London tailor Alexandra Wood suggests you keep it simple when it comes to designing your wedding suit
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]lexandra Wood is a relative rarity in tailoring circles – a woman – but after working in female tailoring, she discovered her real interest was in the precision, and design possibilities, of the classic man’s suit. A trained tailor and pattern cutter herself, she presides over a Savile Row business where made-to-measure and bespoke garments are created for both everyday wear and special occasions.
Alexandra’s approach is to consider your skin tone, body shape and personality – aiming to design a suit that not only fits you perfectly but matches your style. For grooms, her key advice is to keep it simple. “I would always advise opting for something clean and classic, so the lapels shouldn’t be too skinny and the jacket not too short”. As Alexandra quite rightly points out, the suit you wear is not a fashion statement but something for the family album – nothing becomes ‘so last year’ quite as quickly as basing your decision on this year’s trends.
While strong blue suits were very popular for weddings last year, there is a strong return to subtle grey. Most of her clients are practical – wanting a suit to wear again – and this is always a key consideration. Alexandra says: “Once you have your framework, you still have scope to be more daring – for instance, eccentric waistcoat, bold lining, pocket watch, belt, braces, but with a suit that can be worn again”.
All her garments can be designed around the time of day, season or climate where you are getting married, with the right weight fabric considered at the outset. Alexandra says: “We use a wonderful selection of cloths, so even lightweight suits don’t crease these days.”
Alexandra advises all grooms to make their first appointment at least two months ahead of the wedding; shorter lead times may sometimes be accommodated but it is important to leave as long a lead time as possible. Visits are by appointment, and the initial consultation takes around an hour. Consecutive fittings last around 20 minutes each, with up to two for made-to-measure suits and up to five for bespoke.
