Estila Article
Last week we featured in Estila magazine – Here is the article in full available on their blog: https://estila.co/blog/introducing-featherstone-london/
Introducing Featherstone London
Highlighting independent brands and emerging designers is what we do at Estila. And so it’s nice to come across, and support, other passionate businesses who are trying to do a similar thing not in media but in retail. Ruth, Estila’s contributor, spoke with Featherstone London, established by Master tailor Craig Featherstone and born out of his devotion to maintaining very high standards in the tailoring industry and preserving ‘pure bespoke’ traditions.
Craig has been tailoring for 25 years and has spent the last decade on Savile Row. A Master tailor in the true sense – being that he can create every stage of a bespoke garment from start to finish. This is quite rare in the tailoring world to be so proficient in every element of the craft. He has worked with many prestigious clients ranging from presidents to business professionals and celebrities.
Craig’s wife, Julie is also a company director. She has spent the last 20 years working in the media. From print journalism to radio reporting, TV production, PR and publicity. She has a strong business acumen and a marketing and advertising degree.
What has been your journey so far?
Craig – I realised I had an interest in fashion as a teenager. I attended fashion college, where I excelled. It was funny as I was the only boy in the class but all the girls would ask me to teach them to sew. I realised I was actually very good at it. I then gained an apprenticeship with another Savile Row trained master tailor called David Chambers – I was his only apprentice so he taught me how to make everything which is really unusual in my trade as most people specialise in one thing. A decade ago I decided I had to venture onto Savile Row and when asked what I could make, my reply was ‘everything’. They thought I was joking. My knowledge and experience in tailoring meant I quite quickly made my way up the ladder and within 3 years became company director for one of the most established tailoring shops on the row.
Julie – I had an interest in Journalism from a very young age. I did some work experience with a local newspaper and got 2 articles published. I realised a career in the media was a good route for me. I went to university and did a marketing and advertising degree and was good at the business modules. I joined Sky News in 2001 and quickly progressed on the production side. I now work for Sky Sports but my goal has always been to be my own boss.
What is your brand’s ethos?
Craig – Sustainable and ethically sourced clothing is at the heart of what we do and all of my bespoke garments are designed and made in the UK. With a Featherstone London bespoke suit, it has to be the best for me to put my name to it.
I created Featherstone London because most tailoring houses on Savile Row are owned by people who aren’t tailors and don’t understand the craft the way that I do. I know what I am capable of and truly want to produce the best tailored suits in the world. My focus is on quality over quantity and the only way I can actually achieve this is through going solo.
Tailoring needs to get away from the stereotype of being old and stuffy. I bring a fresh approach for the modern man. Many people choose brand names over quality and I want to prove that traditional clothing and craftsmanship can still look stylish if the person creating the suit has the right eye for it.
How did you get interested in sustainable and ethical fashion?
Craig – Julie was working with an anti-trafficking charity called Sport for Freedom. I was helping them organise a gala dinner and some of the facts I was hearing really shocked me. The amount of children and women that are trafficked to work in factories in such awful conditions, just so that large brands can manufacture cheap ‘disposable’ clothing is appalling. People wear them once and literally throw them away. Did you know that fashion is the second biggest polluting industry in the world?! I want to educate people to think about where their clothes came from and who actually made them. If more people focused less on the price tag and more on the facts, some of the large high street chains wouldn’t be in business today. We all have a part to play in creating change and