Congratulations from everyone at the Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRBA) go to Santino Di Nardo (pictured, top), who was awarded his Savile Row Bespoke diploma at this month’s British Tailors’ Benevolent Association summer party at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall.

For the last six years Santino has been working to complete an apprenticeship in coat-making under the brilliant tutelage of Henry Humphries (second picture, right) at SRBA member Edward Sexton. Santino’s masterpiece - the central piece of his apprenticeship work - was a coat that he made for his grandfather, a tailor and the person who inspired him to take up his profession. A few weeks ago, the coat was reviewed by this year’s expert SRBA judging panel (Philip Parker of Henry Poole, Albert Nelson of Dege & Skinner, and Joe Morgan of Chittleborough & Morgan) and was deemed to be of exceptional quality.

The future of the craft of Savile Row bespoke tailoring is looking very healthy at present with thirty-three apprentices currently employed at the ten bespoke tailoring business on the street. And in September, the SRBA/London Academy of Bespoke pre-apprenticeship training scheme will be launched, with a number of bursaries available.

SRBA Chairman Mark Henderson (second picture, left) commented: “I’d like to pay tribute to Henry Humphries and the team at Edward Sexton who, along with many others on the Row, not only do brilliant day jobs, but also devote time to training. The new training scheme will help our members make sure that the apprentices coming to us really have the aptitude and attitude to become world-class craftsmen, and it is vital that this opportunity should be open to all.”

Photographs by Luke Alland.