Savile Row tailor Kilgour closes showroom following COVID-19 outbreak

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 9, 2020

Bespoke brand Kilgour has closed its Savile Row flagship store, citing tough trading conditions and supply chain disruption as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Established in 1882 as T&F French, the brand has undergone several name changes over the years. In 1937 the name changed to French, Kilgour and Standbury.

The latest rebrand came in 2003, courtesy of ex-creative director Carlo Brandelli, who won Menswear Designer of the Year in 2005. Brandelli left the brand in 2008 following a row with the brand’s new owners, and after Kilgour changed hands again in 2013, he returned as freelance creative director until 2017.

The brand remains an esteemed tailor on London’s Savile Row, which is known worldwide for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men.

In a statement posted on its website, the brand explained that the showroom closure responds to “challenging trading conditions in the bespoke clothing market and supply chain issues affecting the delivery of garments”.

These issues seem unlikely to be resolved in the short to medium term, the brand continued.

“Kilgour will continue to operate and will contact customers to make arrangements to fit and deliver clothing in hand and to take orders for new garments. The Spring and Summer 2020 trunk shows to China and Japan have been postponed and will be rescheduled later in the year once travel restrictions to the region are lifted.”

In an Instagram post, the brand added that the closure was a necessary decision for the long-term health of the business.