Palazzo Pitti – The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition. The London Cut. Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring exhibition, curated by James Sherwood, designed by Luca Trevisani and promoted by Pitti Immagine, can be seen until February 14th at Palazzo Pitti in the private rooms of the Duchess of Aosta, decorated in the Empire style. The exhibition not only celebrates the legendary founders of Savile Row, the London street which has been the home to the most exclusive tailors for over two hundred years, but also introduces the new generation of bespoke tailors. The story is told in bespoke suiting, livery and military uniforms from the archives of the historic houses.
Definition: BESPOKE = A suit made on or around Savile Row bespoken (custom made, in the U.S.A.) to the customer’s specifications. A bespoke suit (bespoken by the customer) is cut by an individual, for an individual and made by highly skilled individual craftsmen. The pattern is made specifically for the customer and the finished garment will take a minimum of fifty-two hours’ work and at least three fittings.
Pictured above: the Duke of Norfolk’s coatee, made by Ede and Ravenscroft (the oldest family owned tailor in England, founded in the 17th century). The Duke is Earl Marshall of England and wears the coatee when in attendance to The Queen. The one pictured above was made for the late duke of Norfolk in 1975 and loaned by his son the present Duke.
