Why British bespoke is more affordable than French couture

Roksanda offers Zoom consultations with regular clients whom she has previously fitted. One client has so many of her ready-to-wear pieces, Roksanda has to design one-offs for her from scratch. ‘What’s lovely is the relationship you develop with clients, and what they teach you about what they need,’ explains the Serbian-born, London-based designer.

Meanwhile, after quietly beavering away on her bespoke collections for more than a decade, Suzannah Crabbe, whose label Suzannah London has dressed the Princess of Wales, Julie Christie, Elizabeth McGovern and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, found orders surging for her beautifully fitted classics following the pandemic. She has seen a further spike in demand, particularly in the UK, since behind-the-scenes pictures of the exquisitely embroidered Coronation gown that she designed for the Duchess went viral last year (she also dressed her daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, and India Hicks). Crabbe had her team are working flat out, having expanded her workshop into the mews at the back of her boutique, tucked away behind Selfridges. 

There’s clearly a correlation between the travails of etailers and the blossoming of independent labels offering an ultra personalised service. ‘It’s the personal touch,’ says Crabbe. ‘The authenticity and the craftsmanship. Creating pieces with a story behind them, with every stitch being there for a reason. There’s also the ability to have personal and bespoke touches, to be able to phone up and speak to a human who really cares and is passionate about helping you find the most flattering pieces that make you look the best version of you… that’s what people respond to.’

Six weeks on from my visit to Emilia Wickstead, my suit is ready. I’m a bit nervous, truth be told. What if it’s not as good as I hoped… No chance of that. Wickstead is a beady-eyed perfectionist. She wouldn’t let anything leave her store she wasn’t happy with. Despite being the kind of mid-weight tweed I imagine will still be going strong when my daughters come to wear it, it glides on like silk and I know immediately I was right about it being infinitely useful. I’ve already worn the individual pieces twice, and I’ve had it for seven days. It’s the kind of suit that’s almost better than money in the bank. To misquote Scarlett O’Hara: ‘I’ll never have nothing to wear again.’