Souster -
A name rich in tailoring heritage This historic surname is given to English tailors and means ‘seamstress’ or ‘one who sews’. From the Medieval English “Soustere, Sewester, Sowester”, from the old English “Seowian”, to sew. Originally, the agent suffix “-ster” was applied only to women, but by the end of the Middle English period it was given to both sexes. Job descriptive surnames originally denoted the actual occupation followed by an individual and later became hereditary. 2 | sousterandhicks.com
Juliana le Suster was recorded in 1309 in the Bedfordshire Subsidy Rolls. The earliest appearance of the name in London Church Registers is on August 9th 1674 when Lucia daughter of Samuelis Sowster was christened at St. Martin-inthe-Fields, Westminster. Anne Souster was christened on October 28th 1756 at Putney, London.
Three blind mice An incredible story of how it all started Following his expulsion from Luton Grammar School, Geoff was keen to make a fresh start at Denbigh High but unfortunately his reputation followed him. The only master who really wanted Geoff at the school was the sports master because he was a good footballer. When Geoff found this out, he knew there were going to be problems even though his uncle was head of the maths department there.
Lou Byrne was a lovely man, but his company was too small to take him on, so he asked Geoff if he was really serious about becoming a tailor (not knowing that he had been expelled from a second school in three months). Geoff’s reply was of course deadly serious, so Lou called W. Bell & Son, the most renowned tailors in Luton at the time and got him an appointment at 8.30am the next morning... and the rest is history!
Geoff always loved music, singing in the church choir at Oakdale Methodist Church and playing the piano as a child. One day while having a music lesson at Denbigh High, the music master was trying to belittle Geoff aged 15 to sing the nursery rhyme “Three Blind Mice”; Geoff refused and asked him to teach him some real music. With this, Geoff was taken to the head masters office for “six of the best” (also known as the cane – ouch!). Not quite fancying this and realising quickly this new school wasn’t going to work, Geoff asked if he was old enough to leave, when told YES he walked straight out leaving the head master and music master a few choice words. Geoff’s sister Madeleine, his uncles, aunts and cousins were all teachers and in fact he wanted to be a sports teacher himself, so the embarrassment to his parents and relations was not good.
In 1966 at W.Bell & Son, Geoff started learning the basics of tailoring – how to use a thimble, hand sewing and soon he was making handmade buttonholes. However, business at W. Bell was slowing down and Geoff wasn’t progressing as quickly as he had hoped. It was decided that he should go one day a week to the London College of Fashion to attend a cutting and tailoring course, even though Geoff only wanted to be a tailor, he went ahead with it anyway. As time went on Geoff found that cutting came naturally to him and he actually came 2nd out of 32 in his exams. When leaving his tutor called him back and said “You didn’t even try in that exam did you?” Geoff said “no, I want to be a tailor” to which the tutor replied “don’t you know it is the bespoke cutter that is top of the tree – you have an eye for it and should go and learn to cut”.
Riding home on his bike feeling upset at what had happened Geoff passed a tailors called Lou Byrne in Dallow Road Luton. Geoff loved fashion and his cousin Michael was a manager at tailors N. Berg & Son, where Geoff would spend many a Saturday looking around the shop at the latest suit styling and asking questions. In fact, his cousin Michael had said that if it didn’t work out at Denbigh, he could always get a job with him selling suits. Deep down, Michael had always wished he had studied tailoring and could make the suits himself, so when he mentioned this to Geoff, the seed was sown.
Predicting a serious telling off from his parents, Geoff walked into the tailors to see if he could get a job as an apprentice. Then he could go home and give his parents good and bad news!
Geoff in late 1968 wearing the first suit he made completely for himself
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W. Bell & Son were in trouble and sold the business to a tailors in Hertfordshire. Geoff decided to go to London and got a fantastic job working at Kilgour French & Stanbury (now known as Kilgour) – one of the top Savile Row tailors in London. Geoff was working in the busy workroom just off Savile Row and progressing well, but with the travel and low wages, it was difficult to continue. An opportunity came up at Leslie Andrews – a tailors in Luton, where his cousin Michael and bespoke cutter, John Carter worked. John also trained at Kilgours and was prepared to show Geoff the top end of the trade and teach him how famous Savile Row suits were cut. This wonderful little shop grew into a fantastic business where on average 45 bespoke suits were sold per week and customers would have to queue outside and be seen one by one.
