Part two of my visit to Len Logsdail bespoke tailor with G. Bruce Boyer shot for A Suitable Wardrobe. Bruce gave me the tour and Len, a jovial Brit, seemed to have a good time showing me all the details of his top notch organization.
The front of the house at Len Logsdail has a clubhouse feeling where it seemed perfectly natural for fellas in the business or just in the neighborhood to stop by and have a friendly chat. This was quite refreshing, and started to make more sense when I entered the modest back room - where everything happens. Each of his bespoke suits or pants or dinner jackets is made from start to finish in that room. It is decidedly the opposite of how most clothing is made in the world today, which is, of course, the larger story of our era. This process takes time and incredible expertise, and I believe that even though the cost of such finished items seems extravagant to most, the business model of the bespoke tailor is not the best way to make a (quick) fortune. (see the trouble Savile Row has had) It is more about tradition and craftsmanship and masculine luxury, and art in my eyes.
The staff at Len's know very well that an important part of what they do is psychological - finding out how a man wants to present himself to the world. They know what the nuances of cut, fabric, and all those infinite details can communicate. Bruce was having a great time showing me all the lavish choices.
The intricacy of hand stitching that forms the foundation of the jacket.
Bruce having a laugh with Len in the work room. Don't mess up that cut Len!
Leonard Logsdail, Tailor, NYC, August 2011
The shears come out - and Len shows me how the tailors traditionally keep their shears is good working order...
Len searches through his patterns to find a few gems I will recognize from his movie work.
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