All over the world, Savile Row stands for the very best in men's tailoring and so it is fitting that Gieves And Hawkes should be 'No 1 Savile Row': a remarkable address.

The company was formed from two famous businesses: Gieves, founded in 1785 and Hawkes, founded in 1771. Since then Gieves And Hawkes have welcomed a passing parade of famous customers whose names would fill a book. The magnificent full dress occasions of British State Ceremonial have been embellished and enriched by the Gieves And Hawkes craftsmen's skills, and overseas monarchs and leaders have looked upon us to meet their own exacting requirements.

Today Gieves And Hawkes, as the purveyor of quintessential English style, dress individuals who are interested in the rules and references of tradition but who desire to present these in a visually exciting and contemporary way: in their own way. Confident in what they wear, they appreciate luxury and are most interested, ultimately, in style. They have a sense of occasion and dress accordingly. Gieves And Hawkes present these men with modern classics - simultaneously modern and classic - across their wardrobe, from formal evening wear to suiting and through to casual wear.

In addition to the flagship store on Savile Row, there are a further twenty two stores and concessions in the United Kingdom. Gieves And Hawkes also have numerous fine stores and concessions in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Dubai, Turkey, Russia and Ireland.

Whether you come to Gieves And Hawkes for a bespoke suit or a T-shirt, Gieves And Hawkes promise to provide the very best: the highest quality materials, design, craftsmanship and service, to ensure the best shopping experience possible.

Three Royal Warrants
Gieves And Hawkes are proud to have been granted the Royal Warrants of Appointment to HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Prince of Wales. 200 years of unbroken service to successive Monarchs. The first such grant occurred in the reign of King George III in 1809 and has continued ever since, an unbroken record of our devoted service to successive Monarchs and members of their families.

Early in the 19th century, Thomas Hawkes secured the custom and a Royal Warrant from George lll and the Queen as velvet cap maker. The Prince Regent was also a customer. One Sunday the Prince sent a messenger to Hawkes requesting his immediate attendance. However, the cap maker was a religious man, and undaunted he sent the messenger back saying, " tell His Royal Highness that for six days I serve my King, on the seventh day I serve my God." The Prince Regent took this rebuff in good part, and continued his patronage.

Early customers who sought the company's expertise in tailoring the intricate uniforms and sumptuous ceremonial dress of the 18th century included; Admiral Lord Nelson, The Duke of Wellington, the ill-fated Captain Bligh and Nelson's Flag Captain Hardy. Records show that Hardy took lodgings above the original shop in Portsmouth.

At the start of the 19th century, the company supplied much of the British Army with its Shako Helmet head dress, and later developed and patented the Kitchener and Wolseley solar helmets together with Civil Service versions. These became essential kit for all who served and travelled in hot climates. In the middle of the same century, the company equipped David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley for their expeditions in central Africa.

The company has always offered exceptional levels of service to its customers. An early example was the despatch of a steam yacht to the Black Sea in 1854. The vessel equipped with every amenity, including tailors and other resources, sailed with the British Fleet during the Crimean War.

The Gieves Sea Chest first received the approval of the Admiralty in the middle of the 19th century. Developed and made by the company, these large and solid chests were fitted out with all the necessities for a naval cadet or officer, to contain clothing, shaving bowl with mirror, clasps for telescope and dirk, and candle escutcheon. An original chest, displayed at Number One Savile Row, stands as a reminder of these splendid receptacles which remained in great demand, with modifications, until the 1930's.

In the latter years of the 19th century, the fame of Gieves as the leading Naval Tailor was such that in 1878, W S Gilbert sought the advice of the company on all aspects of correct dress for his first joint production of "HMS Pinafore" with Sir Arthur Sullivan.

Early in the 20th century, the first catalogues of the company's goods and services were published. Special editions for customers in the Navy, Army or Civil Service serving in distant outposts of the Empire, featured detailed listings of goods and services with illustrations and fabric swatches. Later versions contained a unique order code to facilitate ease of ordering when communications relied on telegraphic messages via "Eastern Telegraph " and an address of " Uniforms Portsmouth ".

Prior to the 1914-1918 War, Gieves developed and patented the first inflatable Life Saving Waistcoat. This ingenious device saved the lives of countless members of the armed forces and civilians. Noel Coward referred to the unique merits of the waistcoat, while an original version, which saved the life of the Lord Montague of that time, is now on display in the Beaulieu Museum, Hampshire.

Gieves could be relied upon to find a solution to any predicament, however dire or urgent, when all others may have failed. One Saturday in the 1940's a cruiser came into Portsmouth Harbour flying its paying-off pennant, with the ship's company keen to depart on leave. However the Paymaster's office had insufficient funds to pay off the crew. The Captain contacted Gieves for a loan on his personal account. Without delay the required £27,000 was found, the crew were paid, and a crisis averted. The following Monday an armed guard returned the loan to the Gieves shop.

While Westminster has been described as the Mother of Parliaments, so Gieves And Hawkes might be dubbed the Father of Military Dress Regulations. Having been founded primarily to meet the tailoring needs of the British Army and Navy, Gieves And Hawkes went on to supply the military and ceremonial dress to numerous states around the world. For example, early in the 20th century the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Chinese Navy engaged the expertise of Gieves to design and establish their Naval Dress Regulations.

Number One Savile Row, the company's Headquarters and Flag Ship store was built in 1732 as the town house for the Fairfax family. In 1871 ownership passed to the Royal Geographical Society, who added the magnificent Map Room and galleried Library which remain the focal point of the fine interiors. It was fitting that Gieves And Hawkes should occupy this address in 1912, and add weight to the then growing international reputation which the street enjoyed as the centre for the finest craft tailoring.

In 1926 the first limited collection of ready to wear garments was introduced at Number One Savile Row to supplement the then dominant Bespoke trade. From this early diversification, Gieves And Hawkes has built on its reputation for true Bespoke tailoring. It has also developed an expanding international recognition as the significant brand for the finest ready to wear men's clothing with all the supporting accessories. This status is unique to a street that is best known for tailoring alone.