Synonymous with expert craftsmanship, bespoke is the ultimate expression of style. Savile Row, the world-renowned and somewhat hallowed street in Mayfair, central London, is home to the most celebrated and respected names in British bespoke tailoring. Despite running parallel to Regent Street and situated next door to the luxury flagships of Old Bond Street, Savile Row's reputation of hand-stitching possibly the best suits in the world remains strong. Mark Henderson tells us more about the 1733-born street. "Savile Row is famous the world over for men's clothing. We can outfit anybody for virtually anything. The Row goes from very traditional tailors through to contemporary ranges, such as Ozwald Boateng, Richard James & Co., and even jeans companies like Evisu." "The specialism of the Row, however, is dressing people for occasions, whether that may be members of the Royal family, Ambassadors or captains of industry," he says. Henderson is CEO of Gieves & Hawkes, the traditionally British bespoke tailor that can be found at perhaps the most prestigious address on the Row, No.1. Aside from bespoke, like many of the other tailors, Gieves & Hawkes offers ready-to-wear collections and made-to-measure. "This is where you have a garment especially made for you, with the choice of 2,000 fabrics. But, unlike bespoke, it is made in one of our factories. Using a standard block pattern and making adjustments, we can get very close to a perfect fit," he elaborates. FROM ROYALTY TO TAXI DRIVERS With a history that dates back to 1771, Gieves & Hawkes' clients, past and present, include Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Admiral Nelson and Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, to Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson, David Beckham and Bill Clinton. That being said, one shouldn't let such an impressive client list discourage a visit. "In terms of what to expect, it is not as fearsome as you may think. I know a lot of people have compared it to a street of clubs that you have to knock on the door to get in, or even that you have to be introduced, not so," Henderson explains. "We all have a range of clients that literally go from royalty to taxi drivers whose children are getting married." In speaking with Henderson, who set up The Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRB) in 2004, it is clear that, as expected, he is a great advocate of bespoke: "Traditional bespoke would start at around £3,000 and that's an entirely hand-made garment. The client has the original pattern drafted for them; they then come in for a series of fittings and walk out with a garment that is absolutely perfect. You simply couldn't make a finer product," he says, passionately. SAVILE ROW BESPOKE SRB was created to protect and develop the craft, while uniting the founding fathers of the Row with the New Establishment tailors. "We wanted to promote the fact that it's not a dying craft "industry", it's actually a luxury," Henderson adds. "What I hope we've done is to make people realise just how much energy and creativity there is here." When asking Henderson whom he considers the best on the street, he replies: "There isn't a single member of SRB that doesn't pass muster as far as quality is concerned. We all train together and run The Golden Shears awards every year." Recent winners of which include Gieves & Hawkes, Henry Poole, Dege and Skinner, and Anderson & Sheppard. "There is a spread of absolute excellence across the Row and I wouldn't say that you could necessarily single out any one of the houses as being `better' than the other. It's a matter of how much do you enjoy visiting a particular tailor, and whether you like the cutter's individual style," Henderson clarifies. Although having endured some knocks in the past, Savile Row is far from being dismissed as `behind the times', as Giorgio Armani was famously quoted. Throughout the past two decades, the street has experienced a remarkable revival, with Gieves & Hawkes reporting `double-digit' growth in bespoke and personal tailoring services over the past 12 months. "I think the reason for this is that people are looking for value; when you have something that's been made for you, you're going to get a longer life from that product. People are also dressing up more, which may be down to insecurity or wanting to put your best foot forward." It seems as though bespoke tailoring is now being embraced by a new generation looking to dress to impress. Investing in a garment that will last a lifetime is certainly becoming more favourable as opposed to, as Henderson puts it, "buying rubbish that is just going to be landfill in nine months time." So, what can we expect from Gieves & Hawkes in the up-and-coming season? "There's a lot of flannel this A/W, which is a very traditional British fabric, and in a world that has been fairly gloomy for the last 18 months, there's actually quite a lot of colour coming through. "With our collection, we've looked at The Duke of Windsor for inspiration and have some absolutely beautiful 3-piece suits making an appearance." Having reintroduced the 3-piece last autumn, after an unpopular spell of over a decade, they "literally flew off the rails," and Henderson expects it to continue making a comeback. It is clear that the tailors on the Row are keeping up with the times, if not staying ahead, and delivering an exceptional service, without sacrificing variety, choice and quality. Despite being in modern times, it is the traditions that keep Savile Row a cut above the rest and what brings people back time and time again.