Savile Row

Originally named Savile Street, it was built between 1731 and 1735 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate. It was designed under the influence of Burlington's interpretation of Palladian architecture, known as "Burlingtonian". Henry Flitcroft, under the supervision of Daniel Garrett, appears to have been the main architect – though 1 and 22–23 Savile Row were designed by William Kent. Initially, the street was occupied mainly by military officers and their wives; later William Pitt the Younger and Irish-born playwright and MP Richard Brinsley Sheridan were residents.


Tailors started doing business in the area in the late 18th century; first in Cork Street, about 1790, then by 1803 in Savile Row itself. In 1846, Henry Poole, later credited as the creator of the dinner jacket, opened an entrance to Savile Row from his tailoring premises in Old Burlington Street. Founded in 1849 by Henry Huntsman, H. Huntsman & Sons moved to No. 11 Savile Row with the ending of the war in 1919.^[1] During the First World War, Huntsman's was a tailor to the military, producing dress uniforms for British officers. In 1969, Nutters of Savile Row modernised the style and approach of traditional Savile Row tailoring; a modernisation that continued into the 1990s with the "New Bespoke Movement", involving the designers Richard James, Ozwald Boateng, and Timothy Everest. The term "bespoke" as applied to fine tailoring is understood to have originated in Savile Row, and came to mean a suit cut and made by hand.

Location[edit]

Savile Row runs parallel to Regent Street between Conduit Street at the northern end and Vigo Street at the southern. Linking roads include New Burlington Place, New Burlington Street, Boyle Street, and Clifford Street.

Ownership[edit]

The freehold is owned by the Pollen Estate. In 2016 Westminster City Council commenced attempts to protect the street's tailoring heritage under the Savile Row SPA (Special Policy Area).^[2]


In 2014, Norway's Oil Fund, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, acquired a 57.8% interest in the Pollen Estate from The Church Commissioners.^[3] This includes properties in Mayfair, among which is Savile Row.^[3]

Architecture[edit]

The original architectural plan for Savile Row is believed to have been drawn up by Colen Campbell, with Henry Flitcroft as the main architect of the street, under the supervision of Daniel Garrett; though 1 and 22–23 Savile Row were designed by William Kent,^[9] who moved into No. 2.^[41] These architects were all under the influence of Burlington's interpretation of Palladian architecture, known as "Burlingtonian", which was to have some influence on English architecture in the 16th century.^[42][43] As tailoring moved into the street, the house frontages were altered to bring natural light into the tailors' working area with the addition of glass frontages and light wells.^[19] The houses have been much altered over time; the original Burlingtonian design has been mostly lost, though No. 14 still retains much of the original external features.^[5] When the Royal Geographical Society occupied No. 1, they built a glass-roofed map-room in the courtyard, a small astronomical observatory on the roof, and a new portico – which may be the basis for the current appearance of the façade.^[5]


Several of the buildings on Savile Row are listed on the National Heritage List for England; 1 Savile Row (6A Vigo Street) is listed Grade II, 3 Savile Row is listed II*, 12, 12A and 13 are listed II as a group, 14 is listed Grade II*, 17 is listed Grade II, 16 is listed Grade II, and 11 is listed II*.^{[44][45][46][47][48][49][50]}