Steven Hitchcock is perhaps still best known as the son of John Hitchcock, long the head cutter at Anderson & Sheppard. Steven trained there, and his style is similar to A&S.
But it’s not quite the drape cut that A&S is famous for, and which we analysed in this series when we looked at my blue-linen jacket cut by Hitchcock Sr.
The shoulder is a little smaller; the length a little longer; the drape slightly less pronounced.
It is, in other words, slightly less stylised than A&S – and even though Steven’s cut has developed over the years, his subsequent jackets for me have been similar in their understated style.
House: Steven Hitchcock
Address: 13 Savile Row, London
Site: thesavilerowtailor.co.uk
Cutter: Steven Hitchcock
Price of jacket and trousers (at time of writing): £4320 (incl VAT)
Steven cut this jacket and trousers for me back in 2012, when he was still in a basement on Savile Row, before he moved to St George’s Street and then to Chiltern Street recently.
I’ve always liked the drape cut, primarily because it’s sharp English tailoring but more relaxed, and more comfortable. The combination of the small armhole and larger drape makes for a jacket that I can work at a desk in all day.
I also find that drape rather flattering, as I don’t have a large chest – more flattering than alternatives like built-up shoulders or a roped sleevehead.
And I’ve come to positively like my sloping shoulders. English tailors often want to square them up with padding, but I actually think a slope looks better. Square shoulders can look boxy and confined unless particularly wide.
It wasn’t until I started comparing the measurements on this jacket with my Anderson & Sheppard that I realised how consistent that point about understated style is.
In almost every aspect, Steven’s cut is more restrained. The shoulder width is 6½ inches rather than seven. The length is 31¾ inches rather than 31¼. The lapel is 3½ inches rather than 3¾.
The buttoning point is still relatively low compared to other jackets we’ve looked at (19¾ inches from the shoulder seam). But not as low as the A&S, and of course that effect is greater relative to its longer length.
Even the opening of the quarters (below the waist button) is the same: more open than most English, but ever-so-slightly more closed than that A&S jacket.
These are small points, but the overall effect is tangible. The kind of thing you notice but can’t quite find the reason for, until you get to this level of detail.
Of course, Steven’s style is not set in stone. As with almost every tailor in this series, working with him is an interactive process and the customer can alter everything listed here by small amounts, if they wish.
But, I also always recommend that a bespoke customer not try to change a tailor’s style. Don’t go to a structured tailor and ask them for a drape cut. It’s just insulting.
And, just as importantly, you don’t know enough to start designing a jacket from scratch. If you start altering many things but not everything, you might end up with a dog’s dinner.
Part of the point of this series is to see the default styles of every major tailor, and consider which you like most. When you know you’re happy with that, then you can start tweaking things like the length or the lapel width.
Other style points worth noting here are the flat run from the shoulder into the sleevehead – there is no roping there – but that the sleevehead is quite wide, adding a little width.
The sleeve is pretty classic, with ample room in the upper arm and a slight taper to the cuff. There is definite suppression in the waist and back, but not extreme.
I think the length is actually a tiny bit longer that it seems in the photo of the back, above. This might be due to stance or camera position, but the jacket is longer than the A&S linen, yet here doesn’t seem to quite cover the seat of the trousers, while the A&S does.
One more reason not the judge too much directly from the photos, but rather see them as illustrative of the points made in the text.
The cloth of the jacket is an 11oz tweed from Holland & Sherry’s SherryTweed bunch. I’ve always liked the colour for how unusual it is, without being that bright or showy.
But it’s not the easiest one to pair with trousers and accessories. It’s best with brown or charcoal trousers, I find, and is too similar to blue shirts to wear one underneath. So I normally wear white or strong blue/white stripes.
The shirt here is actually a cream brushed-cotton, which I think is again nice for being a little unusual and not as corporate-looking as white.
A white shirt is also a little cold for the outfit overall, given the warm tone of the brown moleskin trousers (which Steven also made me at the same time, perhaps need taking in a little to hitch them up, and which today I would have with turn-ups).
In fact, overall this could be seen as an update on a rather English, old-fashioned look: tweed, moleskins, cream shirt and suede. The kind of colours and textures your grandfather might have worn – if not the cut.
The navy wool/silk handkerchief is from Anderson & Sheppard, the shirt was made by Luca Avitabile, and the shoes (below) are the unlined Dover from Edward Green, in mink suede.
Those Dovers are still the most comfortable dress shoe I’ve ever worn, with the luscious single layer of suede and thin rubber sole.
It might be fashions changing, but they also don’t look as round-toed to me as they once did (the 202 last). They almost feel pointy. Perhaps I’ve been wearing too much Alden recently.
