D’office Threads brings you
an insight into Tailoring
2. In your opinion what do you think makes a
good tailor better for a customer than buying
clothes made to measure?
A good tailor will first of all listen to his client,
understanding exactly what the purpose of the
n interview with Ray Peck. Pin &
suit is. This will ensure that the correct weight
Stripes Director. (Ray began his career over 30 years ago at Hepworth’s and type of fabric is chosen that will perform
Tailoring, and was introduced to
well in the environment that it is to be used,
measuring and fitting before he was for example someone who is travelling around
given formal training to learn the processes that the country, in and out of hotels and is going to
wear the suit a lot needs a mid weight worsted
go into making a suit. Following that he joined
not a lightweight super 140 which will crease a
Burberry as Visiting Tailor to clients in their
lot and will lose shape if worn day after day.
homes and offices, and then moved to Austin
Secondly a good tailor will take note of the
Reed, where he worked for the next 15 years.)
client’s frame and shape, a round larger frame
person may suit a pin stripe in a single breasted
How did you get into tailoring?
to slim and add height to his appearance.
I left school in 1979 with a handful of CSE’s
Finally he will be able to identify any figurations
and a couple of O levels and had no idea what
such as a drop shoulder or round back and enI wanted to do. I always admired my dad who
sure the pattern is cut to allow for these before
despite working in a factory, always wore a suit,
shirt and tie when not at work, even to the local the suitors made, giving the client the best
possible fit.
shops. My mother wanted me to either stay on
at school or go to college but I wanted to work
and earn some money so I took myself off to the How long have you been a Director for Pins
& Stripes?
job centre and saw an ad for a junior sales asI am their Director of Tailoring and have worked
sistant at Hepworths Tailoring which was a high
street tailors similar to Burton. I applied and got for them since July. I chose them as they are
the job. I used to watch the Manager measuring innovative and have a passion for customer sercustomers and advising them on styles and fab- vice and tailoring with a goal of dressing people
in their perfect attire.
rics and kept badgering him to allow me to do
the same. After several months he sent me on a
What is the biggest challenge you face in the
measuring course where I learnt how a pattern
ever changing fashion market?
was cut from a set of measurements and made
The biggest challenge is from cheap competito the customers measures and to his chosen
tors who are offering an inferior service. This is
design. I went back to the store and began my
very damaging to the reputation of our industry.
career in tailoring.
A
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