The very first shop in John Street, Luton
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Geoff & Laura Laura’s whole family worked in the ‘rag trade’ so she was keen to follow in their footsteps, so in 1966, she started out as a dressmaker. A few years later, whilst at the Cavalier Club where Geoff played football, Laura met her future husband.
Geoff saw Laura sitting at the bar looking stunning in white leather hot pants. When he found out she was a trained dressmaker and tailoress, it was a match made in heaven and they were married in 1972.
Wages in the trade were notoriously poor and after the birth of their first child Scott in 1977 (a month after the tragic death of Geoff’s sister, Madeleine), they were inspired to really make something of their lives. Deciding to start their own business, they opened their first shop in John Street, Luton in 1978.
Geoff and Laura worked hard together to make the business a success and not long after in 1982 they moved to larger premises in George Street Luton.
Things didn’t slow down and in 1983 Eric Morecambe opened their second shop in Dunstable. Eric was the first of many famous customers that had their clothes tailored by Geoff. 1983 was also the same year their younger son Wes was born.
The business grew increasingly larger and had achieved a £1million turnover by 1988. This was closely followed by an appearance on the BBC’s The Clothes Show during prime time on a Sunday evening, featuring the clothes Geoff had made for world champion boxer, Barry McGuigan and an interview with Jeff Banks. Barry McGuigan at the George Street Luton shop in a David Bowie style jacket standing next to Luton Town FC’s suits they wore to the Littlewoods Cup Final in 1988 which they won!
The Highs and Lows In 1989 Geoff was one of the very first bespoke tailors to use computer cutting to provide a made-to-measure factory made suit. This new technology enabled customers to have a much cheaper suit made in comparison to a bespoke one. Although not comparable with bespoke, it was far better than a ready-to-wear high street suit and an affordable way to enter the world of tailoring. Geoff has since worked as a consultant setting up factories across Europe with computer cutting.
Federation of Merchant Taylors In 1987 to 1988, Geoff had the honour of becoming the 99th National President for the FMT (Federation of Merchant Taylors). During this year, he brought back out three issues of the world famous “Tailor & Cutter” magazine to try and help keep the trade together and plan for the future. This was also the year that the Conservative Government changed the planning laws and combined light industrial and office usage into one ‘business class’. The FMT managed to get a debate in the Houses of Parliament to try and take Westminster out of the new act but they lost and rentals for the many tailoring workrooms around Savile Row quadrupled overnight. The craft tailors were then forced to work from home and this caused massive problems getting apprentices trained.
In 1991, when the UK was in the depths of recession, they were hit with massive rental increases amongst other difficult challenges. Geoff and Laura were forced to close their shops, forcing them to lose everything they’d worked so hard for and dramatically changing their lives in the process. They managed to restart their business with help from a good friend and customer and opened up a small courtyard shop in Princess Street with no shop window or passing trade. However it was soon proven that although they had lost a business they hadn’t lost their good reputation and the business took off with immediate effect. In 1997 they moved Sousters to Park Street Luton and continued to grow further: so much so that their son Scott packed in his profession as a carpenter to join the family firm and to follow in Geoff’s footsteps as a bespoke tailor. In 2002, Wesley also made the decision to join the firm and today, both sons are qualified bespoke tailor’s cutters. Celebrating 100 Years of Tailoring | sousterandhicks.com | 5
Michael Bublé
The Move to Woburn
The family went on to open another shop at 13 New Burlington Street, London just around the corner from Savile Row with friends from Denham & Goddard. It was here that they picked up the name Hicks & Sons established in the Row in 1797 and have traded as Souster & Hicks ever since.
