Ozwald Boateng's new television show

[j]

Originally Posted by korinkahn

my point is Oswald has no business exploiting/prostituting the name of Savile Row- he is disgusting
By that logic G&H should be burned to the ground for their diffusion RTW "Bespoke" line.

 

[tiger02]

Originally Posted by korinkahn

my point is Oswald has no business exploiting/prostituting the name of Savile Row- he is disgusting
If by "exploiting/prostituting" you mean upholding top-notch tailoring traditions from a cornerstone location on the Row and exposing the goods to vast new audiences thereby opening up the possibility of tailoring remaining relevant beyond the next 40 years, then you might be on to something.

 

[korinkahn]

Originally Posted by j

By that logic G&H should be burned to the ground for their diffusion RTW "Bespoke" line.

G&H are not at fault, because of Oswald other true bespoke establishments have been forced to produce lower quality products which will ultimately devalue and eroded the name of Savile Row. Yes, Oswald is bringing more people to the Row but at a terrible price-Savile Row will end up like some outdoor mall devested of its history and nothing but a shell. Abercom&F, Oswald they need to think about more then themselves and have some respect.

 

[whoopee]

Are they really top-notch tailoring traditions? Is he really a tailor? I've asked this question a couple times and no one seems to have a definitive answer.

 

[tiger02]

Originally Posted by whoopee

Are they really top-notch tailoring traditions? Is he really a tailor? I've asked this question a couple times and no one seems to have a definitive answer.
According to his website, "made entirely by hand, the Bespoke suits adhere to the age old disciplines and etiquettes of Savile Row tailoring." The recent Independent article is now a pay-per, but I seem to remember other tailors complimenting his quality, if not his style.

 

[rdawson808]

Originally Posted by korinkahn

Abercom&F, Oswald they need to think about more then themselves and have some respect.


No they don't. They owe it to themselves (in OB's case) and their stock-holders (in AF's case) to make a big old profit. They are in the business of selling clothes. If AF thinks they can do it from a Saville Row address so be it. If OB thinks he can do it by competing against the traditional SR tailors at their own game, and he can make himself happy at the same time, then so be it.

Besides, must one have apprenticed on Saville Row to then call themselves a Saville Row tailor?

bob

 

[koobalicious]

looks like many differences of opinion on Boateng...i think this may be precisely why the show will be so interesting - not only will we get a glimpse into how he runs his operation (i love those behind-the-scenes type of shows), it's all about fashion!!

i checked out the show's website - http://www.sundancechannel.com/boateng - and it looks very promosing (further debate re: defn of tailor can be had based on his bio on the site haha...). besides, it's the sundance channel and they put on some awesome original programming.

 

[The False Prophet]

Oswald doesn't make anything that I'm especially keen to wear, but I recognise that a lot of what he's doing genuinely adheres to proper tailoring tradition. Apparently, so do many others on the Row.

Furthermore, he is helping the Row by interesting a perhaps new clientele in properly made clothes, and who's to say that some of them won't start having suits made elsewhere as well? For me, looking at the way suits were shown by designers (mostly Hedi Slimane before his tragic Doherty-obsessed phase, and Tom Ford), that made me think more critically about suits.

My thought process went "wow, that model looks snappy in a trim suit with a low button stance and flat front trousers, but I don't think I'd want the lapels that thin." Hopefully others will look at Boateng and think "wow, this is a really nicely stiched suit, now, if it were grey instead of orange..."

As for OB marking the death of traditional tailoring? If Tommy Nutter didn't, I'm sure he won't...

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by korinkahn

G&H are not at fault, because of Oswald other true bespoke establishments have been forced to produce lower quality products which will ultimately devalue and eroded the name of Savile Row. Yes, Oswald is bringing more people to the Row but at a terrible price-Savile Row will end up like some outdoor mall devested of its history and nothing but a shell. Abercom&F, Oswald they need to think about more then themselves and have some respect.
Gieves & Hawkes and Kilgour were licensing naffer versions of themselves before Boateng could spell the word "tailor". I don't like Boateng's style but he's not a stupid man and he wants to keep alive the street and traditions of which his work is a variant or a pastiche. I believe he actually does employ bespoke tailors; certain other new tailors subcontract to exisiting houses. Boateng has been able to license his name up and down the market. That's as may be. He and RJ and Spencer Hart are not the problem. Rather, it's the traditional retail, driven by heavy marketing budgets and cheap quality, which risks to flood the Row.

 

[luk-cha]

well said RJman! these new boy's might be the old boy in 50 -100 years time i am sure the so called old boys where also new boys got the same flack too so it is all about the consumer "horses for courses" as they say!

 

[mack11211]

Let SR keep evolving.

Just watched the show trailer on the web. I like his suit on him, even if a tangerine 2B is not the dream suit for me.

Two points all critics must make, on pain of banishment from the Kritiks' Klub:

1. We live in a fallen world.

2. Kids these days!


No other points need be made.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by Kamala

In my opinion, Boateng is a revolutionary who will be thought of as a genius in the future.

Hardly a genius. I've been to his shop a few times and have never seen anything that even approaches "revolutionary" design. That said, I think he has a positive effect on SR, when compared to the likes of A&F.

 

[koobalicious]

Originally Posted by mack11211

Just watched the show trailer on the web. I like his suit on him, even if a tangerine 2B is not the dream suit for me.

must agree the tangerine does look on Boateng. very few people could pull that off...

briefly OT: what's the deal with the new office block planned for SR i keep hearing about? apparently Boateng is quite opposed to this idea. sorry - this side of the water doesn't get the news as quickly.

 

[Lino]

Originally Posted by korinkahn

G&H are not at fault, because of Oswald other true bespoke establishments have been forced to produce lower quality products which will ultimately devalue and eroded the name of Savile Row. Yes, Oswald is bringing more people to the Row but at a terrible price-Savile Row will end up like some outdoor mall devested of its history and nothing but a shell. Abercom&F, Oswald they need to think about more then themselves and have some respect.


What will kill the Row is rent"”the cost of rent.

The irony is that the traditional companies on the Row which cater to well off can not afford the new higher rents, but the chains and brands that make lesser clothing for the masses can.

In the end, the traditional Row inhabitance will move, evolve or die. Which may be a good thing as it would get rid of the middle man and people can deal directly with the cutter rather than the house.

 

[koobalicious]

yeah the rent issue will be something that's going to be on the table no matter where Boateng goes - especially if he's lookin at NYC or LA. it looked like from what's coming up in the next episode that he is scouting for location in NYC but has a hard time - budget wise, space wise. looking for an affordable apartment to live was hard enough for me so i'd be interested to see how the commercial real estate works out for Boateng...