Three Cheers for these Savile Row cheerleaders!...

I have a number of friends who are less than enamored of Anderson & Sheppard clothing ... and a few who can't stand it. Of course, there are A&S fans and customers among my friends as well. So ... not to worry ... I'm quite accustomed to the love 'em or hate 'em attitude ... with very few falling in between.

But typically my friends who have a good knowledge of men's clothing ... even those who don't like and wouldn't consider wearing A&S clothing ... can, at least on some level, appreciate what that firm does.

Now, I'm not going to try and convince you that you should think otherwise; I'm fairly sure that's a lost cause. However, your comments cause me wonder if you've ever really considered the clothing. You indicate that you've seen A&S clothing in their shop window. But did you just glance at it and because you didn't like the look of it ... that was that? ... or ... did you study it? Did you try to discover anything about and/or understand the A&S philosophy. Have you ever tried the clothing on? Other than the Anderson & Sheppard look ... its shape or lack thereof ... is any of your opinion based on your personal knowledge? ... or is it based purely on the shared opinions of tailors at other houses?

Let me address some points.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonhamesque 
But I do think that a S Row suit should at the very least have a distinctive silhouette otherwise why pay all that money. You can get a non-distinctive silhouette from any high street MTM tailor and he'll still get your measurements right.

Would it surprise you if I shared that it is very easy for me to spot an A&S jacket? It is extremely distinctive in appearance ... especially the chest, the lapel, the shape of the pockets ... there are countless distinctive details ... and then there is the general shape and softness. I have a good friend in New York (AAAC member A Harris likely knows of whom I'm speaking as they've talked clothing) and not too long ago I met her for lunch. She was very surprised when I asked how she liked her Anderson & Sheppard. To paraphrase what Zsa Zsa Gabor said about diamonds ... I can spot a real Anderson & Sheppard at ten paces with one eye tied behind my back. Absurd comment ... but it gets the point across. Moreover, nothing "off-the-peg" comes close to looking like it.

As for shape ... no ... it doesn't mimic the rest of Savile Row ... it has a shape imbued with softness ... much like a line drawn by hand as opposed to one drafted. Fortunately I have a good drop ... to help accentuate the shape.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonhamesque 
I think it was Blackadder who said that his A&S suit had zero sex appeal. To me that's just wrong, especially for £2,000 odd.

Of course, what is sex-appeal to one may not be to another ... and vice versa. Of course for some ... sex appeal may be more universal.

Anderson & Sheppard's sex appeal is a bit like the beautiful librarian ... hidden behind the horn-rimmed glasses with her hair pinned in a neat bun. It's there ... waiting to be discovered ... it's just hard for most to see ... except for those who take the time. Now you don't have to possess it to know it ... but you do have to take the time.

There really are some out there who find the look and feel of A&S clothing -- its softness ... its drape ... its fluidity ... its casualness ... its comfort ... its way of enveloping the body in lightness -- to be pure understated perfection of style.

Its fans are usually men who want to wear to wear fine clothing very discretely. For the most part they don't want others to notice ... don't want to stand out in the crowd ... and A&S presents them this option on a silver platter.

And, then this follow-up from the cheerleader with the biggest pom poms, Concordia...

Should I ever become single again, I would also aspire to find the proverbial hot librarian.

Ironically, the one suit I have that consistently gets actual comments is an A&S DB in one of their special frescoes (nla, sadly). Women ask if I've lost weight, gentlemen inform me that I have a very good tailor, and a rival SR tailor even made a point of saying how good I looked when I ran into him after some years while wearing that suit. The last wasn't routine flattery; he really sounded surprised. Which put me in the awkward position of not being able to credit the suit-- so I put in a word for the new shirt I'd just picked up from down the street.