Savile Row has been synonymous to the finest craftsmanship in British suits for almost three centuries. But the number of tailors left on the London street are quickly dwindling. With only about 17 tailors now defending their title, while fighting to stay relevant in a global market place, they have begun using modern methods to expand their reach, including targeting potential clients in the Middle East.
10 Saville Row, Dedge & Skinner, charge about $5,410 and take two months and a team of tailors to make a single suit. They started advertising and emailing clients for the first time in 148 years, in order to meet the international demand for the British tradition.
They claim a growing number of shoppers are coming from the Middle East, particualry Qatar, while Russians and Asians have been a large market for over five years.
Simon Cundey, Director of Henry Poole stated that Middle Eastern shoppers tend to look for the finest quality of fabrics and can pay up to $17,000 for a single suit.
In order to capture this opportunity, Savile Row tailors are finally embracing modern marketing techniques, such as emailing invitations rather than sending them out by post and even setting up web-based services.
Armani accused them of falling behind the times, while brands like Burberry and Lanvin are introducing made-to-measure lines that can reach the door steps of their global clientelle.
But all these factors have yet to deter from the demand for Savile Row’s immaculately hand-crafted suits.
Richard Perks, Mintel retail analyst stated that the top end of the $16 billion UK menswear market has suffered from a clear drop in 2009, “Since then, demand for bespoke suits has far outweighed the growth of the overall market.”
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