When you visit Savile Row, you know you are looking at something unique: the finest tradition of bespoke tailoring on a London street dedicated to the craft for more than 200 years, the sense of style and the whisper of money. But there is something else; the rare sight of men happily absorbed in the art of shopping.
For many men, shopping is more like a military operation - with carefully pinpointed items being liberated from stores in targeted raids. But here among the remarkable tailors that line both sides of this street, men seem completely at ease. They pore over swatches of cloth, mull over silk jacket linings, huddle with their tailors in earnest discussions about drape and shape. They are given discreet, personal advice about how best to present themselves. Ladies, if present at all, take a back seat.
To enter the gilded world of Savile Row, you need money. Suits start at GBP3,000 (HK$38,300), and if you choose expensive cloth, the price can go up to GBP8,000. Clients - whether blue bloods, bankers, judges, business magnates, accountants, art dealers, artists or musicians - all have one desire in common: to invest in the best tailoring that their money can buy.
So let's take a closer look; and where better to start than the elegant Georgian premises of No 1 Savile Row, home to Gieves & Hawkes.
Established in the 18th century, Gieves & Hawkes is owned by Wing Tai Properties, a Hong Kong-based company, whose majority shareholder and chairman is Christopher Cheng Wai-chee. Its bespoke suits are hand-made on the premises, but its reach goes far beyond Savile Row.
China is the No 1 market for Gieves globally; by the end of this year, it will have a total of 100 retail shops serving its Chinese customers.