Bespoke

Bespoke is part of the DNA of Kilgour. Despite having roots which can be traced back to 1880 the Kilgour you see today was most notably shaped by its association with the well-groomed glamour of movie stars throughout the 20th and into the 21st century. First known as Kilgour & French when tailors AH Kilgour and TF French united in 1923, then as Kilgour, French and Stanley when Hungarian brothers Fred and Louis Stanley joined in 1925, the tailoring house’s original claim to fame was providing the tailcoat for Fred Astaire in Top Hat (1935) - something that won the house big Hollywood clients like Louis B Mayer, Rex Harrison and Cary Grant. The collaboration with Cary Grant reached its peak with one of the most iconic suits in Hollywood history – the simple grey two piece he wore throughout North By Northwest.

 

This Hollywood connection stayed firm with our relaunch in 1998, with a goal to modernise the company while staying true to its core. We renamed the company simply Kilgour and started linking the house to the coolest British cinema stars. In 1999 we dressed Jude Law for the premiere of The Talented Mr Ripley and outfitted Daniel Craig for his role in Layer Cake (2004). Since then Kilgour has been a mainstay on red carpets and award ceremonies both in the UK and the US.

Kilgour bespoke tailoring also reflects this new vibe with a slimmer silhouette, signature notch-less lapels and hidden fastenings - making this the go-to for a man looking for Savile Row tailoring with the most modern of fits.

House style

Kilgour offer an English cut suit executed in a modern way. All of the traditional features of an English, Savile Row suit are present. From a sharp shoulder line, full chest, high arm hole and suppressed waist to provide movement, creating shape through the body. What defines Kilgour in we prefer designs to be small and neat, cloth designs are very minimal and clean a check would be subtle and never bold.  A stripe would be faint and everything we use must be practical. Again real English sensibilities. We hate fabrics that crease and tire; everything must be able to perform.  We like comfort and movement so cloth selections must hold the Kilgour silhouette, travel well and offer durability.

How long does it take to make a bespoke suit?

Once an initial set of measurements are taken by the cutter a paper pattern is drafted and your chosen cloth struck, cut and trimmed out. Our workshop of coat makers, trousers makers and finishers then go about making up the initial first fitting. The process in total is approximately 12 weeks and will include at least three fittings, baste, forward and finish bar hole and following the guidelines set by the Savile Row Bespoke Association, garments are made either on site or within a hundred yard radius of Savile Row. A typical two piece suit takes approximately 100 man hours and 10 craftspeople to execute.

How much does a two-piece suit cost?

Our Made-to-Measure starts at £3500, entry level bespoke suits start at £4500 and Bespoke suits start at £6000.

Famous customers?

An impressive list including Frank Sinatra, Daniel Craig, Cary Grant, Bryan Ferry, David Chipperfield, Fred Astaire, John Hurt and Peter Saville.