Richard Anderson (6)

During the heyday of my sewing life, I was actively tailoring jackets and suits. Although I made other garments, all of the projects I really enjoyed were structured and had underpinnings learned from my tailoring classes. I am not a tailor! Just to be clear, I simply am a home sewist who loves that particular genre of sewing.
That said, like everything else in my life, I read about what I love. I have just finished reading Richard Anderson’s autobiography which chronicles his rise from lowly intern to revered cutter on Savile Row in London. For those not familiar, Savile Row refers to an area in London that houses the finest tailoring shops. Here Richard Anderson began at age 16 as an apprentice for Huntsman, one of the oldest and most staid houses. His story is rich with detail of the operation of a traditional shop. As he works his way through his internship to senior cutter, the reader is introduced to each segment of the business, its characters and its functions. The story is told with wry humor, sincere emotion and exacting detail. I found it very enjoyable and I think anyone interested in the inner workings of a well-reputed tailoring house would find this a good read.… (mais)