Written by Menswear Style in New Collections on the 26th March 2018

Savile Row Tailor, Alexandra Wood and one of Britain’s most highly regarded male style bloggers, David Evans of Grey Fox Blog, will launch a special summer collection in May that cleverly offers gentlemen the ability to customise ready-to-wear items, and embraces the trend of mixing sharp tailoring with soft casualwear. Alexandra and David spoke on a number of occasions over two years before finally coming together in 2017 to design a made-to-measure navy, corduroy suit. This sparked Alexandra’s imagination so she asked David if he would like to contribute to her new summer collection – he was only too happy to say yes.

“I was delighted to be able to work with Alexandra on this collection. Over six years as a blogger I’ve learned much about what it takes to help men look their best and it’s a privilege to be able to blend these creative instincts with Alexandra’s skills as a tailor. I wanted to include items that could be worn alone or with others in the collection and which offered classic shapes and colours for work and formal but allowed a more individual style when needed for casual and holiday wear,” David explained.

Consumers are demanding more choice and more freedom to select their own lining, their own button colour and even their own construction, so Alexandra and David have designed a collection that merges ready to wear with made to measure; bringing the gap closer than ever before. “The concept of slow fashion is being adopted more than ever before, and men are willing to take the time to make their wardrobe perfect. Our new collection offers a unique ready to wear buying experience: customers choose a ready to wear item that they love, but have a consultation where they spend time making it their own by choosing details, just as they would as for a made to measure suit,” Alex said.

The collection also reflects the need for customers to have more diverse and flexible wardrobes, so Alex and David have designed a range of smart suits, smart and casual sports jackets, smart and casual trousers, and a mix of shirts that add colour and contrast to all of the pieces created. “There is a new wave of ‘blended dressing’ which combines smart and casual wear. Men are allowed to be far more relaxed in the workplace now so there’s a real need to be able to mix and match items and to wear clothing that’s a lot more comfortable without being sloppy,” David said.

The summer 2018 collection also includes a lightweight travel suit. “With our customer's jet-setting lifestyles the last thing they want to do is to think about pressing their suit when they get to the hotel. We have created a super lightweight 7.5oz travel suit that can simply be folded, or worn, and won’t crease by the time you’ve reached the other end. As you’d expect with any of our suits, the fabric is smart, durable and high quality; but the construction is super light and comfortable,” Alex explained. The collection will have a price option to buy ready to wear and to upgrade to made to measure. Alexandra began as a Savile row men’s tailor in 2007 and has created suits for some of Britain’s best-dressed men including GQ columnist and author Tony Parsons, Comedian Rory Bremner, Wimbledon tennis player Marcus Willis and MP Chuka Umunna. She now has stores in three locations – Savile Row, Bishop’s Stortford and Shoreditch – where she offers bespoke tailoring, made to measure suits and limited edition ready to wear items.

Where Ready to Wear meets Made to Measure, Alexandra Wood Collaborates With David Evans of Grey Fox Blog for new collection.