Say You Want a Revolution
by Tom Stubbs26 June 2009 - Online exclusive
Savile Row revolutionary Edward Sexton talks to Tom Stubbs about bringing fashion to the Row
Sartorial legends Edward Sexton and Tommy Nutter became business partners and transformed the very landscape of British tailoring. Their fashion savvy tailoring and know-how were teamed with forward thinking presentation, taking the traditionally stuffy Savile Row establishment into a new phase. They laid the foundations for a whole new breed. Edward Sextons’ signature style is unique, and still looks knock out today.
Cutting a relaxed dash in a harmonious camel blend of check weekend jacket with cashmere knit, I meet Mr Sexton in his workshop in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge. His hair is brilliant and I am envious. He’s a proper smoothy but in no way uptight or fussy. I begin to discover what went into this crucial style equation.
Sexton was driven and committed to the craft from the off. While training as a tailor in the East End, he heard talk of the vaunted Savile Row and reasoned he should learn from the best. He honed his craft at various gaffs, including the esteemed house of Kilgour French and Stanbury. He attended the London College of Fashion in the evenings. Around this time Sexton met salesman Tommy Nutter and the two became close pals, drinking and scheming together socially. Sexton was moonlighting working on private freelance jobs at the time. He explains that this as when you develop as a tailor: “it shows you have real determination and you start to understand your own style. You develop business sense too because its your own money!” Nutter saw this, which is why he was keen to join Sexton when he had the chance to open his own place on the Row.
“I thought let’s go and get it,” says Sexton, explaining that Nutter was the front man and he was the technician. “Tommy would give me matchstick men drawings, and I would produce the suits. We developed this whole new look. We brought fashion to the Row,” he adds. “First of all, we had window displays. They all just had curtains then, you wouldn’t know what the hell went on. They had their one style and that was it. Bespoke means the client ‘be-spokes’ what they want, so we loosened it up,” he explains.
Edward’s dedication and passion for his work also made a vast difference. “All those old bastards down there said they’d give us six months. What they didn’t realise was although we were doing this fabulous style; we always put in the true traditions of the handcraft, and then improved upon it. We went back in time and put more work in,” he says.
Meanwhile they embraced the burgeoning hip cultural scene of the late Sixties. The opening party of ‘Nutters’ on Valentines’ Day 1969 was attended by numerous aristoes, tycoons such as Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch, but more importantly by the likes of Paul McCartney, Mick and Bianca Jagger, Twiggy and photographer Justin de Villeneuve.
The look that had the ‘it crowd’ swooning about and dying to get in the Sexton’s gear remains very similar today. Strong, elegant sculptured shoulders with plunging, generous lapels. Confident finishing and verve teamed with classic luxurious fabrics, delivering high impact, refined style.
People who come to Edward Sexton know what look to expect. He engages in conversation once he’s got the initial jacket shapes on a client. He’s quick to tell me he builds a suit, he doesn’t make it. “My foundations are my signature, you’ll feel it,” he tells me, “All this other stuff, the collars and what have you, these things are trends we can change. I like natural elegance. I like to set a trend, not follow one.” While I’m admiring an unusual shirt with almost closed collar and tiepin Sexton tells me, “That’s the signature collar that I wear. Unless you romance a suit it doesn’t pop. I always wear pin or tab, from the thirties. That epitomises our clothing, like the music on the website, ‘Room With a View’. It completes my look.”
Sextons’ style as been sort out by American style luminaries, including Bill Blass and Kasper. The British fashion and style crowd are also locked into it. “Sir Hardy Amies, Bruce Oldfield, Stella McCartney (who I trained), I dressed Paul, Mick Jagger.” His PR prompts him that he just cut for Pete Doherty, and for John Taylor. “I forget the names you see, I’m so into my work. I don’t care who you are, I’ve got a job to do, I’m not impressed or star struck. Yeah, I’ve done Bowie,” he adds.
How many fittings might one expect? “The more fittings you have, it invariably means the person making your suit is in trouble. Measurements, that’s what it’s all about, then a base, then a forward and finish. Two or three fittings. I’m yet to make a finished suit where I, not the customer, don’t want to tweak it. When you take delivery of suit I say wear it a few times, and then bring it back for its ‘first service’, once you’ve moulded into it a bit. Then it really becomes your suit. My label’s in that garment. It’s got to be right,” Edward says with more than a light emphasis.
He’s very buoyant about his work, and is proud of what he’s achieved. I have to agree with him when he proclaims this tailoring edict with a smile: “When you’ve been to Savile Row and you’ve been disappointed, where do you go from there? Come and see me and you’ll get the real deal.”
- Tom Stubbs is FQR’s style editor
This little clip was filmed during the second fitting for my Sexton three piece that Mr Sexton is building for me. Here, Edward demonstrates how Sixties pants really were tight. Note the invisible pockets. He explodes at the ‘last button on the waistcoat always open’ misnomer. Tommy Nutter and he dispensed with that rule. He describes the look and how it should be ‘romanced’. Lastly, he allows me to start moving again once he’s got the thing nailed. Behold the genius style merchant in action.
Edward Sexton
26 Beauchamp Place
Knightsbridge
London SW 3 2 JL
tel 020 7838 0007
Tags: Edward Sexton, fashion, savile row, video
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