Kilgour - have they gone downmarket?

prospero1b

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Discussion starter · #1 · Jan 13, 2018

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I have long been an admirer of the Savile Row house, Kilgour, not least because it was reputedly (though debatably) the maker of the finest suit in movie history: Cary Grant's in North by Northwest (see avatar).

However, I have noticed that a number of their goods are now being sold at well below original asking price by Malford of London, as indeed, are products of Hardy Amies. Both Kilgour and Amies are now part of the same Chinese-owned group. Some of the goods on offer by Malford, I suspect, would have been viewed with some sniffiness by Mr Grant.

Any opinions or information welcome.

 

J

JBierly

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#2 · Jan 13, 2018 (Edited)

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I visited them a bit over a year ago on the row. Certainly they changed their marketing strategy a few years ago with a very interesting showroom (very modern) and more fashion pieces. I own one of those pieces - it is a one (hidden) button, no pockets black jacket that actually looks nice with a mock turtleneck and grey trousers. Not suitable for this forum - I kind of look like I should be a curator at the MOMA when I wear it but it does get lots of compliments. They still do some classic pieces and have a bespoke program.

 

J

JBierly

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#3 · Jan 13, 2018

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This is an example of some of their fashion pieces. This one is a bit too short in the body for my tastes but I think you can gather what they generally are trying to create - a very clean look with besom pockets and no demonstrable buttons. Like I said - NSFTF.

 

16412

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#4 · Jan 13, 2018

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That is a problem with new owners. Why are they buying? Try to take a company's good name to make money but change the product. The old bespoke is such a unique product why ruin a good name for something less? Some of these bespoke houses have tried adding other products, while keeping the old bespoke, which is fine, as long as the customers know it. If they are still making the old bespoke products, fine. If they are using the new word bespoke and trying to pass off the new as the old I'd walk out the door unless I want the new.

It seems that SR firms are very inflexible. Then to bring in new customers they fell off the wagon. So from one extreme to including the opposite. Like semi bespoke made in China. There are many ways to make bespoke from expensive to cheap. And not such a narrow range of garments. Believe I read Poole had three different locations. SR for the wealthy. Another location for those with less money. The last was for youth and their high fashions. Seeing high fashions properly made is extremely rare nowadays. They can still do these kinds of work, instead of jumping ship as some have done.