Suits and Sheep in Savile Row

In the bustling West End of London lies Savile Row. A street steeped in tailoring tradition. A place where, even in the modern day, there is only one woman trainee tailer. Where there was outcry when Abercrombie & Fitch announced they were moving in (a fact I was most grateful for…they put topless male models in the door you know!). Where most people cannot afford a have a custom stitch put in, let alone buy an entire suit. However, amongst the bespoke tailoring, the fruity voices of the rich, and the mirage of labels, for today only there were sheep…and lots of the them!

To celebrate the British wool industry, Monday 11th October was Savile Row Field Day. Turf lay where tarmac normally smoldered. A rustic wooden hut was host to fabrics, and wools, and beautiful yarns. A flock of studly looking Exmoor Horns trotted up and down, their coats clipped suitable for such a tailored row. Meanwhile, a gathering of shaggy Bowmonts bleated and surprised the unsuspecting street resident.

It was a great, unusual, and inspiring way to showcase British wool and the fact that it can actually be made into some of the best, and most high quality garments available. And with tourists, employees, and nosy neighbours enjoying the scene, I hope that it makes a reappearance next year to inspire the purchase of home grown products which ultimately provide a better, and more ecologically friendly product that those shipped in from across the world.