Holdfast
Stylish Dinosaur
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2006
- Messages
- 10,559
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- 6,354
Thanks for the explanation. That's *****ng ridiculous. Savile Row used to be defined as an area between various streets in Mayfair, not just the street itself. I don't think the association's literalism does anyone any favors.
Judging by some of the comments on the programme comparing Savile Row Bespoke Association to Champagne and similar AOCs, I can only presume they believe the sewers under the street somehow provides their cloth with a unique terroir that disappears outside a 100 yard perimeter.
It WAS ridiculous.
The core concept of such an association is surely to enhance the branding and image of the Row in the eyes of the public, through supporting top quality tailoring standards, to garner new customers. That people meeting those high standards should be excluded simply because they were a few yards, or even a mile or so, outside a line is ridiculous and defeats the purpose. Do they think that by excluding, say, Edward Sexton from the association that they increasing the odds of the association succeeding or that they are going to damage his business, to their benefit? Highly unlikely, I would say. So include him, be proud of him (and Ravi and others falling into their gap) and use them to enhance your branding.
The truth is that some of them appear to be treating the Savile Row Bespoke association as a gentleman's club rather than a business opportunity. They're entitled to do so, but it misses the point of setting up the association in the first place.
Most comically, they didn't even seem to know their own rules, quoting a 50 and then a 100 yard perimeter at different times...