Kathryn Sargent opens on Savile Row

It was a delight to see my friend (and my occasional bespoke tailor) Kathryn Sargent open a shop on Savile Row last week. After working for 15 years at Gieves & Hawkes at No 1 Savile Row, where she became the first female head cutter in the bespoke industry, she bravely headed out on her own at the beginning of 2012.

Kathryn Sargent Bespoke, as I expected, has been a great success. She started out renting a space within Meyer & Mortimer in Sackville Street, where she was when I profiled her for Christopher Ward Watches magazine and for billionaire.com in 2012.

She progressed to her own really lovely atelier not far away on Brook Street, just off Bond Street, where her own excellent personal style is reflected in the fittings and ambiance.

Now she has this brilliant space at 37 Savile Row. It is officially a “seasonal store” – which is more commonly called a pop-up shop in fashion circles – but it is to be hoped the landlord is smart enough to offer Kathryn a deal to keep her there permanently.

Savile Row needs more proper bespoke tailors as opposed to over-priced ready-to-wear designer stores. Kathryn Sargent is a brilliant example of the exceptional artisanship that Savile Row produces.  

In the amazing amount of publicity the opening has stimulated, much as been made of the fact that Kathryn is the first woman to have a bespoke tailoring business on Savile Row. She merely stresses that she is a master tailor – and that is the most important part of the story for her. But it is good to see plenty more women coming to the fore on Savile Row; four of the past six winners of the prestigious Golden Shears biennial competition for apprentices and young tailors have been women. Kathryn is a past winner too, of course.

The Kathryn Sargent shop at 37 Savile Row is a personal triumph for nearly 20 years of incredibly hard work and dedication from the lass from Leeds. I am thrilled for my lovely pal.

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