The Sydney Morning Herald -17th February 2011- Extract from “Suits through time: the evolution of a wardrobe staple”

Tailor John Cutler runs Sydney’s J. H. Cutler which was nominated by Forbes as one of the top-10 worldwide bespoke tailors. The family has been outfitting men for 127 years. Cutler thinks the suit’s appeal will endure because no other men’s garment sends the same message about its wearer.

“Formality, acceptance in certain spheres of society, like clubs and higher up business, banking, law…. It’s successful because it shows respectability and respectfulness,” he says.” It may represent the height of convention but an individually styled suit can also announce the personality of the man who owns it. “I think a suit is a good opportunity for a male to express his individuality,” Cutler says. “People might say ‘no, no it’s a uniform’ but I think it’s the opposite because people have a choice of colour, style and fabric.”

Cutler once dealt with a Russian former nuclear submarine commander who ordered a $20,000 suit made from super-fine wool. He also recalls a businessman who was so delighted with his $50,000 overcoat (made from the wool of the vicuna- a rare relative of the llama) that he bought another. – Nick Kraegen

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