Crafting Perfection Since 1988
— The Story of Basic Tailor
Merging Savile Row structural precision with tactile artisanal hand-finishing. We
build architectural garments engineered for the human form, cut individually
without digital shortcuts.
35+ Years
Unbroken Mayfair Heritage
15,000+
Suits Drafted by Hand
100%
Individual Fit Guarantee
CHAPTER I
A Fierce Rejection of the Factory Block
Industrialized ready-to-wear forces unique bodies into rigid
standard grading blocks. In 1988, Basic Tailor was
conceived as a sanctuary for purist drafting: every client
starts with a clean, heavy brown pattern roll, shaped by
hand using horn chalk and vintage shears.
We reject synthetic fusibles and glue laminates. Our
garments are anchored exclusively by floating natural
horsehair chest canvases that mold to body heat over
decades, breathing with your posture rather than binding it.
32
Anatomic Checkpoints
Capturing stoop, drop &
stance
55+
Craft Hours
Per two-piece commission
Sheffield Steel Shears
Individual Fit Guarantee
CLOTH VAULT
4,200+
Sourced from mills in Biella,
Huddersfield, and the Scottish
Highlands.
THE HANDS BEHIND THE CLOTH
Masters of the Cutting Bench & Iron
A Basic Tailor commission passes through fewer hands,
but each belongs to a lifelong artisan dedicated to a single
specialized discipline.
CHIEF CUTTER & FOUNDER
Arthur Pendelton
Trained in Mayfair’s historic Savile Row houses
during the 1970s. Pendelton personally drafts
master shears patterns for all VIP commissions
and guarantees anatomic silhouette correction.
SENIOR CLOTHIER & STYLIST
Julian Mercer
Specialist in prestigious European mills
including Loro Piana, Scabal, and Holland &
Sherry. Guides weight, drape, and climate
versatility for traveling global clients and
executive wardrobes.
HEAD OF FINISHING & LAPELS
Marcus Vance
Guardian of the hand-stitched Milanese
buttonhole, functioning cuff surge holes, and
subtle pick-stitching. Ensures every button,
canvas thread, and horn eyelet endures for
decades.
UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENTS
The Four Pillars of Our Craft
Every commission that passes over our threshold is bound by four non-negotiable
promises.
FOUNDATION
Perfect Anatomic Fit
Zero standard block patterns.
Over 32 anatomical points are
measured to honor shoulder
slope, spinal curve, and natural
posture.
PROVENANCE
Heritage Natural Materials
Pure Mongolian camelhair,
Bemberg cupro silk linings, and
buffalo horn buttons. Absolutely
no synthetic adhesive fusibles.
INTEGRITY
Complimentary Basted Fitting
Experience your suit in its white-
threaded skeleton stage. We
recut and drape the cloth in-
person before final stitching.
PERPETUITY
Lifetime Alteration Care
Garments tailored to grow with
you. Generous inlay seam
allowances allow lifetime
complimentary waistline
adjustments.
Private Fittings by Appointment
Experience Master Tailoring in Person
Visit our Mayfair studio for coffee, inspect our vintage swatch
archive, and let Master Cutter Arthur Pendelton take your first
draft measurements.