Even though Luton had been good to them, the location and bad press the town was getting meant it was time to move on. A chance game of golf in Woburn between Scott, a good friend and customer inspired the opening of their Woburn shop.
Geoff and Laura went to see Michael Bublé at a small concert at Cafe dé Paris and had the pleasure of meeting him afterwards. Michael commented on how well dressed Geoff was and he explained he was a tailor and was about to open a shop in W1.
It was a big move for the Souster family. They purchased the freehold of a whole building, including the apartment above the shop and moved their business and home to the town. The impact of having a Savile Row and Woburn address on Google was immediate and over the next 10-years the turnover doubled. Scott’s wife Natalie joined the family firm in 2012 to help with the extra business and also work with Laura in her ladies tailoring business, Laura Souster Couture. Due to the increase in business at Woburn and high rental rates in London the decision was made to leave the shop in New Burlington Street and concentrate solely on Woburn.
Customers now travel from all over the UK and Europe and as far afield as Japan and the USA to receive the world famous Souster & Hicks tailoring. Many are attracted to the family business because the ser vice is second to none.
Michael asked for a business card but Geoff never carries them so he wrote down his number on a serviette.
Michael Bublé called the following morning and soon after he opened their second shop in London. 6 | sousterandhicks.com
To celebrate Geoff and Laura’s exciting milestone, we have designed an exclusive bespoke outfit. Consisting of a bespoke jacket and tailored shirt, the outfit is complimented by customised Barker’s shoes and an Elliot Rhodes belt. A unique piece of fabric from the jacket has been integrated into the shoes and belts to create our own limited edition range.
Holland & Sherr y’s finest tweed in a mid green with a mix of purple, tan and gold speckles. Trimmed with a contrast purple velvet collar and pocket jetts.
The complete limited edition outfit is available to order now for £2,500 and orders will be taken on a first come first serve basis. Please contact us for more information and to place orders.
Cream tailored shirt with purple floral trim detailing. Exclusive handmade half purple, half gold lapel buttonhole.
Barker handmade cedar calf leather shoes and Elliot Rhodes Italian leather belt both with matching tweed jacket fabric in the design.
Souster & Hicks famous 5 button angle cuff trimmed with purple velvet and half and half handmade buttonholes.
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Green Label Starting from scratch, your measurements and posture are drafted onto brown paper using a setsquare, tape measure, chalk and a very good eye.
Your suit is then cut by Geoff, Scott or Wes and first basted fittings are created. The garment is checked over for fit and style before your basted fitting is ripped down to its individual pieces, re-cut and any final adjustments are made. The end result is your master pattern – the key to ensuring a beautiful fit. 8 | sousterandhicks.com
To this day, age-old techniques dating back hundreds of years are used to make bespoke suits. Although styles and fashions change, the method remains the same.
The internal canvasses of your suit are the finest natural wool or horse hair from Italy; they are sewn in by hand and left completely floating which gives an immaculately soft feel. One of the most important parts in the making process is the hand padding of the lapel and chest, where hundreds of tiny hand stitches are sewn into the canvasses giving the chest its shape and lapel the “Savile Row Roll”. This intricate craftsmanship enhances your silhouette and the drape of the jacket giving you an ultimate feel of comfort.
One of the very first tailors to start using factories for made-to-measure products in 1989, Souster & Hicks still continue this trend and today offer two made-tomeasure options.
Platinum Label
Buttons are either made in natural horn or real mother of pearl with buttonholes hand made from pure silk thread using only the highest quality of materials from trimming merchants Bernstein & Banley. www.theliningcompany.co.uk Using the renowned Italian factory, Raphael Caruso, Souster & Hicks create made-to-measure suits with handwork detailing. The canvasses are left in loose like their own bespoke versions and the resulting softness and feel is truly astonishing. Buttonholes are finished by hand in pure silk and are a work of art.
On average, to draft the master pattern and cut the suit takes up to half a day, without interruptions. From start to finish, anything from 55 man hours and over 5,000 hand stitches go into making a true bespoke suit.
