Carlo Brandelli leaves Kilgour

[TRINI]

Good riddance or big mistake?

Brandelli leaving Kilgour

WWD reports that Carlo Brandelli is stepping down as creative director at Kilgour. Rumors had been swirling for months that the designer wasn't happy. According to today's article, he clashed with the label's Dubai-based owners over their desire to focus on bespoke tailoring over Kilgour's ready-to-wear line, which Brandelli had lately transformed into one of the world's most sought-after.

 

[jon5986]

I had heard he was fired along with several other Kilgour workers.

 

[LONDON SHIRTMAKER]

for me the biggest loss to kilgours is the retirement of mick in the shirt dept, he has run the dept for as long as I can remember

 

[andreyb2]

Originally Posted by LONDON SHIRTMAKER

for me the biggest loss to kilgours is the retirement of mick in the shirt dept, he has run the dept for as long as I can remember
Do you mean their "Washington Tremlett" operation?

Do they still continue to offer bespoke shirts?

Andrey

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

It is definitely interesting news - and the owners' desire to focus on bespoke is an interesting reflection on how the Kilgour business model has worked. Normally, one would expect RTW to subsidise bespoke (which is a smaller volume / higher value business - best not constrained by big overheads and marketing budgets), and to act as a recruiting vehicle for bespoke (getting the brand and the house style seen and talked about). I believe that this was the intention when Kilgour moved into RTW, hired Brandelli, and refurbished 8 Savile Row.

Clearly, however, this has not worked. Their price positioning on RTW was always challenging (and has gotten ever more so recently) - and the devaluation of the GBP will not have helped their margins, given that they source from the Far East. The opening of 5 Savile Row (to sell the 'deconstructed' design line) was very badly timed, and will have landed Kilgour with another big fixed cost (without a particularly robust revenue stream - based on how empty that shop is).

I personally think it a shame - Brandelli did a lot to raise the profile of the Row, and of Kilgour in particular, and some of the moves (the RTW collection in the early days of pricing; the entry-level bespoke) were good initiatives to attract more people to SR bespoke. In the short-term, however, a retrenchment probably makes sense - and that clearly didn't fit with Brandelli's vision for Kilgour.

My main sympathies, however, are for the employees affected - especially those lured from the bespoke side to the 'design' side. I have an appointment there in the next few days and will see how the mood is

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Finally stopped by at Kilgour today to pick up a suit. My cutter's take on the situation is that whilst there has been a drop in UK-based orders, the drop in sterling has helped a lot - and overall they are doing pretty much the same number of suits (bespoke, no idea about RTW) as last year. A lot of uncertainty, however, as to how long this will keep up.

I suppose there is a risk that the boost in overseas orders will lessen as people become accustomed to the new FX rate, and see it less as an opportunity for bargains

No mention of Brandelli - take it he never had much to do with the bespoke operation anyway

 

[JibranK]

Originally Posted by triniboy27

Good riddance or big mistake?

Brandelli leaving Kilgour

WWD reports that Carlo Brandelli is stepping down as creative director at Kilgour. Rumors had been swirling for months that the designer wasn't happy. According to today's article, he clashed with the label's Dubai-based owners over their desire to focus on bespoke tailoring over Kilgour's ready-to-wear line, which Brandelli had lately transformed into one of the world's most sought-after.
I'm very happy to see that the owners want to focus on bespoke. This bodes well.

 

[yfyf]

"focus on bespoke" should not involve getting rid of so many staff, especially in bespoke-related areas.

Don't forget, bespoke also refers to that dubious "international bespoke" they offer.

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Originally Posted by yfyf

"focus on bespoke" should not involve getting rid of so many staff, especially in bespoke-related areas.

Don't forget, bespoke also refers to that dubious "international bespoke" they offer.

Would be interested in why you deem 'international bespoke' dubious. Have you ever tried 'international bespoke'? Have you ever seen it? It does exactly what it says on the label - a truly bespoke suit, with a unique pattern, and cut on SR by a SR cutter, but sewn overseas.

As I posted in a separate thread, I have had good experiences with this offering and it offers (or at least offered, I believe there have been price increases) pretty good value, especially after the first suit.

 

[AndrewRogers]

Originally Posted by R.O. Thornhill

Would be interested in why you deem 'international bespoke' dubious. Have you ever tried 'international bespoke'? Have you ever seen it? It does exactly what it says on the label - a truly bespoke suit, with a unique pattern, and cut on SR by a SR cutter, but sewn overseas.

As I posted in a separate thread, I have had good experiences with this offering and it offers (or at least offered, I believe there have been price increases) pretty good value, especially after the first suit.

Are things like buttonholes hand-sewn still? It would be a real bummer if they were done by machine.

 

[yfyf]

Originally Posted by R.O. Thornhill

Would be interested in why you deem 'international bespoke' dubious. Have you ever tried 'international bespoke'? Have you ever seen it? It does exactly what it says on the label - a truly bespoke suit, with a unique pattern, and cut on SR by a SR cutter, but sewn overseas. As I posted in a separate thread, I have had good experiences with this offering and it offers (or at least offered, I believe there have been price increases) pretty good value, especially after the first suit.
I say that because I have heard of the group that does it in Shanghai and it is not a particularly outstanding maker. If you were to compare it to a Shanghai-based tailor, then it might not be such good value. However compared to the standard Kilgour bespoke it may be. Secondly, I heard from my friend who was considering them that they *only* allow one fitting now. At the cost of about 1500 for *labour only* with cloth added on top. I seem to remember when Kilgour's international bespoke first started it was a lot, lot less. How did your experience turn out, when did you do it and how much did it cost you?

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Can't compare with Shanghai tailors - have no experience with them - and am sure that there are better value options out there, but at least when I used them the value was good

My first suit cost me c. £1,800 incl. VAT, with a basted fitting and a second fitting. This was with Ritchie Charlton. I was, and am, very pleased with this suit - in fact I am wearing it today. The level of finish / handwork is not particularly high when compared with some of high-end Italian RTW manufacturers, but the fit is excellent, and I love the silhouette

The subsequent garments I have had made using this service (had some made last year) were £1,500 incl. VAT (and incl. fabric) for a suit and £1,000 for a jacket. These were done with only a single fitting, yet delivered excellent fit and shape. They have been very accommodating about making minor alterations subsequently, and the customer service generally has been excellent

I am not sure I will use this service again - especially if the prices have gone up - but at the price I paid I think it a very good offering, and a great introduction to bespoke

 

[yfyf]

It sounds like you got in at the right time. What really irked me was their "one fitting only" policy. I don't know how strictly they enforce that though. For a difficult-to-fit person, that can be quite the dealbreaker.

Did you ever post on WAYWT?

 

[joshman]

Somewhere I heard Kilgour bespoke now is dearer than Huntsman. £4500. Can someone confirm?

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Originally Posted by joshman

Somewhere I heard Kilgour bespoke now is dearer than Huntsman. £4500. Can someone confirm?

As far as I am aware it still comes in under £4,000 (incl. VAT)

It sounds like you got in at the right time. What really irked me was their "one fitting only" policy. I don't know how strictly they enforce that though. For a difficult-to-fit person, that can be quite the dealbreaker.

Did you ever post on WAYWT?

It does sound like it... Sorry, have never posted on WAYWT, may do one of these days, but my wife would probably think I've finally lost it if I ask her to take pictures of me to post on the internet. Part of me thinks she'd be right