HENRY POOLE & CO.

Bespoke Craftsmanship Heritage

Founded in 1806, Henry Poole & Co. has always been at the heart of English bespoke tailoring and the number one destination in the world for handmade suits. To tell us more about the brand, we happily interviewed Simon Cundey, managing director at Henry Poole & Co. His career with the brand started in 1988 as a staff member, progressing to chief marketing officer in 1994 and then securing his current position in 2012.

By Andrea Bogni

"Since Henry Poole & Co was founded, it has remained a family-owned business and has maintained its bespoke craftsmanship heritage throughout the generations. The traditional tailoring methods have remained largely the same over the years. Style details still depend on the client’s shape and balance, resulting in timeless garments that always play a part on the right occasion."

The vast number of people Henry Poole has served, is testament to the brand. "Indeed, during its story Henry Poole has dressed many clients from all different walks of life, from successful industrialists like Vanderbilt, financiers like J.P. Morgan, architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Sir James Stirling, sculptors like Sir Anthony Caro and film directors such as John Hughes Jr. Of course, every time a client places an order, it is special for us at Henry Poole, and we highly value introductions and referrals from any existing customer."

While showing us around the boutique, Simon kindly illustrated the different types of suits they have made for the different celebrities, with myriad cuts and styles. Furthermore, he conveyed how selling to such important people is not just a matter of price but is also a fascinating relationship-building process.

Henry Poole & Co. has always been a relative stranger to collaboration. The brand has always preferred to work alone, creating its own suits in its characteristic style. However, they have made a few choice collaborations over the years, which have been remarkable milestones in the heritage of the brand. "We often choose to work with other heritage brands that have some historical substance, sometimes with a twist, such as Adidas sneakers, or the Canada Goose Winter blazer coat. For the Gore-Tex collaboration, elements from a tailcoat cut going back to the 19th century were taken and adjusted with a modern slant, like pockets for mobile phones or travel cards. All have been successful, and clients have enjoyed the results. Often, elements of the past are brought forward into a modern style with on-trend practicalities. We have another collaboration lined up, potentially for Autumn 2023." Savile Row is full of competing boutiques; however, this doesn't stop them collaborating with each other. Simon clearly stated during the interview, "In this street we are all competitors, but we know each other, we help other boutiques and we try to give the best support possible when needed.” This makes the idea of tailoring more passionate and interesting. The idea of helping other people goes beyond the competition that occurs when acquiring a new customer.

"Two options have been very successful for the recent season,” explains Simon. “High-twist frescos, which do not wrinkle and have a great recovery on long flights, and the super-light linen silk and wool blends – again a relaxed look with a great recovery in shape. These have been very successful in a more casual market."

Henry Poole & Co. offers many materials and options in choosing a dinner suit. Indeed, the customer has a vast choice, from the color to the cut, from the shape to the fitting. In order to offer a unique piece to the buyer the boutique looks after the client and presents a product that cannot be delivered by anyone else.

Henry Poole & Co. cannot fail during the Savile

HENRY POOLE & CO.

offers many materials and options in choosing a dinner suit. Indeed, the customer has a vast choice, from the color to the cut, from the shape to the fitting. In order to offer a unique piece to the buyer the boutique looks after the client and presents a product that cannot be delivered by anyone else.

Row Concours: a prestigious event organized every June in the heart of London, where owners of luxurious cars are asked to showcase their incredible masterpieces to the public. However, this is not only about vintage cars; modern supercars are also invited, to extend the catalog and choice available to participants.

"The next event is the Concourse of Elegance at Hampton Court on 2nd-4th September, which brings together the very best in highly priced classic and vintage cars. We have been taking part in this event since its inauguration 10 years ago. The beautiful craftsmanship and body lines that make the cars unique, show off their individual quality in a similar way to a tailored garment. We are joined together by all the great houses with Royal Warrants, such as Lock & Co. and Truefitt & Hill."

Henry Poole & Co. has always been a family-concern, and Simon has seen his forerunners working hard to improve sales and enlarge the market. Indeed, as soon as it was his role to be the guide, he had clear ideas on how to achieve the best result possible.

"My father, Angus, who took the helm in the Sixties, broadened the market in Europe with his Trunk Shows. I, in turn, had the same opportunity in 1996 to make Trunk Shows available in the USA. It has been a huge advantage for customers to have their fittings in the USA.

"We were one of the founding companies of the Walpole Group, which dates back to my father’s days. It was seen as the very best of British in various industries, and being chosen for membership gave us great pride. It also provides a network to share brand identities and thoughts; an ethos that is helpful to this day. "‘Pure bespoke’ means perfect comfort in a garment that is made to last. It gives you the chance of real choice in clothing, with a service that accommodates absolute personal preference in fabric and style details. Each suit is logged with weight, number and style of cloth, making it easier for the customer to repeat his preferences going forward. Repairs and alterations can be done on older suits giving them a new lease of life, underlining how the pure bespoke process is inherently sustainable."

Simon makes clear what bespoke means to the public. Indeed, there is huge dedication behind every dinner suit they produce. The idea of giving the customer something that, as he stated, will last and is unique, makes the wearing experience more remarkable. Furthermore, the client has full autonomy over his own suit. Henry Poole & Co. has, over the years, collected a vast array of materials, and the options they offer to customers are many. From the business suit to the dinner suit, from light materials to more structured and complex cotton, the possible combinations make it highly unlikely that anyone else will have a similar product. Furthermore, Henry Poole & Co.'s business has a worldwide approach. The team is keen on moving to international destinations to take their measuring services to clients. This will be completely free to the customer, providing a unique experience of the buying process, allowing the cus-

SIMON CUNDEY: "SINCE HENRY POOLE & CO.

was founded, it has remained a family-owned business and has maintained its bespoke craftsmanship heritage throughout the generations. The traditional tailoring methods have remained largely the same over the years. Style details still depend on the client’s shape and balance, resulting in timeless garments that always play a part on the right occasion."

tomer access to the shop with no need to travel.

Simon Cundey has been very open and welcoming in sharing the story of the boutique; taking us through the history of the brand right up to the present day. The beauty of tailoring makes the brand an important landmark in Savile Row, with its unique style and dedication to the suit. Having an international approach, the employees must work hard to satisfy the requests of clients around the world, whilst taking care to focus their attention on individual needs and wants.