Black Label
The most modern way of making a suit today is for the front part of the suit – known as the forepart in the trade, to be fused with a premade chest piece machined inside – most ready to wear suits use this method. Although you don’t get the softness of a canvassed suit, the Black Label still provides a great experience; Geoff, Scott or Wes will take your measurements and style your suit, resulting in a beautiful one-off piece that fits and looks and feels better than anything you’ll buy off the peg.
Fabrics Souster & Hicks famous 5 button angle cuff. Exclusive to the Green Label.
Over 10,000 fabrics are available for any tailoring method from leading mills and cloth merchants across the UK and Italy, including: Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, Ermenegildo Zegna, Loro Piana, Scabal, Bateman Ogden & Harrison. Celebrating 100 Years of Tailoring | sousterandhicks.com | 9
Over the years, Laura and Geoff have always tailored handmade bespoke garments for women, but the choice of fabrics and styles were limited. In 2010 Laura and Geoff spotted the potential in a fantastic factory based in Hamburg who specialised in made-to-measure ladies tailoring. They worked together with the head stylist in Hamburg, to create modern and feminine jackets that have become Laura Souster Couture’s trademark design. Working with the new factory meant they could offer customers very competitive prices along with more style choices for jackets, trousers, skirts, waistcoats, dresses and coats. In 2012 Scott’s wife Natalie joined the business and has been instrumental in helping Laura grow the ladies side of the business. Today, they design exclusive outfits using a vast choice of fabrics from cloth merchants like Holland & Sherry with vibrant colours, unique patterns and boucle textures. This partnership has opened up a wonderful new look for Laura Souster Couture.
Savile Row’s Holland & Sherry wool & silk mixture
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It’s a well known fact that most men don’t enjoy walking around shops all day looking for clothes. That’s why Souster & Hicks have carefully selected a few fantastic ready to wear brands that compliment your tailored outfits.
Since 1928 the Swedish craftsmanship and attention to detail has evolved Eton into one of the worlds leading shirt makers. No other brand touches Eton on their choice of fit and style and this year they introduced individually made shirts to your exact specifications at very competitive prices. Eton’s most popular shirts are made from easy care fabrics which look as good at the end of the day as they did at the start.
Gardeur jeans and chinos have been a firm favourite for over 25 years with new stylish and unique colours for each season. They are an extremely well made German product made from cotton with a Lycra stretch, giving the jeans and chinos a cashmere feel and unbelievable comfort.
Barkers are one of the top handcrafted English shoe makers offering a vast collection ideal for business wear right through to casual brogues. With a large stock in Northampton most styles can be ordered and delivered the following day.
Choose from a selection of over 500 fabrics, 50 buttons and a limitless choice of style and design features. Your measurements are taken by Geoff, Scott or Wes and an exclusive shirt is then produced within 3 weeks that fits your body shape, feels comfortable and looks fantastic.
Handmade Italian silk ties in elegant colours and pattern, with rare hand pleated designs, all presented in their own individual gift boxes.
The popular Elliot Rhodes belts offer a stunning selection of individual leather straps, plus chrome and brass buckles. Straps and buckles can all be interchanged with each other creating different belts for different occasions. Your measurements are taken at the shop and your belt can be cut down and made to your exact size within 10 minutes.
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Eric Morecambe Eric Morecambe was the first of many famous customers that Geoff and the boys have had the pleasure of working with. From world-famous singer Michael BublĂŠ, TV star Matthew Kelly, professional boxer Barry McGuigan through to England players James Milner, Joleon Lescott and Joe Hart.
Eric Morecambe at the opening of the Geoff Souster shop in Dunstable 1983
Eamonn Holmes Eamonn Holmes has been a customer for many years and Geoff still has the pleasure of tailoring for him today.
Ever yone wants to get their hands on a Souster suit 12 | sousterandhicks.com
Bob Monkhouse Geoff tailored everything for Bob from the late 80’s until his sad death in 2003.
Lenny Henry Lenny wearing one of the many iconic suits Geoff made for him.
