Savile Row Sophisticates Meet an Edgy Design Duo

From his london studio, designer Justin Thornton of Preen shares on the label’s new collaboration with legendary Savile Row bespoke house, Gieves & Hawkes: “We approached them, as we were very interested in working with such craftsmanship for the ideas of Preen’s tailoring in our Fall/Winter 2010 collection.” The collaboration with Preen marks Gieves & Hawkes’ first time ever working with a women’s wear label to construct tailored pieces. 

Thornton launched Preen in 1996 with partner Thea Bregazzi, whom he met when they were both just 18, each designing at Helen Storey. With their keen sense of London street fashion, Thornton and Bregazzi injected classic, clean lines and relaxed, fluid shapes into their love of Sun King-era adornment and ‘70s punk to create a distinctly British brand. They sold their first small collection from their tiny atelier off Portobello Road.

For Spring 2007, Thornton and Bregazzi brought Preen to New York Fashion Week, and in the process, expanded the collection’s international reach: Preen now sells in over 25 countries and to 120 specialty boutiques. In 2008, they added Preen Line for younger customers which maintains the rebellious essence of the principle collection.  

The other half of the collaboration: founded separately in 1771 and 1852 and merged in 1974, Gieves & Hawkes has for centuries been purveyors of clothing to the British Army and the Royal Navy, as well as to the Royal Family. As one of the oldest fashion companies in the world with continued operations, Gieves & Hawkes specializes in handcrafted tailoring, first in military uniforms, then, over the years, in civilian clothing. A bespoke suit usually starts with an appointment with the master cutter, followed by a meeting with tailors and finishers, and then, after several fittings, ends with a unique and perfectly fitted suit. 

This fall, the Preen and Gieves & Hawkes union came to fruition. Inspired by the floral 1983 album cover of Power, Corruption & Lies from post-punk band, New Order, the Fall 2010 collection sprinkled femininity into pieces-—a strapless floral dress with organza overlay, for example—alongside the surprise of the show: mannish, tailored trouser suits and jackets celebrating the unique collaboration. 

An encounter between the old and the new is how fashion moves forward. Here, at this intersection, the two young designers from the Isle of Man learn traditional craftsmanship and integrate these skills into their collections. “We worked directly with their blocks and fabrics and added our own spin—narrow sleeves, flashes of yellow, soft wrapping, high waisted trousers, deep pleats,” Bregazzi says, explaining the long black rounded jacket or the shorter-sleeved double-breasted wrap jacket that resulted from the collaboration.  

Asked if they would consider designing a capsule women’s collection for Gieves & Hawkes, both reply enthusiastically, but have “no particular plans at the moment.” At least they have learned to understand and appreciate the nuts and bolts of tailoring, adding, “We are still very interested in tailoring. All experiences make you more rounded as a designer.” Above all, Thornton and Bregazzi are transmitting this traditional craftsmanship to a new generation of consumers, thus allowing tradition to survive, and hopefully, thrive.