Harris Tweed Hebrides (HTH) made their debut at London Craft Week on Friday (May 6th) with a bespoke presentation on the heritage of the industry at Savile Row tailor, Huntsman.
There was a time when every company on Savile Row carried a selection of Harris Tweed supplied by one of the fabric merchants who operated just a stones’ throw away from the iconic street. Use of Harris Tweed in tailoring dwindled towards the end of the 20th century – a reflection of the industry as a whole – but things have changed in recent times.
We now supply direct to some of ‘The Row’s’ premier brands. Situated at 11 Savile Row is Huntsman. A one-off Harris Tweed Norfolk jacket and plus twos cut specially for Wool Week by creative director Campbell Carey take centre stage at this wonderfully curated boutique. Carey said: “Harris Tweed is a strong, robust fabric but it cuts and moves really well and the colours are something special”.
The expert tailoring doesn’t stop at traditional suiting. Linn Hi Fi have installed a pair of their limited edition Harris Tweed Series 5 speakers. Patented space-optimisation technology – perfected at their Glasgow factory - ensures a bespoke sound for staff and customers alike. It is technology fit for a Kingsman and proof that everything not only looks better in Harris Tweed but sounds better through it.
Across the road from Huntsman – literally – is the new lady on ‘The Row’, Kathryn Sergant. Born in the textiles heartland of Yorkshire, Kathryn has been a trailblazer. Head-cutter at Gieves and Hawkes until 2009, she recently cut through the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman to open a store on Savile Row. Kathryn’s final year collection at Epsom design school featured bright Harris Tweed patterns and she recently worked with Ken Kennedy, Head of Pattern Design at HTH, on creating the Sergant House Harris Tweed. We look forward to a continued relationship with this talented and wonderfully down to earth designer. Kathryn pictured below with HTH Chairman Brian Wilson.
As a company we have a strong belief that craft is the DNA of luxury. London Craft Week and Savile Row have given HTH the opportunity to showcase the best of our process to a well informed audience. Arts and crafts used to be looked upon as a fringe element in textiles and the wider luxury industry but they now run through it. We thank London Craft Week for all their hard work and look forward to participating again next year.