Tailoring label Banshee of Savile Row unveiled a short film at London Fashion Week to celebrate its new collection. Shot on the grounds of Birr Castle and directed by Irish photographer Lee Malone, both the film and the collection celebrate freedom in all its guises. Calling upon light seersuckers and linens, sumptuous velvets and corduroys, the tone of the garments is what the brand calls “uncompromising elation”.

Main image credit: Si Melber.

What is the theme of the collection presented at London Fashion Week? How does it differ from your other collections? 

We wanted to create a considered collection that is the antithesis of the claustrophobia we’ve been collectively experiencing over the last couple of years. As a bold return to glamour, the garments were conceived as a way of breaking free, empowering the Banshee woman with confidence and an appetite for fun. It differs from previous collections in that we have used a lot of summer fabrics, such as Italian linen and denim, with bright joyful colours to marry with a return to glamour. 

If you had to select a favourite piece from the collection what would it be and why? 

That’s actually a very hard question as every piece has its own personality and mood. If we had to pick one stand-out piece, we think it’s the full length black velvet opera coat we created. Or maybe the pink gingham seersucker … or the oatmeal linen wide legged trouser suit. Or else, the denim outfit! Maybe the gold suit? We love the linen dress shirt too …

It’s fair to say our relationship with tailoring has changed drastically in the last few years. How do you see classic tailoring working within the aesthetic of the collective ‘new normal’? 

Contemporary tailoring, and particularly women’s tailoring, is all about rule-breaking. A lot of our clients will buy a velvet smoking jacket that they can pair with jeans or wear to an evening event so the piece works with their wardrobe and lifestyle, rather than having to have a lifestyle that supports tailoring. Typical business suits are becoming less common as people want to have fun with colour and expression. That said, a killer Banshee black suit is a must. If designed correctly, it can serve so many of life’s events.

Tailoring also creates a streamlined wardrobe of quality clothes which makes life easy. A beautifully made tweed jacket, for example, will take you anywhere and last a lifetime. Thankfully, these days, people are more open to maintaining their clothes rather than having throwaway fashion. So really, contemporary tailoring is about creating individuality that perfectly fits your body and your lifestyle.

Finish the sentence: ‘The Banshee of Savile Row woman is …’

Confident, individual and knows who she is! 

Your pieces play into a slow fashion mentality using the tradition of Savile Row craftsmanship. How important was that to you when forming the brand? At a time when greenwashing is rife, do you think the Savile Row name helps to cut through the slew of misinformation out there? 

Absolutely, the bespoke nature of Savile Row is by default sustainable, which is one of the reasons we were drawn to using a model that is hundreds of years old. On Savile Row, there are no clothes winding up in landfill. The fabrics are all natural, so there aren’t any harmful micro-plastics coming off the clothes. We only cut and make what is needed as each piece is created for the individual client. From choosing the cloth, to the bespoke journey, there is no place to greenwash. It is a very transparent process. I think it is one of the things that our clients really enjoy. However, there is always room for a business or an individual to improve on their carbon footprint, and that is something that we are always striving for.

What’s the single biggest demand you’ve been seeing from your customers lately? 

We have a lot of demand for our overcoats as they work with so many outfits. Our handwoven Donegal tweed coats, Loro Piana cashmere coats and velvet coats are top sellers, along with white wedding suits. And of course, given the season, we are making a lot of linen and seersucker pieces. 

From what you’re seeing in the world of fashion, is dressing up back with a bang? 

Dressing up is back! Some clients have come in saying they have forgotten how to dress and want to rediscover that side of themselves, which is why they are coming to Banshee. People on the street in London are being noticeably flamboyant in their dress style; parading around in their favourite pieces after these treasures had to be ignored in their wardrobes for so long. Our new collection is all about glamour – we have been inspired by that feeling in the air that the world is reopening and people are looking forward to celebrating. 

www.bansheeofsavilerow.com