for bespoke artisans. 

It’s all the time tempting to take additional cash, however this method means they’ve safety in what isn’t essentially probably the most dependable occupation, they usually can cross that onto the coatmakers, finishers and others that work for them. 

It additionally rewards repeat prospects, who typically have the prospect to re-order earlier than the guide is opened to new prospects. And it means all prospects get a constant product, with out delays brought on by fluctuations in demand. In spite of everything, except there are makers sitting round doing nothing (very uncommon today) the one approach for small operations to cope with further demand is to increase ready instances. Which no person desires.

The fabric is TD20 from the Fox Brothers ‘Fox Tweed’ bunch. The coat value £6500 plus VAT; the beginning value for an overcoat is £5900 plus VAT.

The completed coat shall be reviewed in a number of weeks. I will discuss features just like the again and the button selection then.