In the Beginning

Austin: It all started as an offhanded comment, with me telling the founder of Ivory Hong Kong, Maslow, that I’d be more than happy to help do fittings for his UK customers. He said that I could start a store there too if I wanted. That really got me thinking: is this something I want to do? And I began studying the market, feasibility, and talking to my friends that are in related industries.

I was at a crossroad at the time: where I have to think about what to do after graduating. I considered doing apprenticeships under tailors, starting my own brand. But with this possibility, taking something that’s established and re-examining it, to bring it to a new market with my own take on it, is something that excites me.

Boris: What made you decide to reach out to me and bring on another team member?

A: Every time we go out and see the world, talk about stuff that is happening, I go home inspired. Since we’ve been working together, something fruitful turns up when we set our eyes on something. I think it’s the fact that we have so different personalities that convinced me to reach out, to jump start the potential of Ivory London.

B: We also have vastly different tastes in clothing.

A: Which is a positive, considering our mission. We want to find what would look good on our clients, the job of a stylist or tailor is exactly that. This is not to say we’d just do anything, we will still have our core style and input, but we put a little more consideration into who the client is: their personality, lifestyle, specific needs, the list goes on and on.

“We put a little more consideration into who the client is: their personality, lifestyle, specific needs, the list goes on and on.”

Austin

An Ongoing Mission

A: The reason I wanted to take Ivory to London is because I see potential in what was already there. It is a distillation of taste and countless bespoke orders, as Maslow has spent countless hours talking and commissioning orders from bespoke makers. What I want to do is to explore the possibilities of that distillate, and crystalize it into something with my own taste as well.

B: We do come from quite a different background.

A: When I was in Uni, I was really into the world of fashion, worked for a studio in Rome and hosted fashion shows for my peers, and I went into tailoring with that. You started in tailoring and expanded into different genres of style by naturally exploring their boundaries, and worked with stylists for celebrities.

B: We both like to think outside of the traditional tailoring boundaries when thinking about styling for our customers. Clothing is just the medium we chose to express ourselves with, and tailoring is just one of the languages that we speak. There are a sea of options out there, and each could be representative of a nuanced part of our life. One day I’d be wearing a shirt and tie for after-work drinks, the other I might choose to wear dark denim and black coat for late-night live music.

“Clothing is just the medium we chose to express ourselves with, and tailoring is just one of the languages that we speak.”

Boris

A: And that’s part of what I want to do: to help people find a wardrobe that they can confidently say is their second skin. It’s not just about a suit for work, but also something for a date, an artsy event, vacation in Spain, long-haul flights… A reflection and companion of different aspects of their lives.

For the Future

A: I’d really like to have London as a base to spread more of our style to people all over. To become a brand with a strong image, that even when people see items that aren’t from us. They would say “oh that’s quite Ivory-inspired”. With a clear brand image, I want people to explore ways they would wear it in their own way. Not just to have the same type of people wearing the same type of clothing, but to have a unique way of interpretation by every one of our clients.

B: I was convinced precisely because I see the potential in the offerings as a base to explore and experiment with my style.

B: Perhaps because I’ve also had good experiences with my previous employers, one at a tailor shop and the other a Jazz bar, I really want Ivory London to be the start of a community. I envision regulars and newcomers alike coming to share what they’ve found and seek interaction and input with us. Not just to talk about clothes, but also about their experiences, recent discoveries and stories. I find that connection to be really genuine, and it would be wonderful to have a space that accommodates that.

“I really want Ivory London to be the start of a community. Not just to talk about clothes, but also about their experiences, recent discoveries and stories.”

Boris

I still remember when I had my first fitting session: stepping out of the fitting room and standing in front of a mirror, with warm lights surrounding me. Standing in the middle of the room with only socks on because I was too lazy to tie my shoes. The fitters whizzed around with such speed and precision with pinning, conversing amongst themselves with lingo that sounds familiar, but is more akin to a foreign tongue in honesty. Before I’ve formulated my own thoughts on the fitting, they’re already done, arms crossed, waiting for my thoughts.

For people that have just placed an order, or are considering bespoke, the fitting process is likely one of the most intriguing and magical steps of the process. And yet, there’s a level of mystery behind this part of the process. As someone from the industry, I want to break down what goes on during fitting sessions, and to let you in on the little tidbits in the minds of fitters.

First, the basics.

First and foremost, we must put on the garment properly. This sounds so obvious, and yet it’s very important. If the order was for high-waisted trousers, we simply can’t do the fitting properly with the trousers hanging low like we’re doing an early 2000s MV; if the coat was made to fit with chunky turtlenecks, we will need the client to wear the appropriate knitwear. While we can often guesstimate with certain success, putting the fitting garment on properly often is the base for a good fitting session.

From the obvious to the minute.

Fitters can often note straight away the obvious issues. It is the minor issues that require the most time and effort, especially when they are interconnected and have multiple ways of being addressed. It is at this point that we try pinning and poking and prodding (respectfully) at the client and the fitting garment in order to find the best solution for each individual client.

With the technical issues sorted, we take a step back and remove our heads from the minutia, and look at the bigger picture. While technicalities are important to suss out, it needs to go hand in hand with a garment that looks right and stunning. Proportions, such as length and width, need to be considered with the wearer’s own body. And then there is the “secret sauce”: stylistic choices that complement the garment’s intended occasion, message, and the owner’s style.

The conversation that decides everything.

Arguably, the most important aspect of the entire process is to ask for feedback from the customer. A bespoke piece is entirely custom made to fit, physically and stylistically, to every individual client, and we all have different takes on comfort and style. While we do reserve the right to go back and forth between an 8″ or 9″ leg opening with you, ultimately it’s this process of communication and experimentation, sprinkled with a touch of whimsy and showmanship, that makes the experience of bespoke tailoring so unique and interesting.

“Bespoke fitting, I often like to think, is similar to golfing: sometimes you get a hole-in-one, where the fitting goes perfect and requires no adjustments at all; other times you might have to putt on the green for a bit, thinking about the adjustments to make to put the ball in the hole.”

Boris

Yet this is what makes it an intriguing line of work — no two fittings or commissions are the same, even if they’re made by the same customer, with all the elements that could affect the outcome.