National Trust explores mid-20th century Savile Row tailoring in new exhibit

The National Trust has opened a unique fashion exhibition dedicated to menswear at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, exploring Savile Row flair of 1930s aristocrats.

The ‘Tailoring an Image’ exhibition runs until October 31 and showcases the sartorial flair of Lord Fairhaven, owner of Anglesey, including an unusual wine-coloured velvet smoking suit from H. Huntsman & Sons, Savile Row from 1962.

Lord Fairhaven was known as a stylish dresser, regularly featuring in society magazines in the 1930s, and when he left the property and its collections to the National Trust on his death in 1966, it included his wardrobe featuring morning, day and evening wear.

Roisin Semple, property curator at Anglesey Abbey, said in a statement: “Lord Fairhaven’s extensive wardrobe is a rare example of a 20th-century menswear collection that remains in the original setting of its owner’s home.

“Unlike most museum fashion collections – often dominated by women’s clothing and detached from their original context – this collection offers an opportunity to learn more about the garments and the man who wore them.”

Lord Fairhaven’s Savile Row wardrobe goes on display at Anglesey Abbey

The exhibition space has been transformed into a Saville Row workshop and features menswear items by H. Huntsman & Sons, which were specially made for Lord Fairhaven, alongside Bates Gentlemen’s Hatter and bespoke London shoemaker, Henry Maxwell, including a blue velvet smoking suit and colourful cropped riding breeches, from cherry-red to inky blue, made from soft sheepskin, goatskin or buckskin leather in the 1950s.

Semple added: “There are 16 pairs of different coloured cropped riding breeches, including a bright red pair, in the collection, and most were made in the 1950s. It is unclear where the idea came from, but the choice was presumably motivated by the durability, comfort and control they gave Fairhaven in the saddle. The length, colour and material make the style unique to him.”

National Trust has also commissioned a film as part of the exhibit delving deeper into the world of bespoke, which gives visitors an insight into the Huntsman workshop.

The display also features original ledgers showing some of Lord Fairhaven’s clothing orders, a saddle horse that customers would sit on to be measured for their riding clothes, and a sample book of fabric swatches.