Est. 1987
A House Built on Cloth
“A well-made suit is a form of autobiography — silent, but eloquent.”
— Edward Hartley, Founder
Our Story
Thirty years of stitching, measuring, and listening.
Bespoke was founded in 1987 by Edward Hartley, a tailor who had spent over a decade on Savile Row learning the craft from those who had spent their entire lives perfecting it. He left with two things: a set of shears and an unshakeable belief that every person deserves clothes that fit them exactly.
In a small workshop off Commercial Street, Edward began taking clients — not many at first. Word spread slowly, as it tends to with things of genuine quality. A merchant banker. A barrister. A celebrated novelist who needed a dinner suit for the Booker ceremony. Each garment made by hand, each pattern kept, each client remembered.
Today, we occupy a larger space but hold to the same principles. The cutting table is still the heart of the house. The fittings still happen in the same careful sequence. And every garment still begins with a conversation.
2,400+
Garments made
What We Believe
The principles of the house
Cloth First
Every garment begins with fabric. We source from the finest mills in England, Italy, and Scotland — houses that have been weaving for generations. The cloth informs the cut, and the cut honours the cloth.
Patience of Hand
We do not rush. A bespoke garment demands time — in the cutting, in the fitting, and in the making. Handwork that would take a machine seconds can take our tailors hours. We believe those hours are visible in the finished piece.
The Fitting Room
The fitting room is where the garment becomes yours. We watch how you move, how you stand, how you carry yourself. Our alterations respond to the person, not the pattern. This is bespoke in the truest sense.
Enduring Quality
We make clothes to last decades. In an age of fast fashion, we believe the most sustainable garment is one that you wear and cherish for a lifetime. A bespoke suit from 1985 that still fits is not a rarity — it is the point.
The Journey
Milestones of the house
First workshop opened in London's East End, two tailors and a cutting table.
Moved to our current premises in the city. Expanded to a team of six craftsmen.
Awarded Royal Warrant for tailoring services. A milestone we continue to honour.
Opened our cloth room — over 2,000 fabrics available for personal selection.
Welcomed the second generation into the workshop. Tradition meets a fresh perspective.
Launched our digital platform — bringing the bespoke consultation to clients worldwide.
The People
Meet the hands behind the cloth
Edward Hartley
Master Tailor & Founder
Edward trained on Savile Row for twelve years before establishing his own house. His eye for proportion remains unmatched.
Clara Osei
Head Cutter
Clara cut her teeth in Milan before returning to London. She brings a Continental fluidity to traditional English tailoring.
James Hartley
Cloth Buyer & Consultant
James travels twice yearly to the mills of Yorkshire, Biella, and Huddersfield to select the finest cloths for the house.
The Workshop
Where the work happens
Our workshop occupies the first floor of a Victorian building in the city. Light floods through large north-facing windows — the tailor's traditional preference, for its consistency throughout the day.
The cutting table, a solid oak surface worn smooth over decades, occupies the centre of the room. Around it: pressing irons, a sleeve board, bales of canvas and interfacing, and walls lined with bolts of cloth.
Clients are welcome to visit. We believe that seeing where and how a garment is made deepens the appreciation of it.
Begin here
The first step is a conversation.
Come in, meet the team, feel the cloth. There is no obligation, only an opportunity to discuss what you are looking for and how we might help.