RICHARD JAMES
ELEGANCE ROBIN DUTT
RECALLS A STROLL HE TOOK WITH RICHARD JAMES
DOWN SAVILE ROW. HERE, HE REFLECTS ON JAMES’ CAREER AS AN UNDISPUTED MASTER OF STYLE AND CUT
L
ooking languid and comfortable in his eponymous shop, Richard James strikes a familiar pose. That air of natural
ease and elegance has not deserted him in a quarter of a century since the company's founding and even before that, when I initially encountered him as a chief buyer for the internationally acclaimed boutique, Browns. At this time, Browns was a magnetic go-to for shrewd shoppers who wanted edge - not shock - and James was part of a team which really knew what was what. Their judicious choices made the shop eclectic and unusual and James played no small part in the appreciation of Sydney and Joan Bernstein's idea of what a fashion store should be on that once natural London catwalk, South Molton Street. But perhaps one in retrospect cannot be surprised that with his eye for detail and knowledge of cut, this graduate of Brighton College of Art would want an emporium of his own - a playground where the message is stridently serious. He is master of cloth and cut and in fact, has been described by writer and academic, Colin McDowell as 'the best colourist working in menswear in London today.' James is often referred to as the first of the 'new establishment' or 'new bespoke' of Savile Row. Even more than 25 years on, his beaming face and ready chuckle impart a sense of mischievous charm - boyish and high-spirited despite the travelled years and much hard work. The business runs smoothly and the knowledgeable staff, a definite cut (or more) above the norm.
“We were not very well accepted at the start. People thought that we were using the name of Savile Row to better ourselves. We just came into Savile Row to do things in different ways"
Everything exudes peace and civility. But like the proverbial swan which glides, one can conjure the purposeful action of the feet beneath the water's surface. James shows me some mannequins in the window sporting a selection of stage clothes for Sir Elton John, proudly pointing out the exquisite details and for a second referencing the splashes of crystals 'each one applied by hand,' he opines, even the seemingly most insignificant example. Then he invites me to consider the slicing exactitude of the company's bespoke best. As he describes these garments, there is a undoubted sparkle of nostalgia and pride in his eyes. Many
commentators immediately refer to Richard James as a 'celebrity tailor' and whilst this may have more than a modicum of truth about it (customers include Mark Ronson, Benedict
Cumberbatch, Daniel Craig, Jude Law, Tom Cruise and Bryan Ferry) this is not the only (however important) element of Richard James, the tailor. Such clients as master couturier, Christian Lacroix, shoe supremo, Manolo Blahnik and designer, David Linley - fellow creators - have been more than happy to be measured up for that James silhouette. But it was not from day one, exactly plain sailing. In an interview with Gentlemen's Journal, James says, “We were not very well accepted at the start. People thought that we were using the name of Savile Row to better ourselves. We just came into Savile Row to do things in different ways.” Savile Row is undoubtedly a family and
like most families, not everyone pledges undying allegiance to all members. As a street of tailors it stands alone in the
SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE 29
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