Getting shirty

How many shirts does a man need? Robert Emmett thinks between 25-40, and he should know. He's been supplying ready to wear and bespoke shirts for 15 years and, in a market swamped with special offers and discounts, he's maintained a reputation for quality and exclusivity. He opened the Chelsea store in 1992, great timing given the recession, and he noticed that there wasn't a lot of colour around. He introduced interesting fabrics, simple sizing and word spread rapidly. In fact wearing Emmett shirts was a bit like being in a club. Now he's almost a household name (among the cognoscenti) with three stores, sizing from 14˝ - 18˝ for off the peg and a bespoke range of shirts and tailoring, plus a wide range of ties, cufflinks and beach shorts. He started off doing a fashion course in Geneva after school and then was apprenticed to a tailor. He designs all the shirts himself and is a perfectionist about detail. Buttons don't fall off, and he knows how to structure collars so they don't collapse without a tie. There are 50 different styles of collar at Emmett and contrasting cuff and collar linings, and labels in cheerful colours. He has developed a close relationship with Italian mills to buy small quantities of specialist textiles and devise new mixes like poplin with aertex, or cotton and cashmere twill as well as traditional materials for business and leisure shirts. Only 25 shirts are made in any material so you're not going to see everyone else wearing your shirt round the water cooler. Australian Patrick Johnson has joined the company as master tailor and cutter for the menswear range of hand-finished suits and jackets and the business is going like a rocket with already 1,000 fabrics available. For what started as a one-man band, it's quite a success story. Ready-made shirts, £79; bespoke shirts, from £125; jackets, from £595; suits, from £750. Emmett has three stores, in the City, Chelsea and St James's: 4 Eldon Street, EC2, 020 7247 1563; 380 Kings Road, SW3, 020 7351 7529; 112 Jermyn Street, SW1, 020 7925 1299; www.emmettshirts.com

Caption:
Very fine (140 by 140) two-fold white poplin shirt by Emmett, with a pink and blue stripe contrast under the cuff, £79

 
 
 
 

Cutting a dash

Gresham Blake is a phenomenon, a Brighton-based tailor who has a 60% London clientele, who caters for rock and movie stars and the media, who won New Business of the year in 2006, who's thick as thieves with the fashionable BritArt crowd, and who started off as an insurance clerk before he left to study fashion. His style is edgy with bold shapes and colours and he's never afraid to inject a sense of humour. He offers bespoke and made to measure along with the ready to wear collection launched in 2005. On top of that he sells shirts, shoes, ties and accessories, all from his fabulous store on Brighton's Bond Street which featured in the best retail interiors awards from fashion bible Draper's Record in 2005. In response to his London client-base, Gresham Blake is opening a fitting room at 64 South Molton Street, W1 on 12 October. It will be by appointment only and you should contact the Brighton store. But the best thing is have a weekend in Brighton and experience the whole magic moment. 20 Bond Street, Brighton, Sussex, 01273 609 587; www.greshamblake.com

 
 
 
 

City slicker

You want a suit. You need a suit. But you know ready to wear does nothing for you. Unless you're a standard size the shoulders never sit properly, the sleeves are too long and the buttons strain uncomfortably. It's just not cool. But a made to measure suit from little more than £100? That's fairyland. Actually, it's Style Wizard, a brilliant wheeze from web-based tailor A Suit That Fits. You do the measuring, order on line, and dispense with time-consuming visits to the store for fittings. You could even splash out on a tuxedo or dinner suit James Bond-style starting at £200 and available for collection or delivery within 3-4 weeks. It is available in cashmere/wool blend with satin-covered pockets, buttons and lapels, and satin seaming detail down each leg. There are two different styles of lapel and you can choose your own satin lining from a choice of colours. If the online idea deters you, there's an outlet in Moorgate where you can talk to a real person. www.aSuitThatFits.com