The past couple of days I have been in the studio in Aldgate working on my client’s jacket. I have been working with the pattern cutter, or not so much working more watching and learning. I then cut out the pattern pieces in fabric, and started to sew together. I was working with another machinist who helped me assemble the jacket. The machinist showed me how to do the pocket flaps and jetting, but sewing it on my jacket. This was so that the pockets would be perfect for my client. I sewed up a majority of the jacket, but I had a machinist keeping a close eye on me to make sure that I was sewing it correctly, and I was pressing at all the right points throughout the assembly. I am not going to do the fitting with the client without the lining in so that I can make any alteration adjustments I need to without sewing in and then removing the lining. The pictures below are images that I took from in the studio on Tottenham, ready for the client to try on the jacket.

Friday was a long day. I was up at 4, to be in London for half 6, for a meeting I will be attending with Gabe. The good this about this placement is that not only am I doing the practice side, so hand finishing, learning to pattern cut, and also doing the measuring of clients, I am also learning about the business side aswell, which I am finding very interesting, and useful. I am learning about the accounts, and the turnovers and profits. The knowledge that I am gaining through working with OH is really useful stuff, that will help me in the future.

Once the meeting was over, I then went back to the studio while gabe went to a potential client. While at the studio I met with Mr Irdale for his first fit. This is to check the fit, and make any alterations that are required for the suit. Mr Irdale was one of my clients that I have looked after whilst working for OH. There was very little alterations needed within the suit, the only thing that needed changing was to remove slight drape in the back, other than that the client and I were very pleased :D
I also had Dave Berry in in the afternoon to try on a suit that I had also measured him for and then helped in the process of making the suit. The problem that He had was that he wanted the trouser leg to be slimed slightly, but otherwise he really liked the suit, and is happy with the work I am putting into OH.

Today was a very busy day. This was because one of the staff members is going to New York tomorrow. Gabe wanted most of the jobs done before he went so that there wasn’t much left to do while he was away. Today and yesterday consisted of a lot of running around London, dropping off and picking up.

Today I had to pick up suits from the London studio, ready for the fittings with the clients. I then had to drop off further suits and measurements for alterations and suits to be constructed. This is very time consuming as the other studio is in Aldgate and quite away from the main studio where I am spending most of my time at the moment.
This is because I am having to carry 4 or 5 suits, with 4 or 5 pieces of cloth ready to be cut up for the new suits. Saving myself money on gym memberships; I am definitely getting a work out!

In the afternoon, I spent most of my day at the BBC with a very good client of OH. I was there with Gabriel, doing a first fit, this is checking the fit on the suit and marking/ pinning any alterations that are required within the fit of the suit.
Today the problem was in the trousers, the waist was slightly loose, but the thigh was too tight. To fix this problem, the seat was taken in at the back seam, and the fork and thigh were released where all possible. All this work was done in the studio in Aldgate.
A lot of the time spent with this customer was choosing the new suit. The cloth, lining and design of the suit were made today. Once the trousers have been fitted, we will alter the block for our client so we have it for his future suits. I am back in the BBC tomorrow to bring back the trousers and hopefully they will fit. 

So Thursday was probably one of the busiest days I have had at OH.
The day was spent going backwards and forwards from Shepard’s Bush, (the BBC) to Algate ( our other studio). This was because I wanted to get our clients trousers correct. The trousers were released where possible on the thigh to try and justify the problem. This alteration was done at the studio in Algate, I then took the trousers back to the BBC where our client can try them on again hoping that this time they fit. Unfortunately they were still too tight so for the 3^rd time I went back to Algate to try and find an area where we can release the seam even more. The seams on the thighs were released to the point that there was no more to release, and I then went back to the BBC for the 3^rd and final time. If the trousers didn't fit I would have to admit defeat, and face up to the fact that there was nothing I could do with the trousers for the customer.
As it was 3^rd time lucky! The client was pleased with the fit, but was more impressed with the customer service and the persistence from me to get the trousers right.

The majority of the day was spent either in the back of a cab or on the tube, which was a little unfortunate but I didn't mind as I also get to interact with the clients which I really enjoy and think is an important aspect of this industry.