Style breakdown
- Shoulder width: 6½ inches
- Shoulder padding: Moderate, three ply
- Sleevehead: Flat
- Sleeve: Classic, slight taper
- Cuff width: 11½ inches
- Lapel: 3½ inches
- Gorge height: 3¾
- Drape: Moderate
- Outbreast pocket height: 9½ inches
- Buttoning point: 19¾ inches
- Waist suppression: Slim
- Quarters: Quite open, straight
- Length: 31¾ inches
- Back seam: Suppressed
- Vent height: 9¾ inches
- Trouser circumference at knee: 21 inches
- Trouser circumference at cuff: 15 inches
Photography: Jamie Ferguson @jkf_man
I think this coat really suits your body shape (speaking as someone who lives with sloping shoulders). It just seems to have been cut with such skill and empathy. Compared to, say, your Dalcuore brown suit (and I know it isn’t an exact like for like comparison, not least in terms of fabric) which has a similarly high buttoning point this one looks, to my eye, much better. The Dalcuore skirt flair appears to suggest a pear shape whereas Steven Hitchcock’s line is much more flattering, as is his treatment of the shoulder ends. For me, this is a subtle, stylish cut. I really like it. Usual caveats about judging from photographs apply.
I think the cut is very flattering and the colour combination is excellent. The trousers seem to fit you very elegantly as well whilst clearly being casual. What do you think of Steve’s style for trousers? Did you ask for a more tapered look or is this a reflection of his normal cut?
This is fairly normal, but there’s not really a house style for trousers. You could easily have them narrower
Liked your comment about 202 last especially because I myself was looking at my Alden loafers next to 202 EG this morning deciding what to wear. I came to realize by the way that this particular style (Dover) with its apron stitching running along makes 202 last look sleeker than let’s say captoed oxford.
I thought I saw this jacket at Steven’s shop on Saint George Street last year, but perhaps it was a different one (that was a Donegal, I think). Anyway, this is very nice and a good description of Steven’s style. Relaxed and comfortable are two words I would certainly use to describe the finished article. I especially like Steven’s cut and make for trousers.
And your comment about the Dovers resonated with me. I was late to the Dover party, but now that I’m there I find them to be easily the most comfortable RTW shoe I’ve ever worn. So much so that I have started to order custom versions from EG, always on the 202 with the slim rubber soles. I don’t get on with loafers at all, so I think Dovers fill the same role for me.
I’m not sure if I’ve commented on other entries prior to this one, but I find this to be a very informative series.
Thank you Andrew.
Yes I think you saw my charcoal Donegal. That was the third jacket Steven has made me; this was the first
Love this series. Can’t wait for the Ciro Zizolfi write up!
An absolutely beautiful jacket, one of your best, I think. It’s a shame that the cloth isn’t still available. The cut and fit look absolutely perfect to my eyes (noting your warnings about the wisdom of making judgements based on the photography). I think the only hesitation for me is the curvature of the lapels. Nothing wrong with them, of course, and typically British, I think, but I tend to prefer the straighter lapels featured by many Italian (or Italian-inspired) tailors. Just a matter of personal taste, of course. That apart, I’d happily own this jacket. The trousers look good too.
One of your finest IMO. The jacket, the trousers, the shoes.
Usual caveats applied of course but I find this style and colour combination very flattering.
Hi Simon,
Regarding your comment about having these trousers with turn-ups, would you really recommend it for moleskin? I ask because I’m thinking about ordering a pair of moleskin trousers (in dark olive) and I thought that it would look better without turn-ups given that it’s more of a casual fabric (most of my wool trousers do have turn-ups). I know that turn-ups are in general more casual, but won’t they look a little odd with a more casual type of trouser?
The other question is, should I go for pleats? I have both flat front and pleated trousers but I find that one pleat makes the trouser more comfortable and less likely to look bad when I have a phone or wallet in the pockets. I wonder though if again, a more casual trouser would work with pleats. Thanks!
I don’t think a turn-up with a casual trouser is a problem at all. It’s obviously a style, which you might like less, but I wouldn’t worry on the casualness side. The only thing I might worry about is the thickness of moleskin.
Same with a pleat. I wouldn’t do two, but one is subtle in something casual. But the thickness of the material might mean it doesn’t really function
But flat front + turn ups?
Yes, that’s what most of my trousers are
Not the traditional approach, then.
How do you think the pleat would work with whipcord?
BR
Traditions vary and are often little more than fashions. Turn-ups in general are rarely worn in the UK but frequently in Italy in recent years – and often with flat fronts
It would be nice in whipcord, sharp
Thank you. I always believed there was some practicality behind as it is often the case with traditions; adding a little weight to help the pleat stay closed when standing up. Nothing to have a militant attitude about, but always good to know the rationale behind and then make a personal choice.
Exactly
I’ve never liked how Hitchcock snr cut SB coats and this is in a similar style: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree I guess… If you look at the coat from the buttoning point down the foreparts appears to be pivoting around the buttoning point creating a distinct “X” to the coat as a whole. At least it isn’t in a check which accentuates the effect. Check out Hitchcock snr’s coat at Simon’s link above and then compare to some of the other coats in this excellent series.
Interesting. The X shape is what I look for on a jacket. Here, admittedly it is too obvious, probably because the quarters open a tad too high or the contour is too straight.
Overall, still l I find this is one of Simon’s most elegant jacket.
Ha ha- different strokes I guess. It’s more common for the foreparts to curve away from a point below the lower button on a 2 button jacket. I prefer this. I’m sure the low buttoning point has something to do with it as well.
