Designed by Richard Jewels & Stuart Hughes, the aforementioned suit took 600 hours to create. I know first-hand how much a labour of love a tailored suit is, and hard work does deserve to be rewarded, but is such a hefty price-tag justified? I'm not too sure. The article tells us that there are three of its kind in the world, I for one would hate to spend a fortune only to see another man sporting the same design.
Another suit featured on the list is designed by Savile Row tailor, William Westmancott. The 'Ultimate Bespoke Suit' which comes with a £58,000 price-tag and is designed and woven in a traditional English mill. Supporting independent suppliers like this to ensure that the sector doesn’t diminish is essential and a belief that William and myself clearly hold in common.
Although, where our differences do lie, is not only in our fees but also our audiences. Though William Westmancott is a London tailor, he has stated that this suit receives interest from those further afield, both extremely wealthy Russian & Middle Eastern businessmen.
From the beginning my ethos has always been very different from that of my London neighbours. Adam James was founded to make British tailoring more accessible and affordable to every type of professional, demographic and fashion focused individual.
After many years working in men's fashion for other brands, it became apparent to me that clients were being unknowingly short-changed. For the money they were spending on made-to-measure and ready-to-wear suits, for me, the end result was all too often underwhelming.
I wanted to change that.
So while it may be your thing to go out and drop a small fortune on a new suit, just know that there are other options available. I will always create bespoke suits that not only make my clients look good, but feel good too, without hidden costs and additional fee, and if you are looking for something a little ‘extra’ like gold plated threads or glass buttons, I’ll be sure to source it.
I dress real people wearing real suits for real-life; commutes, meetings, nights out, weddings and occasions. I don’t design suits with a price tag in mind that means they’re best left untouched and resigned to remaining inside pristine garment bags, only to be taken out for the occasional photo opportunity.
A suit from Adam James is a suit to be lived in - after all, when they look this good why wouldn’t you want to show them off.