How Huntsman is Evolving with The Times

Walk into Huntsman Savile Row’s Manhattan sun-soaked pied-à-terre on any given day and you’ll feel a whiff of tension in the air. Hands are cutting, brows are furrowed, and a seemingly ceaseless line of unfinished suits marked with chalk that reads like a foreign language are hanging, ready to be trimmed to perfection.

The bespoke suitmakers here, and back at their flagship London location, are very busy. For the first reason: King Charles’s coronation is a day away and the 174-year old company has brought its signature Huntsman tweed competition, where participants design a coronation tweed, back to celebrate the big day. The second reason: people are hungry for suits.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Ralph Fitzgerald, Huntsman’s Head U.S. cutter, tells Town & Country. “It’s been non-stop between the trunk shows around the country to actual making of the suits. I think Finn (his apprentice) cut 40 suits last week.”

To most, this might come as a surprise. The business of bespoke suit making has had quite the fight in recent years. According to Kantar, an international company that deals with consumer knowledge and insights, men’s suiting consumption collapsed from $578 million a year in 2017, to only $197 million in 2020. But, a look around midtown Manhattan or a visit to Palo Alto could tell you that. Who is wearing a suit nowadays, but, also, who has multiple suits? Interestingly enough, that same report signaled optimism in the industry, as sales in the market reported to have increased by $100 million just last year.

Fitzgerald has been a cutter at Huntsman for seven years now. The decline of desire for suits sounds mythical to him. “There hasn’t been a lull since I started. Orders are doubling, appointments are every hour and a half, and trips to cities around the country are non-stop.” Who’s driving the demand? “Captains of industry, lawyers, fashion names, people who work in the same office, and mostly by word of mouth,” he says. “We have clients come in and say, ‘I don’t wear suits,’ but they do buy separates, and I’d think that’s pretty formal.”

For the past 174 years, Huntsman has remained at the pinnacle of Savile Row, the renowned street in London that famously serves as home to world’s best suit makers producing products equivalent to couture. They sit there alongside other legacy shops like Anderson & Sheppard, Edes & Ravenscroft, and Gieves and Hawkes. Each have attained multiple royal warrants over the course of their existences, which serve as a signifier granted by monarchs to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal people. (Obviously, there are bragging rights that come with this, though it’s seen as taboo if they flaunt too much). A royal warrant issued by Queen Victoria and Edward VIII sit proudly in Huntsman’s New York location.

The shop has an arsenal of well trained makers, of course, who have dedicated their lives to this one craft. But aside from sticking to the bread and butter of suits, innovation, and a little bit of noise, has been the key to their survival and continued relevance.

Ever seen a Kingsman film? The dramatic and comedic trilogy that featured dapper spies on hot-pursuits around the world? Not only did Matthew Vaught, the filmmaker behind the series and longtime client of Huntsman, decide to outfit his characters in garments by the shop, but also he featured the brand’s 11 Savile Row storefront in the movies.

They are also the go-to suitmakers of fashion designer Marc Jacobs, who once said said he was “happiest when wearing custom patent leather boots by Alessandro Michele and a suit designed and cut perfectly by the Ralph Fitzgerald.” Recently, he wore a suit by the cutter to the Met Gala, Paris Hilton on his arm. “When you look at our history, Hubert de Givenchy was a prolific client and so was Bill Blass. These big fashion designers have always found a home in Huntsman, and this mission to collaborate is part of our ethos.” They’ve also tapped into celebrities like Imelda Staunton who wore a Huntsman suit for the premiere of The Crown‘s fifth season and even, of all people, Kendall Jenner who wore a classic gentleman’s evening suit in a fashion editorial for an independent magazine.

Some, who have called Savile Row home for several decades may consider the buzz taboo, but it’s also necessary for the shop’s survival. See, there’s another obstacle that Huntsman, alongside the other shops on Savile Row face: landlords. According to the Wall Street Journal, landlords who own properties on Savile Row have recently been in the talks of bringing cafes, other retail spaces, and even work offices onto the street. While some tailors are open to the idea, others seem ambivalent, with the fear that over commercialization will prevail over the historic integrity of the street. The chief executive of Maurice Sedwell, another tailoring shop on the street, said that the new real estate proposals are “navigating the demise of Savile Row as a street that’s the pinnacle of sartorial excellence.”

But, the pomp of King Charles’s coronation, along with an existing uptick in buying trends, might give the shops on Savile Row a bit of a boost. “I look at them from the sustainability angle. I’ve had some of my bespoke suits for seven years, and I can see myself wearing them for the next 7 to 10 years. It’s sustainable and it’s probably cheaper in the long run since it lasts so long,” Stuart McMillan, a designer who owns four bespoke Savile Row suits, tells Town & Country.

A Hunstman suit can range from anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 and beyond depending on the fabric, style, and build. The duration of the process depends on the shop and how busy they are. Huntsman New York is at about four to five months from onset to completion right now. But, think of it like this: a suit by Huntsman, or any bespoke tailor, is not just a suit. It is a beacon of sartorial splendor that represents centuries of refined craftsmanship that is designed for you, and you only. It ticks all of the buzzy words flouncing around fashion, like “sustainable” or “ethical” without them being forced. It is today’s wardrobe hero, and tomorrow’s heirloom for the next elegant generation.

Below, Town & Country takes you through a step-by-step explanation of the work that goes into the making of a Huntsman suit.

Fitting 1

The first fitting begins with a conversation that tackles a client’s wants: fabrics, style, pocket number, shape of lapel, and more. In the New York location, this is done with Ed Turco, the U.S. director of Huntsman, and Fitzgerald. The backdrop of the setting is a full library of fabrics, including wools by Loro Piana.

But, this is no standard Q+A session. The client’s lifestyle is heavily factored in to ensure a final result that fits them best, both in shape and in context. Where will you wear this suit to? Will it be a three-month suit, or a six-month suit?

After a series of lifestyle questions and general build inquiries, clients are then brought in front of a tri-mirror where chest, shoulders, arm length, leg-length, and waist are measured.

Fitting 2

An unfinished first layer and build of the suit is presented to the client. The first layer looks a bit like a canvas and the stitching is exposed. This is where the sculpting comes in, and a tailor will mark up the adjustments needed to be made with chalk.

Fitzgerald analyzes a suit rapidly, proving how it become second nature to him over the years. The new measurements are announced to a fellow employee nearby who writes them down. During the time of this writer’s appointment, it happens to be Turco.

Final

During the final visit, the suit is presented–freshly pressed and completed. Months of work backed by a long-history of craftsmanship is set before the client. “The expression of someone who sees their suit finished is priceless. The excitement… it’s why we do it,” Fitzgerald says.

To inquire about a bespoke suit, please visithuntsmansavilerow.com or visit their London or New York City showroom.