I may not be the best comedian, but with Geoff Souster as my tailor I am the best dressed
Daniel Ricciardo F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo in one of his jackets tailored by the boys in 2015.
Bob preparing for the Royal Variety Show in a specially designed dress suit by Geoff
Russell Watson Russell pictured here on his wedding day in 2015 in a Souster & Hicks platinum label suit.
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Geoff has said as an official OAP he needs to slow down and work less hours but customers keep offering him money so who knows! Laura has a couple of health problems but continues to work in the tailoring workroom as well as looking after their grandson Freddie, Scott and Natalie’s 3 year old son.
The boys have been building up their own customers and Geoff has told them not to worr y about following in his footsteps but to make their own.
Important Announcement Entry phone & appointment system Due to the success and growth of the business, the shop has recently become very overcrowded and we feel we are unable to provide the same level of service. For this reason, we’ve decided to work on an entry phone and appointment only system from February 2017.
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We hope that you’ll feel the benefits of this system straight away and enjoy a specific allocated appointment without any interruptions. This will also allow us to process your orders before the next customer arrives.
We will keep you updated over the next few months but please feel free to contact us with any questions.
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY Dear Scott & Wes, Thank you for the beautiful suit you made for my wedding, the threepiece looked amazing on the day. So thank you for all your help in choosing the material and style, and for your friendly and professional service. Paul & Stacey I was introduced to Scott through a friend of mine and quite honestly I cannot recommend him highly enough. The quality of the tailoring and the ideas for the suits and shirts Scott has designed and made for me have been nothing short of superb. Unfortunately for me I now have to change my entire wardrobe as nothing quite hits the mark in comparison anymore. One warning I would give is that once you have one made you will be back ordering more. Customer service and attention to detail is spot on and I cannot recommend anyone better in the trade. Neil Purcell
Geoff is a rare person – creative, talented and always produces above and beyond expectation, on time and at amazing value. I cannot stress how impressive Geoff’s work is. It is also important to recognise the whole family involvement with Laura, Scott and Wes – if you want to feel like a million dollars put on one of Souster and Hicks’ creations. Matthew Bray If you just want a suit, go to Burton, if you’re after a piece of creative genius then go and pay Geoff a visit. Geoff has been making my suits for many years, he runs a true family business and you’re guaranteed first class results every time. If you want to turn heads with a crisp look, a splash of colour or just something different then Sousters is the place to be. Plan ahead, these things can’t be rushed, give it a go, it’s not as expensive as you might think!” Marc Frost
Dear Laura & Natalie, I have had so many compliments on the garments you have made me – you have no idea what it is like to stand in front of clients and they say ‘That is a beautiful suit/jacket. Who made it for you?’ No one has ever asked me that before. Even better, when in Glasgow this week every one of the clients said I had lost weight - it has to be the tailoring because I sure haven’t.... Now, can you make me 10 years younger?! Lindsay, Scotland Bernstein & Banleys Ltd, would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to Geoff & Laura for achieving 100 years between them as bespoke tailors, we wish you many more years of continued success. Bernstein & Banleys Ltd
Thank-you 100 – years between them in the tailoring trade with so many wonderful customers who have become such good friends over the years. Geoff and Laura would like to thank everyone for their loyalty and custom, especially those who have shopped with them for well over 40 years.
New to Woburn New this year to Woburn village: the award winning Italian restaurant Fratelli, deli & champagne bar Flootes, The Woburn Ale House, unique Zoohause homeware, and most recently the Woburn Wine Cellar selling high end wines and champagnes. To make a full weekend of the beautiful Georgian village visit www.woburnvillage.co.uk Celebrating 100 Years of Tailoring | sousterandhicks.com | 15
Souster & Hicks 14 Bedford Street, Woburn Bedfordshire, MK17 9QB T. 01525 290862 E. tailors@sousterandhicks.com 16www.sousterandhicks.com | sousterandhicks.com
Woburn opening hours until Feb 2017, thereafter entryphone appointment only. Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm Saturday 9.30am to 5pm Savile Row by appointment only.