Savile Row TailorAlexandra Wood

Interviewd by Vincent Abrams

When did you frst realize you wanted to be a tailor?

I tend to class myself as a Designer and Visionary over being a Tailor specifcally. Style, cut and fabrics have always been my obsession. My Father used to say: ‘’Alexandra, it’s not a Fashion show’’ to which of course I would dispute. When I was younger I would shop my Father and advise him on what looked best. I like to have an overall understanding with everything I do.

What I do is rounded, I can pattern cut, design and make clothing. I also understand colours and fabrics and how they perform. Some of it instinctive, some trained.

In answer to your question when I was 14 I decided that one day I would start my own business in Fashion and it just so happened that I fell in love with Tailoring; the precision, the detail and the history that surrounds it and most of all how it can truly transform a man’s image and ultimately his success..

Does being known as the frst female tailor on Savile Row has its benefts? And do you feel responsible as an example for young women who might want to take up the profession.

It certainly interests people. Like most professions, you remain unknown for an incredibly long time, it takes perseverance and resilience to become well known.

My customers like the eye I have with being a female and are very open about that. There’s a high level of trust there. My clothing does have a feminine touch, with elements of cut and colour that aren’t always the norm and I would say those were the main benefts.

Being a female with no clients whatsoever when I started 13 years ago wasn’t particularly welcomed and I was told directly to my face that I would never make it and that suppliers wouldn’t touch me if I had no database.

I took it as a compliment, I love a challenge, so I have them to thank for never taking no for an answer.

I welcome and encourage women to enter the industry, I think we offer a different edge that is part of the future of Savile Row. I’d happily offer guidance should anyone need it. I love business as a whole and if someone’s passionate and has a talent, I think that’s fantastic. I hope I’m setting an example. I like to do business with integrity, kindness and passion.

How do you think you would have felt growing up if you had other women who had come before you?

It’s a strange thing, as I never saw myself as a woman going into a ‘man’s industry’. I just saw it as something I loved. I’ve never been mindful of any barriers in my way. I just always knew what I wanted to do and would just get on with it. It was only when I had an older customer in the early days who said – ‘’Oh, you’re a woman!’’ and before I said anything, he’d already told himself off. Rather than be irritated by it, I choose to be amused by it.

Did you have any tailoring role models growing up or even now? Be they individuals or businesses.

I had a bizarre obsession of endlessly looking through books about the fashion and style of the Royal family. My grandparents had left my parents many books on the way the royals dressed and I was completely absorbed.

I’ve always loved the fact that clothing can transport you into another world, it makes you feel things and it’s clever how clothing can do that. I’ve always seen that.

I admire Ralph Lauren for the incredible empire he’s built. He always says that he’s not a Designer, he just creates, he knows how to place things together so that they just work and I completely relate to that. You really do just have it, or you just don’t.

I admire Edward Sexton when it comes to Tailoring. He bought that cool, sexy edge to tailoring. He’s certainly more ‘far out’ than me but I like that he clearly stands from that and isn’t afraid to shy away from it.

Describe a typical, but busy day at Alexandra Wood.

I love making the most out of my days and have to keep them varied to keep myself energised. I start the day off with breakfast with my three children, then it’s the school run and at 9am my work day begins. I try and do a lot of exercise to keep my mind sharp so tend to start most days with some sort of activity whether it be running or Pilates.

I have a default diary, so I’m always goal focussed each day, one day may be designing new collections, the other may be looking at how we can make our processes sharper. At the end of the day, my focus is always on ‘how can we make this really fun, engaging and appealing to our customer.

As a business owner your day never really starts or ends, it’s what I think about most of the time. I’m not sure if it’s normal but I absolutely love it!

What two or three books would you say have had the biggest impact on who you are today, if not books, people?

I have to admit that I’ve ready hundreds of business books but fnd a lot of them are click bait and really don’t offer the depths I was hoping for. The e-myth I think is a really great book to understand how streamlining processes can make your business more effective. I wrote my entire company manual on a holiday in Greece after reading it. A book should inspire you to take action.

I’m actually yet to fnd a book that really guides someone in the fashion industry to reach their dreams with practical, goal driven moves. Maybe, I’ll just write it but I have another one to complete frst…

My business coach John has been phenomenal, he knows my strengths and weaknesses and has guided me through to reach higher successes.

What aspirations do you have for the Alexandra Wood brand? For example, would you like to have international offces in New York?

