April 22, 2011
Savile Row tailor Henry Poole & Co. has teamed up with the London College of Fashion to commemorate "The Little Black Jacket – Celebrating 150 Years of the Tuxedo" with worldwide exhibits.
Along with luxury fabric supplier Dormeuil, the organizations will be digging into Henry Poole’s archives to re-feature tuxedos – or dinner jackets, as some Savile Row veterans prefer to call the attire – from as far back as the 1930s as well as displaying new versions designed by the students at the college. The exhibit will travel from Harrods and the Burlington Arcade in London to Tuxedo Park in New York, and then internationally after that.
"We wish to celebrate our collaboration with Henry Poole & Co and Dormeuil, who have provided their expertise to nurture the next generation of master tailors at London College of Fashion," said Steven Dell, program director of design and craft at London College of Fashion.
"We are delighted to be able to showcase and promote the finest luxury fabrics by Dormeuil and the craftsmanship of Savile Row tailoring at Henry Poole & Co.," he said.
"We hope this collaboration will stimulate interest in the history of the tuxedo and that people will recognise its inherent qualities, both in terms of design and fabric, securing its place in the future."
The tuxedo is considered the height of male formality after uniform and white tie. It comprises a black jacket with silk lapels and black trousers with silk piping. A black bow-tie adorns a white shirt with studs.
Little black jacket
Henry Poole has been creating bespoke menswear on Savile Row since 1806. Operating from 15 Savile Row in the heart of London, Henry Poole is tailor to past and present monarchs, including the British Queen.
Even though the tuxedo was named after a New York town, the original wearer in the United States, James Potter, commissioned the garment from Henry Poole in London.
Potter brought it back to the U.S. where he wore it to his country club and influenced other men to wear it.
Family-owned Henry Poole has been supplying tuxedos for affluent consumers worldwide ever since.
“The tuxedo is a Transatlantic love story, the original item crafted by Henry Poole & Co. of Savile Row in London and first worn in America at one of New York City's finest society events, 'The Autumn Ball' at Tuxedo Park, where the name was adopted,” Mr. Dell said.
“It seemed fitting that our bespoke tailoring students at London College of Fashion should celebrate the history of this iconic item of clothing with the challenge to re-invent the tuxedo for the 21st century,” he said.
For this exhibit, students at the London College of Fashion have created bespoke tuxedos for other students as well as higher-ups in the British fashion industry.
For instance, Harold Tillman, British Fashion Council chairman, was tailored for a tuxedo by a London College of Fashion student.
Harold Tillman
The exhibition will include 16 contemporary interpretations of the tuxedo created by students from the college.
Furthermore, two Henry Poole & Co. tuxedos, one with a traditional silk shawl collar and another with a modern peak lapel, will be featured at the exhibit. There will also be two tuxedos dating back from the ’30s.
“The multi-discipline nature of this project, and our collaboration with industry has already provided an enriching experience for our students and, in turn, the college,” Mr. Dell said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the creative talents of our students to a wide audience.
“Going forward, we hope that the exposure worldwide will generate interest in future collaborations and partnerships, which play a very important role and add value to the student learning experience,” he said.
Black and white
In addition to the garments, there will be a series of black and white photographs of the fashion students’work.
A student modeling a bespoke tailored tuxedo by a classmate
There will also be images of high-profile figures such as supermodel Marie Helvin, musician Mr. Hudson, Gordon Richardson of Topman and jeweller Robert Tateossian wearing their own personal tuxedos.
Supermodel Marie Helvin
To promote this exhibition, the college will debut two short films. The first is a behind-the-scenes documentary and the second is a creative black-and-white film.
Other brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Louis Vuitton have been inspired to create menswear for women.
Perhaps the most well-known collection was Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking tuxedo for women in the 1960s.
Le Smoking tuxedo for women by YSL
Whether it is worn by a man or woman, the tuxedo exemplifies class.
“The tuxedo embodies the essence of high quality and exclusive classic elegance, all of which are highly valued by the luxury industry,” Mr. Dell said.
“This quote from Harold Tillman, head of the British Fashion Council, places this in context: ‘Wearing a tuxedo instantly makes one feel like they are at an occasion,’” he said.
Here is a Q&A conducted with Steven Dell, program director of design and craft at London College of Fashion:
How will this add value to the Henry Poole & Co. and Dormeuil? Will it help them to push products and fabric?
We wish to celebrate our collaboration with Henry Poole & Co. and Dormeuil, who have provided their expertise to nurture the next generation of master tailors at London College of Fashion.
We are delighted to be able to showcase and promote the finest luxury fabrics by Dormeuil and the craftsmanship of Savile Row tailoring at Henry Poole & Co.
We hope this collaboration will stimulate interest in the history of the tuxedo and that people will recognise its inherent qualities, both in terms of design and fabric, securing its place in the future.
As the tuxedo was named after a New York place, why does it make sense for these London designers to commemorate it?
The tuxedo is a Transatlantic love story, the original item crafted by Henry Poole & Co. of Savile Row in London and first worn in America at one of New York City's finest society events, The Autumn Ball at Tuxedo Park, where the name was adopted.
The origins of the tuxedo can be traced back to the smoking jacket and dinner jacket, first worn by the Prince of Wales in the 1860s as an alternative to the tailcoat, normally worn at formal occasions at that time.
So it seemed fitting that our BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring students at London College of Fashion should celebrate the history of this iconic item of clothing with the challenge to re-invent the tuxedo for the 21st century.
What makes these designers different from other luxury designers?
The difference between luxury designers and LCF designer/tailor students is the creativity that is underpinned by specialist technical skills.
At LCF, our students learn traditional handcraft tailoring techniques throughout their studies and this strong technical grounding provides our students with the expertise to take an initial idea through to a finished luxury garment.
How will this add value to the London College of Fashion?
The multi-discipline nature of this project and our collaboration with industry has already provided an enriching experience for our students and, in turn, the college.
This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the creative talents of our students to a wide audience.
Going forward, we hope that the exposure worldwide will generate interest in future collaborations and partnerships, which play a very important role and add value to the student learning experience.
What tuxedos will be on display? Will there be new ones available and old archived pieces?
The exhibition will include 16 contemporary interpretations of the tuxedo, created by our second-year Year BA (Hons) bespoke tailoring students, two exquisite Henry Poole & Co. tuxedos – one with a traditional silk shawl collar and one with a modern peak lapel – and two tuxedos dating back to the 1930s.
There will also be a series of beautiful black-and-white photographs of our students work and of high-profile figures wearing their own tuxedos to add a personal dimension to these exhibits.
To illustrate the creative process of our collaboration we will be showing two short films – the first a behind the scenes documentary, the second a creative black-and-white film.
Why is the tuxedo such an important part of the luxury industry?
The tuxedo embodies the essence of high quality and exclusive classic elegance, all of which are highly valued by the luxury industry.
This quote from Harold Tillman, head of the British Fashion Council, places this in context: "Wearing a tuxedo instantly makes one feel like they are at an occasion."
Final Take
Rachel Lamb, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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