Nina Penlington on the suit's continued relevance

Oliver Griffin

Nina Penlington, a former civil servant in Britain, switched careers to become an apprentice at top tailors. She then stitched her name into the fabric of London’s Savile Row. The historic street is regarded internationally as the gold mile of tailoring. Since the 19th century, bespoke menswear was crafted by icons such as Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, and Elton John.

She's launched her own bespoke tailoring company, named after herself, since leaving London in 2024. Penlington, who is preparing for her second U.S. Trunk Show in February, spoke from her attic in Budleigh Salterton in southwest England. She talked about her experience on Savile Row, the future of suits and why it's important to dress for yourself.

This conversation has been edited to make it more concise and clear.

What initially attracted you towards tailoring?

I took a funny route, which was kind of slow and strange. I grew in North Wales, in a town on the coast that was a little bigger and less salubrious than Budleigh Salterton. When I was just three years old, my mum taught me how to sew. We used to use a hand-crank sewing machine.

I worked as a civil service employee for about five years after graduating from university. I worked as a minister in the House of Lords. That's a little crazy. I felt that I was in the incorrect place. I was miserable. I quit my job, and went back to London College of Fashion. They used to have a hand tailoring one-year course. The course was a great way to learn all the little bits and pieces, and also determine if you have an aptitude. The opportunity to sew again was great, but I soon realized that it wasn't the sewing itself that I was interested in. The pattern cutting was what really attracted me.

After I completed the course, I was fortunate enough to be offered an apprenticeship with Dege & Skinner in Savile Row. This was a great opportunity because these jobs are so rare.

You've worked with many of Savile Row’s top?tailors. Who has the most influence on your style been?

While I was in New York, I did a little bit of study at Parsons School of Design. I also heard about this job back in Savile Row as a cutter for Davide Taub at Gieves & Hawkes. Davide Taub is my favorite?living cutter. He's definitely my biggest influence on how I view my work.

What was it like to launch your brand?

I feel that I have built relationships over the past few years with people who want to support me. I have also had customers find me or refind me and were determined to assist me through the difficult stages of starting a business.

I don't even have any branded covers or hangers for that stuff. My customer was laughing and said, "I'm glad that you weren't too extravagant in your spending. You could ruin yourself if you tried to be too shiny."

How did you develop the "Get Back" suit and rock 'n' roll Western suit styles inspired by The Beatles?

Let's begin with the "Get back" suit. It's a West End suit from the 1960s. For me, this is a true classic. I made this suit for a client around the time of Peter Jackson's documentary "The Beatles: Get back". Paul McCartney often wears the suit with a collarless Granddad shirt.

It's a classic suit that McCartney wears very well. There's nothing special about it. It's also a great way for me to tell customers that I have a classic suit. It's an easy way to communicate the idea of a classic suit that could be worn in a worn-out way.

The Western Suit is made from Western shirts I have collected over the years. They were given to me by a wonderful lady working out of Salt Lake City. I had this idea for the suit in my head for a long time. I couldn't decide what fabric to use. Only when I discovered this overcoating weave did it all come together. Once I found a 15-ounce twill that is rugged and refined, everything came together.

What do you think about the difference between dressing for the male and female gaze when it comes to suits and tailoring, according to your opinion?

Since I launched my label, I have been relearning all of this because I felt for so long that none of these things mattered. Tailoring allows you to dress how you want.

In terms of sales, I have to know who is looking at it and who wants to purchase it. As a person I do not buy into this. When I wear a suit I do so because I want to look and feel powerful. If I want to be more feminine, I have another part of my closet for that. You can mix the two.

If someone is coming to me the first time, and they are unsure of what they want, then I will ask them to look in their wardrobe to see what suits they already have and what else they could wear with this suit. This way, you don't need to buy anything new to wear this suit.

What is the future of tailoring and Savile row?

The same article is published in the same spot every five years. It's basically the same as "Savile Rows dead, suits have died" and this was long before the pandemic or working from home.

Savile Row, and tailors around the world, have done a great job. Fashion and garment production is moving much faster than it used to. I thought we were a little slow to adapt trends in Savile Row. But now, people are creating overshirts and other items that can be worn in a more casual manner. We've never been in fashion, but we promote the craft and sustainability.

The high-end luxury items (and) department store merchandise are not as well made as the tailoring we offer. I think that people are beginning to realize that spending three grand for a suit at a brand name is not worth it. It's different from coming to someone to spend a bit more on a bespoke item that's uniquely yours.

News does not necessarily endorse the perspectives of Culture Current. (Editing by Yasmeen serhan and Aurora Ellis).

(source: Reuters)