I’ve been a client of Steed’s for two years now, having ordered about a half dozen jackets and a couple of pairs of pants. At this point, I can’t imagine a better tailoring firm. You have to like their house style, of course. Soft, English tailoring with a bit of drape and a nipped waist. Edwin, the cutter behind the firm, recently told me he was struck by how closely his patterns resemble those made by Frederick Scholte (whose patterns were posted on StyleForum). Apparently, along with the signature drape cut, Steed also uses a taller crown on their sleeveheads, much like the original Dutch-English tailor.
There aren’t enough good things I can say about the company. Their make is excellent, with hand-constructed canvases and shoulder pads, neat finishing, and beautiful shaping. Their house style is distinctive, but classic, and their service is outstanding. So much so, in fact, that you might not realize it until you hear other people’s horror stories (it’s easy to miss good service when everything goes right). Yes, Steed skips to the forward fitting (more on that in another post), but that doesn’t mean much since Edwin is always glad to take things back for adjustments if you’re unhappy. That, to me, is the Gold Standard when it comes to bespoke, since you often don’t know how you feel about something until you’ve worn it for a while.
In any case, Edwin and his son Matthew were in town this week. I had lunch with them and one of Steed’s other customers (a well dressed software engineer from Apple, who showed up in a tan Fresco suit, white shirt, and red striped grenadine tie). Afterwards, I was fitted for a new Donegal sport coat and flipped through some books for faux tweeds. The Worsted Alsport and Glorious Twelfth bunches are good standbys, although there were also some notables from Hunt & Winterbotham’s Twister and Brook Taverner (the second feeling a bit like Moonbeam). I like the brown glen plaid designs, but wish the checks were a little bigger. Maybe time for a custom run?
Lastly, some news: Steed is thinking about adding Las Vegas to their US tour, so if you’re in the area and interested in becoming a client, you might want to drop them a note. Matthew is also working on a new line of golf trousers, which will be made from patterns cut by his father. Made with a higher rise and constructed from bold fabrics, these will look like the kind of trousers worn by golf legends such as Arnold Palmer. Useful if you want something that looks sharp both on and off the course. Again, you should reach out to them if you’re interested – Edwin and Matthew are exceptionally friendly people who are eager to share their craft.
