Royal style: 10 brands you need to know about
Words: India Gladstone
The Royal Family are the most famous family in the world for many reasons other than their service to our country and the scandal that comes with being born into the most prominent family in Britain.
Royals, namely The Duke of Windsor and The Duke of Edinburgh, are well-known for their impeccable style and penchant for incredible personal tailors and brands; both of which have been used for decades and are trusted as closely as a right-hand-man.
In case you needed more convincing, The Duke of Windsor once famously said, “I was in fact produced as a leader of fashion, with the clothiers as my showmen and the world as my audience.” Here is a round up of the 10 brands fit for a royal – and why you need to know about them.
John Kent of Kent and Haste Savile Row
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II with their children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne in July 1951 / Getty Ullstein Bild
Trusted by The Duke of Edinburgh for the past 45 years, John Kent is a Mayfair-based tailor and shirtmaker whose services have been recognised with the Royal Warrant in which it holds today. As one of the finest bespoke suit makers in the country, if John Kent is good enough for The Duke of Edinburgh, it’s good enough for you.
Visit Kent Haste & Lachter Bespoke Tailors here.
Hawes and Curtis
The Duke of Windsor wearing Hawes & Curtis on his wedding day in 1937.
Hawes & Curtis was the Duke’s shirtmaker of choice for decades and the brand was – like Kent, Haste and Lachter – awarded a Royal Warrant. It created the famous spread collar, designed specifically to accommodate the ties and the knot he inspired – the Windsor – and The Duke even wore a Hawes and Curtis shirt and collar on his wedding day to Wallis Simpson.
Gieves & Hawkes
Hugo Bernand
As occupants of 1 Savile Row, it only seems fitting that Gieves & Hawkes be one of the most respected tailors in London. The tailor is also one of only a couple of companies that hold not one, not two, but three Royal warrants – from HM The Queen, HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Both the Duke of Cambridge, who wore his Gieves & Hawkes military tailoring on his wedding day, and Prince Harry are fans of the brand and it remains one of the most respected tailors on Savile Row today.
Gieves & Hawkes handmade RAF blue suit, £1,895
Turnbull & Asser
Turnbull & Asser are another brand frequented by the Royal Family, who also hold a Royal Warrant, given to them by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1980. Turnbull & Asser have asserted themselves as an incredibly established and well respected shirtmaker and clothier, and have been making clothes for the royal family for decades.
Turnbull & Asser Belmont navy cotton blazer, £945
Henry Poole
Prince Albert Edward (1841-1910) in Henry Poole.
Another holder of the Royal Warrant, Henry Poole has been making clothes for the Royal Family from as far back as 1865 when The Prince of Wales asked his tailor and friend Henry Poole to cut a short celestial blue evening coat to be worn at informal dinners at Sandringham. As one of the Royal family’s most-trusted tailors (worn by HM King Edward VII himself) Henry Poole is an institution that every gentleman needs to get to know.
For more information, visit here
Harris Tweed
No gentleman’s outfit is complete without tweed, and the Royal Family are undoubtedly partial to a spectacular tweed jacket. Field sports have always been something that Royals have partaken in, and both The Duke of Windsor and The Duke of Edinburgh was frequently seen donning a beautiful tweed jacket. Harris Tweed is the classic tweed brand to head to.
For more information, visit here
Crockett & Jones
Every gentleman needs incredible footwear in his life and Crockett & Jones has the Royal seal of approval, with The Prince of Wales visiting the Northampton factory just two years ago. No gentleman’s wardrobe is complete without a wonderful and stylish pair of shoes, and we can’t think of a better brand than Crockett & Jones.
Malton dark brown burnished calf semi-brogue oxford, £400
Richard James
Having dressed guests for the Royal Wedding, Richard James clearly has the seal of approval from the family themselves. As one of the newest – yet more respected – tailors on Savile Row, Richard James is the perfect place to head for a contemporary (yet still classic) take on traditional English tailoring.
HRH Prince Charles, taken at Buckingham Palace / Allan Warren
Richard James Hyde navy cotton blazer, £545
Thom Sweeney
A favourite of Prince William – and also of guests at his wedding – Thom Sweeney is a classic Savile Row tailor fit for the modern dapper gentleman. Known for its incredible three-piece suits and outerwear, every gentleman deserves a piece of Thom Sweeney.
For more information, visit here
Bernard Weatherill
In 1920, Bernard Weatherill Ltd. was awarded a Royal Warrant by His Majesty King George V as a riding clothes outfitter and livery tailors. The firm currently holds the same Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen and it truly is the perfect equestrian outfitter for every riding gentleman the world over.
King George V of Great Britain and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, 1913
For more information, visit here
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