| If you would like to learn a little about the | | | | House because he likes the sight of fields |
| evolution of Savile Row Tailors and what is | | | | and trees from his stateroom window. Mayfair |
| today the most famous sartorial precinct in | | | | is still a grand, aristocratic enclave while |
| the world, then we have included a few facts. | | | | the former Tudor palaces on the Strand and |
| Plus interludes on British Fashion designers, | | | | the side streets of St James's are developed |
| silk neckties and cufflinks | | | | into tradesmen's enclaves riddled with |
| | | | tailor's shops. |
| 1623: Piccadilly Hall, the country home of | | | | |
| Strand tailor Robert Baker and the origin of | | | | British Designer Interlude |
| one of London's most celebrated place names, | | | | |
| is first recorded on the site of today's | | | | Vivienne Isabel Swire was born in |
| Great Windmill Street in Soho. Baker's | | | | Glossopdale, Derbyshire, on 8 April 1941. Her |
| tailoring shop sold pickadils or pickadillos: | | | | mother had been a weaver in the local cotton |
| ruffs fashionable in the Jacobean era hence | | | | mills and her father came from a family of |
| the (possibly ironic) name given to his | | | | shoemakers. Her parents ran a sub post office |
| house. When King James I married Elizabeth of | | | | in Tintwistle before moving to north-west |
| Bohemia in 1613, collars recorded in the | | | | London in the 1950's. |
| bride's trousseau were made by Robert Baker. | | | | |
| It is rumoured that Queen Elizabeth coined | | | | In 1965 she met Malcolm McLaren together they |
| the (surely ironic) name for the palatial | | | | went on to become one of the most creative |
| residence built by her social climbing | | | | partnerships in history and as they say the |
| tailor-turned-property developer. | | | | rest is history. |
| | | | |
| 1668: Burlington House, arguably the grandest | | | | Vivienne Westwood accepted a DBE in the 2006 |
| Piccadilly palace, is constructed for Richard | | | | New Year's Honours List "for services to |
| 'The Rich' Boyle, first Earl of Burlington - | | | | fashion", She has won the award for British |
| a Restoration courtier during the reign of | | | | Designer of the Year three times. In December |
| King Charles II - in what was then the | | | | 2003, she and the Wedgwood pottery company |
| verdant countryside a mile from St James's | | | | launched a series of tea sets featuring her |
| Palace and the site of Piccadilly Hall. | | | | designs, testimony to her versatility and |
| | | | maturity and the respect she has garnered, a |
| Cufflink Interlude | | | | far cry from Punk. Endurance in such a |
| | | | volatile industry for a prolonged time is a |
| During the 1880's in America, George Krementz | | | | hallmark by any measure. |
| patented a device based on acivil war | | | | |
| cartridge shell-making machine that could | | | | Necktie Interlude |
| mass produce one-piececollar buttons and | | | | |
| cufflinks. Suddenly every US business was | | | | With the advent of mass media, celebrities |
| commissioningcufflinks for advertising or as | | | | such as sports heroes, movie actors, and |
| gift incentives for clients. | | | | popular singers would create a variety of |
| | | | neckwear trends. |
| 1689: In the year of William & Mary's | | | | |
| coronation, the tailoring house now known as | | | | Humphrey Bogart often sported bow ties, while |
| Ede & Ravenscroft is established by the | | | | another actor, Ronald Colman, was considered |
| Shudall family. The firm goes on to hold the | | | | one of Hollywood's sharpest dressers with his |
| Royal Warrant as robe makers to every monarch | | | | tailored, elegant look. Elvis Presley sported |
| from King George III to our present Queen. | | | | an old fashioned neckerchief, and helped |
| Only in 1921 is it finally christened Ede & | | | | prolong an out of date style a few more |
| Ravenscroft: the oldest surviving | | | | years. |
| family-owned tailoring firm in England if not | | | | |
| the world. | | | | Game show host Regis Philbin became |
| | | | influential with his luxurious looking ties |
| 1715: Handel stays with Lord Burlington and | | | | in solid colours to match his shirts. |
| is given rooms at the back of Burlington | | | | |