Today I was at our other Studio in Aldgate. This is where all the pattern cutting and constructing of our garments happen. Today I was working on hand finishing’s and watching our pattern cutter work on a new jacket that has been order a few days earlier. I was also cutting out fabrics ready for the jackets to be sewn together. Even though I loved working in the studio, I got back and neck ache from hand sewing, and hand hemming trousers. My back got a bit of a rest when I was able to cut out the fabrics. To cut out the pattern pieces we I had to use both scissors and a hand held rotary blade. Unfortunately I am not permitted to take photos in the studio so I have to be quite sneaky when it comes to taking photos. The hemming stitch that I learnt from Alan in the tailoring project came in handy today, as I used it on hemming the trousers. It definitely helped me to improve that stitch, and I think they were just relieved that they didn’t have to show another intern the hemming stitch. 

 Today was a fairly quiet day for me. I spent the morning of the day picking up and dropping off garments to and from the two studios.
The afternoon I had a client in, which will be my client throughout my placement. Today I took his measurements under Gabe’s supervision and noted them on our fitting forms. I took half back, back length, waist, sleeve length, opening length and lapel depth. I then went through the design of the jacket, picking out the different aspects that he can have on his jacket. He decided on slant pockets with a ticket pocket on the left, and a standard peaked label, SB2 (single breasted 2 button)  The fabric that he decided was a herringbone lightweight wool mix in a navy with a red and navy poka-dot lining.
As my client came in late afternoon, I put through the fabric order to the mills, and I will take the measurement form to Tian’s tomorrow ready to start pattern cutting. The fabric should take only a couple of days to come through to the shop, but the time scale is never guaranteed, and sometimes it can take up to a week if the mils have a lot of orders.

We have a 6-8 week guarantee from start to finish with our garments, but they never normally take that long! That time frame is to cover the time frame for the fabric to be delivered, and also to add in 1^st and a 2^nd fit if required. 

October- House is an English Tailors, situated in the heart of London, between High Holburn and Tottencourt Road.
October- House is a small studio, with the view to expand in the near future.

Dave Berry, and Neil Fennel are the co-owners of October house, with Gabrielle John being the managing director.

October House has dressed the likes of; David Gandy for the Elle style awards, Scott Parker for his interview with Sport magazine and Craig Charles, just to name a few.

October House has also been mentioned in Cosmopolitan, Apetogentleman, FHM, Esquire, and many more.


All the measuring and design selections are made in the studio with the clients, and the Construction is then made in the other London studio, and sometimes sent to the other studio in Leeds.

A normal day starts at 9.30 for me, and will go onto about 6pm, sometimes later if a client would like a later appointment.

So far whilst working at October house, I have been working alongside Gabriel John, who has been teaching me what he knows within the industry. Before working for October House, Gabriel worked along Savil Row, where he gained most of his knowledge of the tailoring industry, he also spent a few years in Turnbull and Asser.
Gabriel has been teaching me how to measure properly for a suit, and has also been teaching me how to take in alterations.


Once the alterations that I have taken on the suit are completed, and double checked by Gabriel I have then been taking the suits to the other Studio in London to sew the alterations. I have been working with a lady called Tian when it comes to the construction side.

I have also been learning the selling and business side of the company. Gabriel has been teaching me the correct procedure and manor isms to sell a suit, and more importantly to sell a suit that the customer wants, and would wear and not so much a suit that the sales person would want them to wear.
I have also been dealing with the cloth mills to order the correct amounts of cloth and lining for the suits, and making sure that the cloth numbers that I put down are correct.
Gabriel has been double checking my orders are correct before I send them through the the mills and the other studios, and so far so good :)

Friday was a very long day, I was up at 6.30am to travel up to Leeds with Gabriel, to drop off Craig Charles' suit, and to take measurements for two other clients, and to also check in on the studio in Leeds, to make sure that all is running smoothly up there, and all the orders are going through OK.

This week I Gabriel is letting me work on my own client. He will be working along side me, and watching to make sure that everything I am doing is correct. I will measure the clients and then take note of these measurements. I will then show the client the cloth and lining books that we have so the client can choose what he wants. During this process I will also discuss the different options that my client can have within his suit; Single breasted, number of buttons, notched lapel, peaked lapel, slanted or straight pockets etc. I will then take the measurements and requirements to Tian to work on the pattern cutting together. I will watch Tian do this and she will show me how its done!
One of the machinists will sew most of the suit, but I will do little things like sewing in the darts, binding the fly front, and then hand felling the hems of the trousers.
My client will then come into the studio for what we call first fit, this is to make any slight alterations and changed to the suit, normally involves removing slight drape of the jacket. I will then take this back to Tian's where we can work on the alterations together ready for the final fit where the client can then take home the suit :D

I am really excited about working here, and am loving it so far. The placement is only short, but I am staying and working right up until September!