I’m currently designing limited edition ranges that are in keeping with the bespoke ethos of what we stand for. I don’t want to mass produce clothing and short change the customer by not giving them what they’re paying for – it’s insulting. I want our customers to feel special and valued and we’ve got some really great pieces coming out this Autumn. My business has always been orientated towards the made to measure and bespoke tailoring but I am starting to expand our ready to wear collections online now that we have tested and proved that people really enjoy wearing our designs and that they ft and are fattering.

I’m obsessed with New York, I think it’s such a vibrant and incredibly exciting City. I feel my brand would ft so well there. We have a great following of US customers who not only love the Savile Row/British element but also that I’m a woman who’s offering something a little more exciting. I’m not afraid to say that I have successes in making men look sexy. I have a real hunch that we will open some kind of experimental, tailoring store there one day.

You have some well - known clients such as Chuka Umunna and Tony Parsons, who would be your dream client?

Harrison Ford. He’s great looking, has a charismatic charm and style about him and most colours and styles would look fantastic on him. He’s timeless and I like that.

If you could have a permanent brand ambassador for the Alexandra Wood brand, who would he be and why?

Alexander Armstrong would be a great ft. My brand is very British; stylish and fun with a serious eye for detail. He’s multi-talented, slightly quirky with a kind personality. I think he would work really well.

How would you describe the state of the industry and what do you see the future being?

It’s always evolving and that’s to some people’s dislikes and to some – it’s welcomed. I’m with the latter, things must evolve, it keeps things exciting. I see the industry being much more inviting. My aim is to make Savile Row less stuffy. It’s still very much a ‘man’s world’ it needs more sass and I’m happy to contribute. I think there will be (and should be) a balance of e-commerce, events and education in order to make it more experiential.

Seasonal collections should be banished. It’s never made sense to me, we have all seasons available at all times. People are shopping around the world, so where its Winter somewhere, it’s summer elsewhere and just causes frustrations plus is incredibly bad for the planet. I do believe colour and men being more experimental has come a long way but still more work is needed. I believe customer feedback is crucial, not for a company to be led by its own ego.

How important is it to be linked to Savile Row?

It defnitely adds clout to what I do. If you say you’re associated with Savile Row you’re respected far more than if you said you operated elsewhere which we do also, (Bishop’s Stortford) but that makes it alluring too so its benefcial for sure.

Describe your natural customer. My typical customer is over 40, successful and has come to the point in his life where he wants to invest in himself. It’s that turning point in life when the kids have grown up, they’re getting older and want to spend some time thinking about the clothes they wear. I’m pleased this is my market, it has been from the beginning really.

It means a lot to me to transform someone’s image where they feel proud when they’re going to important events or to a meeting. Age comes with a certain right of passage. To invest in looking and feeling great. My customers are also very nice people. I care about them and they care about me, my family and my business. It’s a two way street and they also have a wicked sense of humour. This delights me as I’m well known for not being too serious and always being up for a laugh to lighten the mood, it helps customers feel relaxed. I fnd my customers come to me not only for my designs but because it’s relaxed and welcoming. A customer actually googled ‘non stuffy Savile Row tailoring’ and I came up!

In what ways does politics affect your business?

Dressing politicians in one party to another I’m happy to say doesn’t affect my business. I design all of Chuka Umunna’s suits who as everyone I’m sure knows was a Labour MP, who then moved to create his own party then into The Liberal Democrats before ultimately leaving to take another path. I have also dressed Tori constituents but who are less well known.

If my customers only chose me by what could seemingly be my take on politics, my business life would be tricky. Thankfully, what they see is a well-dressed politician where they aren’t the go to people for style inspiration and are not seen to be particularly ‘cool’. A lot of customers then think – if she can make a politician look that good then I’m in! Everyone wants me to desperately dress Boris, but I’d much rather make a suit for Rishi Sunak and that’s as far as my view on politics will go.

As a tailor, I would be interested to know who your favourite clothing designer is and why?

My favourite designer is Ralph Lauren. His ability to create an entire way of life that is aspirational. I do feel it’s gone a bit downhill with its certain off spins. A brand can be stretched too far and it then loses meaning.

However, the core of what he does is defnitely alluring. I also loved Christian Dior, the cut of their clothing is incredible and the way their clothes transform the body is inspiring.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in London?

La Gavroche for the décor, the food and the relaxed atmosphere. I’ve been lucky enough to have lunch there when Michel Roux Jr was in the kitchen. He came out and told my mother off for not having her raspberry chocolate mousse at the same time as her red wine. Clos Marjorie is a close runner up, its breathtakingly pretty, relaxed with fantastic food and service.