Is There Time For Tailoring?

 By Chris Brooks

In this age of throw away culture that we are living in today, MFN is asking if the current trend is set to continue or if the age of quality Sartorial craftsmanship will ever return? Recently George at Asda was offering a full men’s suit for five pounds! How can this be possible? Surely the fabric required would cost more than this, let alone the construction, shipping and packaging. Was this a marketing tool for Asda or symbolic of a much greater shift in the menswear fashion market.

We are all aware of the astronomical rise of Primark, whose menswear line is dwarfed by the womenswear but still has a huge turnover in low cost shirting and smart trouser lines, offering a white cotton button-down shirt for as little as three pounds.  

To the disgust of Saville Row tailors, Abercrombie and Fitch have opened a flagship London store on the corner of Burlington gardens and Saville Row, causing the tailors to fear for the future of the area with possible increases in rent driving the tradition out of the area. Manchester has never had a significant tailoring ‘quarter’ but has always benefited from a selection of fine tailors, dotted around the city.

One of the most venerated in the city is Frank Rostron, situated on Princess St. The shirtmakers has been in business for over sixty years and is currently undergoing a makeover, starting with the website, (www.frankrostron.com) this well respected tailor produces some of the finest shirts around. For a true tailor who will not only hand craft for you a bespoke shirt, but will also produce suiting, and classic alterations, one of the finest around is Thomas Silk, just off Deansgate, at the start of Chapel Street and Bury St, this two man operation smacks of the kind of one on one experience that is missing from the huge retailers. Fortunately this frankly wonderful tradition is not dying out in Manchester with a number of younger tailors producing cutting edge tailored fashion in the city.

 One such example is Jamie’s shirtmaker’s on Oak Street in the Northern Quarter, producing modern tailoring fully fited bespoke shirts and open to commissions the small scale operation is a hidden gem for the lovers of a truly unique piece of clothing.

One website keeping the passion for quality Men’s and Women’s fashion is http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/ and well worth a look.      

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