UPDATE: From WWD… The august tailoring houses of the Savile Row Bespoke Association aren’t the only ones unhappy with Abercrombie & Fitch’s plans to open a Kids shop on the central London street that is synonymous with British tailoring. Nick Hart, founder of Spencer Hart, the menswear label that was founded with a store on the Row in 2002, has also hit out at the U.S. casual wear brand. “I hate Abercrombie & Fitch being there. It’s incredibly disappointing. The government should protect this important street.”
Abercrombie & Fitch has submitted an application to open a store in the 200 year-old heartland of British bespoke tailoring at number 3 Savile Row, next door to Gieves & Hawkes. To their credit the locals organized a protest on Monday to try to stop the homogenization of Savile Row.
From the Guardian: You can go to practically any street in any city in Britain and buy the sorts of clothes peddled by Abercrombie & Fitch. You cannot, however, go to any street in the country to get a bespoke suit, and this is why the trade should remain where it is – so that when the time eventually comes that we can afford Savile Row’s prices, we know where to go.
If Abercrombie & Fitch is allowed to open its store on Savile Row, others will follow: eventually, the Row will become like any other street in the world, full of chain stores selling clothes that can be bought in Madrid, Dubai or Tokyo.
Sign a petition to preserve Savile Row.
Go to The Guardian for the full story.
