This past weekend saw the Coronation Festival in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, at which holders of royal warrants exhibited. 

The royal warrant is not exactly the mark of quality that some might assume, given that it includes Austin Reed and Daks among its clothiers. But bespoke tailors at the event included Gieves & Hawkes, Henry Poole, Benson & Clegg, Dege & Skinner and Kent Haste & Lachter, as well as Permanent Style favourites such as John Smedley, Corgi, Swaine Adeney Brigg and Turnbull & Asser. 

A handful of menswear people were invited to lunch by Gieves & Hawkes, whose stand was probably the best there: an exhibition of 200 years of work under royal warrants, plus a few pieces from the fantastic new Royal Collection. This, Jason Basmajian’s first full collection, is a huge step up for Gieves ready-to-wear: all made by Cheshire Bespoke in England, fully canvassed, English materials, unfinished sleeves/trousers and with alterations available from the bespoke department.


Stephen Lachter and Terry Haste on their stand.


Henry Poole had some basting work on display. Cue a lovely conversation with some amateur seamstresses.


I’m a big fan of Swaine Adeney & Brigg. Great English luggage, hand sewn and reasonably priced. This is their Lifetime Trunk, with a selection of compartments and boxes intended to be filled with personal effects and kept throughout one’s life. Launched to tie in with the impending royal baby, of course.


He may not have a royal warrant.


In front of the stage, in Henry Poole 8-ounce DB, Drake’s tie, Satriano Cinque shirt and John Lobb (Paris) shoes.


PR James Massey, Luke Leitch of The Times and stylist William Gilchirst.


Vintage Daks adverts, on the side of their stand.
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matsmith1212

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Cyrille

Hi Simon,

Anderson and Sheppard kwnow to make Prince Charles’s suits do not have any Royal Warrant ?

Yours

Cyrille

mack11211

Daks and Austin Reed used to be rather good (in the 60s AR tailored clothing was made by Chester Barrie, for ex) but aren’t any more. Can you explain here, or in a future post, how a royal warrant is obtained, and on what basis? How do you keep one? And how may you lose one?

mack11211

That link is very helpful but neither that information or that on the royals’ own website explains how the Royal Household Warrants Committee decides to give any warrant-holder the boot. Do investigate!

Anonymous

What ever happened to austin reed are they still on regent street!

Anonymous

Simon, you look so great!

That is such an impressive suit you have on.

CD

Anonymous

its a lovely suit, and it may just be the way he’s standing, but to me the trousers look a tad too short.

Kirby Allison

I’d love the “lifetime trunk” for Nathaniel! Fantastic idea and what an incredible heirloom.

Anonymous

You are so central to all this now that you ought to be consulting the profession on devising a Permanent Style kite mark, won and awarded for outstanding excellence. It would be an objective to win it and a great guide to consumers, hand in hand with all your other great mentoring work, to advise us your on the very best. Like royal warrants, it would be a point of pride to receive the award and something to work towards.
Joshua B.

Classy

Verry informative, so glad I stumble upon this site.

READER

Hello, I just browsed Kent&Haste’s website and they said “However, clients need not restrict themselves to our house style, as both Kent and Haste have the ability to adapt to a customer’s personal vision”. However, Steven Hitchcock’s website says that one should not trust a tailor who claims he can adapt whatever style the customer wants, because a good tailor would only focus on his own house style and does it best. Which claim do you think is true? Thanks.