Budd Shirtmakers.
Recently I had the pleasure of being included in a special project with Budd shirt makers. This was a really fun experience as not only was I able to see my shirts being cut, I also visited the factory with the cutter to watch the shirts being crafted.
The shop is in Piccadilly arcade as it has been since 1800, the factory based in Andover which has been there since 1840 originally owned by the Webster brothers before Budd in 1910, both have very interesting histories. the shop located within Piccadilly Arcade has been there since the company’s inception in 1910 and forms part of the elegant thoroughfare of shops that leads into Jermyn Street. Like all of Mayfair’s traditional arcade boutiques, the shop is tiny, but its size belies the wealth of clothing and haberdashery housed inside. Budd is a veritable Pandora’s box
One of the many things that best defines Budd and its ethos as a company is its staff. We are a tight knit and loyal team with a passion for what we do and a fondness for each other. “We are vehement when it comes to our sourcing and the quality of everything we produce and where possible, train from within. There is little movement amongst our staff, a testament to their loyalty and pride in the company. Our senior staff have a combined service of over 150 years!”
They cut all bespoke and made to measure shirts at the Piccadilly premises. They claim to be the last remaining shirt makers to uphold traditional shirt cutting practices, eschewing computers and shortcuts, to ensure they have a personal handle on every element of what they do.
The cutting team comprises of three wonderful gentlemen, all of whom followed traditional routes into their chosen field and all of whom share a love for what they do and the idiosyncrasies that come with it!
In this instance James was the cutter. Process began by the usual taking of measurements and marking notes on figuration for the pattern. I have very forward shoulders and a hallow back which James noted.
I opted for three shirts. Two in a chambray 120’s with a hidden placket and one piece collar. The other a modernised tunic shirt in a linen with saddle shoulder seam.
The initial fitting for the first shirt was done just a few weeks after, James had made a dummy shirt. The fit was almost perfect the only changes we made was moving top and second button to allow for a slightly forward head posture and the flexibility of being able to wear with a tie or without without running risk of chest hair exposed!
I’d never had someone explain so many useful options during a shirt fitting and asked James what else was possible or advantageous opting for bespoke without stating the obvious.
He began to tell me a few stories based on recent commissions. One gentleman was fed up of constantly wearing through his elbows which James helped by cutting a little extra room and creating more shape within the sleeve.
Another was for a bodybuilder with a large neck and massive delt muscles. Shamed created a type of wedge within his collar pattern allowing him extra space and seamless shape without having to make the collar bigger than it needed to be.
It’s nice to know a tailor has your best interests in mind, James always listens to the customer and pays attention to not just figuration but also purpose so that he can advise on most suitable cloth rather than just diving into extra fine lightweights like many do.
Unlike most production facilities each person makes from start to finish with the exception of pressing and quality control. Here you can see sleeves going in.
As you can see in the picture, one piece collar is abit like sewing a puzzle together by matching up the two pieces of fabric and sewing facings in then turning it back out before then attaching as opposed to sewing straight on like most ready to wear manufacturers do.
Bespoke takes twice as long to make in comparison to ready to wear. Long stitches are sewn on the inside and short on outside to prevent puckering with a clean and sharp finish. The top stitching takes a steady hand and skill. Some of the finer garments like silk can take up to six hours to finish (that’s after being cut)
Also. You can’t join top stitches so if the spool runs out all has to be unpicked and started again. They tend to use a 120’s cotton thread because it’s stronger and thinner for precision.
The manufacturing facility is very family orientated, most of the workforce have been together for many years and are a close knit team. They all have lunch together on a long antique solid oak table surrounded with pictures of team outings and famous patrons.
It’s was interesting to see all garments are produced by each individual person rather than being passed along the production line.
They prefer the old brother sewing machines and for good reason. With the correct maintenance they just keep going and get the job done, most are still being used from the early 1900’s when they were still manufactured here in the UK. It’s interesting similar to looms and finishing machines for fabric production they share many similarities, not only is the quality and capability of machine important but it’s the talented operative behind it and the knowing how to handle cloth and different tensions. Something quite special thinking your shirt is being sewn together on probably the same machine as the likes of Ian Fleming or Edward Fox!
Most of the fabrics are not pre washed which is why a sample shirt is made first, so that the customer can take home and check for shrinkage.
All information is noted on the “slope back” brown pattern for collar. If anything is changed it’s changed on the slope back log. It’s their bible.
Really pleased with the results. If I could change anything it would be opting for another of the Chambray shirts I had made in maybe an off white as feel would be more versatile than the tunic for daily wear, that said I do love the modernised tunic and always find an excuse to wear it.