Founded in 1839, Cordings of Piccadilly is one of the last bastions of true British menswear style. On entering its brass-clad portals in Piccadilly in London you realise that real heritage lies behind the glories that lie downstairs in the menswear section (the women's department is on the ground floor). Here tweed jostles with corduroy and Tattersall check shirts vie with the best Scottish knitwear. It's all the real thing and from here you can emerge dressed as a real gentleman.
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| Cordings of Piccadilly Skipton tweed three piece suit |
We Brits have become far too retiring about our role in forming the shapes and styles that now sit on the backs of men worldwide. Brands like Ralph Lauren have seized British style and made it their own. The Italians have adapted it to suit their climate and we forget that the gorgeously soft tailoring coming from Naples, Venice, Milan etc actually started out in Savile Row. English gentleman's style has been adopted all over the globe, from the USA to Japan and adapted to local tastes, cloths and climates.
Cordings of Piccadilly is one of the last places that you can buy true British style off the peg and without stretching to the costs of Savile Row bespoke. I've tried a few of their clothes over the last few years and was sent one of their Skipton tweed suits to try out a few weeks ago. Woven in Yorkshire in a robust 21oz tweed, this is a classic English country suit. It fits beautifully across the shoulders with some padding but, in a nod to less structured Italian styles, not too much. The trousers are fairly high waisted - as required for comfort - and are cut with the perfect degree of fullness - not slim but not too full around the ankle. This gives a perfect shape at a time when trouser styles move gradually away from skinny and slim fits to more comfortable pleated and higher waists.
This is a classic design, so much so that it's almost fashionable. The Skipton tweed is on the heavy side of medium, but is comfortable and with wear, like all good tweeds, seems to mould to the body; I loved wearing it both for smart and, as you can see below, with wellies on the hillside. Cordings offer slightly lighter weight tweeds from 16, 17 and 19oz up to 21oz so there is a weight for everyone.
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| The adaptability of a classic tweed suit from Cordings of Piccadilly |
The Skipton is a striking design and for those who prefer their tweed a little less extrovert, Cordings offer quieter checks and a Donegal tweed. Suits are also available in moleskin, cord and summer weights. For those who indulge in country sports or the annual Tweed Run cycle ride, some of the suits have shooting breeks as an option. And it's this country heritage behind Cordings' products that make them so British.
Two piece suits cost under £700 (jackets, waiscoats and trousers are available as separates) and an excellent value tweed three-piece suit can be bought for around £850 or so depending on cloth and style. If you're a lover of the Ralph Lauren school of British tweediness you can buy the real thing at affordable prices at Cordings. No wonder Eric Clapton decided to invest in the business a few years ago; as a fan of British clothing he recognised Cordings as an institution to be preserved.
In the post-covid world what better to invest in than a tweed suit? Worn as separates, tweed is adaptable, robust and comfortable and worn together you have a stylish two or three piece suit for smart casual, Zoom calls or even going into the office. At a time when men are tiring of casual lockdown stay-at-home clothing, such a suit is the perfect antidote.
See Cordings of Piccadilly for more information and to buy online.
The Skipton suit was given to me for review.
