In his new book, author and fashion expert John Sherwood looks at the history of the world-famous street of tailors.

Numerous, large-format photographs enable the reader to dive deep into the secretive world of this fine craft, in a book which profiles 26 of today’s master tailors from such firms as Gieves & Hawkes and Henry Poole – not to mention more recent names, including Nutters and Ozwald Boateng (the first Savile Row tailor to stage a catwalk show in Paris). Incidentally, the word ‘bespoke’ – referring, of course, to fine custom tailoring – originated from the idea that cloth put aside for a suit was said to “be spoken for” by a customer.

The book’s foreword is by Tom Ford, the former creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, who opened his own fashion house in 2006. It is published by Thames & Hudson, at a cost of £45. See thamesandhudson.com.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photos: Thames & Hudson