Fifteen successful tailors, who trained under the watchful eyes of their Savile Row Master Tailors, received the first Savile Row Bespoke Apprenticeship Certificates from Technical Committee Chairman Michael Skinner at Merchant Taylors' Hall on 9th July.

200 guests witnessed this important inaugural event at the Master Tailors' Benevolent Association's annual summer party.

The successful apprentices were:

• Anderson & Sheppard:
  • Daniel Kinsey
  • Paulo Nicodemi
  • Oliver Spencer
• Dege & Skinner:
  • Roxanne Emerald Jones
  • Sarah Louise Massey
  • Rebecca le Moignan
• Gieves & Hawkes:
  • Joanne Louise Baker
  • Ayres Goncalo Silva Ferriera
• Henry Poole:
  • Ray Duffy
  • Terry Francis Jnr
  • Craig Holloway
  • Jinny Seals
• H. Huntsman:
  • Jordan Heard
  • Liv Guri Ostrem
• Meyer & Mortimer:
  • Chadni Odedra

MTBA President Cameron Buchanan introduced Savile Row Bespoke Chairman Mark Henderson who spoke in glowing terms of the skill and dedication of the master tailors and their apprentices. They had achieved outstanding results and so high was the standard that two of the recipients had won the coveted Golden Shears Award, while another had finished runner-up.

Savile Row Bespoke is also a joint sponsor of the next Golden Shears Award, which will be held in 2010. The final judging will take place with a glittering catwalk presentation before a packed house at Merchant Taylors' Hall on March 14, 2011. Limited sponsorship is available through the Merchant Taylors' Company and entry is free. Application forms may be obtained from co-ordinator Katharine Green at katharinegre@yahoo.co.uk

Savile Row Bespoke has worked closely with Newham College to develop the apprenticeship scheme, and Philip Parker and Su Thomas, in particular, have played a major part in its success.

Apprenticeships are vital to the future of Savile Row's iconic status and this event represented a further major step forward.