The Prince of Wales: Visiting John Lobb and Gieves & Hawkes From “Best Foot Forwar

The Prince of Wales: Visiting John Lobb and Gieves & Hawkes From “Best Foot Forward as Prince of Wales Upholds Traditional Crafts"by Valentine Low in the Sunday Times 01/24/2009 Unusually, the Prince of Wales visited the Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes yesterday. When he has a suit made, tailors come to him. The three firms that Charles visited – the other two were Paxton & Whitfield and the shoemaker John Lobb – are Royal Warrant holders, and the aim was to highlight the support that he and the Duchess of Cornwall give to companies upholding traditional British crafts. At John Lobb, in St James’s Street, the Prince was shown the lasts – wooden rough models of foot shape and size – of customers including Queen Victoria, George V, the Queen and Prince Philip, not to mention those of Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra and, indeed, himself. The Duchess’s attention was caught by the lasts of another celebrity couple. “What are you doing, darling?” said the Prince, as he made to move on to the next display. “I’m just seeing that Jackie Kennedy’s feet are bigger than Mr Onassis’s,” she said, looking distinctly pleased. The shop has a book of the drawn outlines of the feet of celebrated customers. It included those of the Duke of Windsor (“rather bony feet”, read the notes), Laurence Olivier, Denis Compton, Bismarck and the double agent Guy Burgess. All must have had plenty of both time and money. To have a pair of bespoke shoes made takes six months for the first pair, and costs about £2,300 plus VAT. And yes, they have been affected by the recession. “We’ve had a bit of a tough period,” said William Lobb, a director and the fifth generation of his family to work there, “but it’s a case of battening down the hatches, and keep on going.” He added: “What’s very much appreciated is the way the Royal Family support all these craftsmen. It’s so important from a cultural and heritage point of view – it’s something very valuable.” Clarence House said that the Prince had had shoes made there in the past, and still sends shoes in for repair. For the visit, he wore a pair of black Oxfords made by Lobb 40 years ago – as the Prince said: “Quality will always count.” At Gieves & Hawkes the royal couple tried cutting out the parts of a suit from a bolt of cloth. The Prince was in a mid-blue wool suit with turn-ups: very smart, but not Gieves & Hawkes. He has his naval uniforms made there, he has his military alterations done there, and his sons are customers, but his suits are from elsewhere. “It is a classic double-breasted English-style cut,” Andrew Goldberg, general manager of tailoring, observed. “He always dresses very well. He portrays the English cut beautifully.” Could he tell who had made the Prince’s suit? “Yes.” Would he say? “No.” (1, 2) Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images -- source link

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