The New York store’s façade sports both a Union Jack and the Star Spangled Banner,
flying the flag for both British craftsmanship and American style. Inside, the store is welcoming and open. Unlike
the gentlemen’s club feel of the London flagship, one gets the sense that this store was built with time efficiency
in mind: New Yorkers don’t mess about, so clear displays, good lighting and plenty of space to browse makes it an
easy pit-stop for men on the move. “The best things often take time and patience. However, in this day and age, time
is almost certainly a luxury which gentlemen seldom have – particularly in cities such as New York,” Gillotte
explains. “For those that experience bespoke for the first time, there is an added desire and excitement to have
things there and then.”
Online, one customer review of the service justifies his investment in T&A
bespoke shirts with the kind of attitude that would makecarpe
diem’s Horace proud: “Look, we are
all going to die, but not everyone is going to be killed wearing a $350 bespokeshirt. Me, I would like to be one of the few.” Perhaps he’s been
watching too much James Bond (Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig have
all dodged bullets wearing T&A) but his point rings true with a lot of the clientele. “As a client’s taste and interests mature, bespoke is the natural progression when it comes
to dressing. Our ready-to-wear shirts are made to the same standards as that of our bespoke shirts, but with a
little more investment the difference in fit becomes significant,” says Gillotte. “Understandably, a few customers
have come to us requesting to look like James Bond. Having dressed several 007s over the years, it’s something that
comes quite naturally to us, but we also recognise that not everyone shares the physique of Connery or Craig.”
Gillotte’s expertise lies in the ability to measure and manipulate the pattern of a shirt, not only to fit
impeccably but to make the client’s figure look as good as possible. Despite advances in technology, there is no
real substitute for the well-trained eye and tape measure of a bespoke artisan especially as, Gillotte adds proudly,
“all of our products remain handmade ever since we were established in 1885”.
Evidently, a great sense of pride is a common thread among all T&A employees,
regardless of location. Just as the London store is an experience in itself (so much so that T&A partnered with
Floris last year to create a fragrance that evokes that very experience), so too is the building just off Park
Avenue. “The New York store itself is just as much of an attraction as our celebrated shirts and ties. The ability
to provide an unrivalled experience in our stores separates us from our competitors. We have forged long-term
relationships with our esteemed clientele, and it is the reason we have been able to provide them with exceptional
quality clothes that transcend seasonality and trend-led fashion.” Whether you’re in town for business or pleasure,
next time you’re in New York schedule a visit to T&A for one of the best bespoke experiences on the east
coast.
Turnbull & Asser, 50 East 57thSt, New York, USA.