Do you think this is the style of lapel that is idiosyncratic from Savile Row nowadays? I only see lapels with belly from the Row but I think in the 80’s this was not the rule. I kinda prefer straight lapels.
Good question and I don’t know – I haven’t seen many from back then.
Hi Simon. Really love the look of this jacket. I’m sure you don’t need more suggestions on posts, but are you ever going to start including your overcoats in this series? There are already some great overcoat posts, and based on your Instagram feed, looking like more to come. It’d be great to get a better look at them, and I’d personally enjoy a guide to overcoat styles, which details go with which type of coat, etc., in the same way that’s been done for suits and jackets.
A bit off topic, but can I get your opinion on a navy sport coat jacketing? This would be my first serious odd jacket, looking to be a bit on the casual side, brown buttons, patch pockets, definitely not to be confused with a navy suit jacket. I saw a navy tweed with a subtle herringbone (H&S sherry tweed bunch) that looked appealing. I’m also thinking of maybe a cashmere blend instead. Can you help guide me one way or the other?
Thanks!
Noted on overcoats, thanks.
On the jacketing, go for the darkest navy, not a blue – that would be my main advice.
And then pick between the cloths depending on how smart you want to be. Tweed is casual, cashmere is smart
Hi Simon. Sorry to continue the unrelated thread, but I’m curious as to why you suggested going for the darkest navy? I would have thought that the darker shade might be more formal and less versatile in terms of being able to go with different trousers/chinos etc, with the sweet spot being a slightly lighter shade.
That said, is it overthinking it to differentiate between shades of navy? Does it make much difference if a sports jacket is navy or… a slightly darker shade of navy when it comes to sports jackets (I can see it perhaps mattering with a suit)?
Thanks.
It depends really how big the variations are that we’re talking about. I guess I’d say that you want something that is definitely navy, and in no way a lighter shade.
And that is often what is called ‘dark navy’ in colour books.
Simon, will the navy watch cap be back in stock soon?
Yes, in just over a month. Email [email protected] if you want to be on the waiting list. Thanks
The buttoning point on the A&S makes it look just a little more balanced, but its cut is virtually indistinguishable from this Hitchcock unless put side to side. The drape, esp. in the front, is effectively imperceptible, which I like.
Do any English tailors do rounded quarters for their house style or is it just a neapolitan thing (c.f. your Liverano)?
As always, really appreciate this series.
Some have quarters that are more open than others – particularly some newer ones, like Thom Sweeeny. But mostly it’s not rounded, no.
I have an oatmeal tweed jacket in the make with Steven in a similar style (albeit single button) and this made me very excited for the finished product. I think of all the English tailors you have highlighted, Steven’s cut is damn near perfect and makes a very classic cut look contemporary and relaxed.
I was not a big fan of Hitchcock Sr’s cut of DB, especially the collar at the back which always virtually covered the whole of the shirt collar.
Simon, I think it’s been mentioned before but you really should try Steed; Edwin and Steve are from the same stable and comparing the two would be an interesting exercise.
Simon, don’t you think the bunching of the trousers in the front is unsightly? Wouldn’t it look better to shorten the front by 2cm and tailor them perhaps diagonally to the back?
I think you’re trying to read a bit too much into the fit from a partial picture to be honest
There are 4 shots from different angles of the trouser leg front and they appear to bunch on all of them. Would you say they are all distorted and the leg front is not too long?
Yes but you can’t see the top part of the trouser – specifying a particular technical solution without that, aside from the normal points about the danger of making judgements based on static photos, is hard.
The trousers are a little long, as mentioned in the article.
Simon, I think the trousers are spectacular length and all. I wouldn’t change a thing. Oh yes the jacket is really one of your best, in all proportions and shape.
Stephen Hitchcock is now based at 58 Chiltern Street, the same address as English Cut’s shop. Is there a formal connection between the two firms, e.g. Stephen Hitchcock cutting for English Cut?
Kenny
Edwin and Matthew took over the Chiltern St premises when Tom’s business went bust, but did not change the name above the door. They have now moved their business back to Cumbria, and so I imagine that Steve has decided to keep the name, or has yet to find time to change it.
Please provide clear evidence to back up those statements/assertions.
English Cut did not go bust and is still trading in Chiltern Street. Read Thomas Mahon’s account of his departure at https://cuttinganswers.com. It appears that Karl Matthews is still running the business with Paul Griffiths.
There has been no mention of Edwin and Matthew DeBoise leaving the business on the English Cut website. Steed only has a Savile Row address, a South East London phone number and an American number on its website.
My question on whether Stephen Hitchcock has joined English Cut remains unanswered.
Steven isn’t part of English Cut, he just rents the downstairs of their Chiltern Street shop.
Edwin & Matthew said they decided not to merge with English Cut back in the summer of 2018 after being in talks to run EC in late 2017. They now have no affiliation with EC. They meet with London clients at Chittleborough & Morgan, as they did for years prior to a brief stint at Chiltern Street.
Great length of the jacket
I really like the cut of this jacket. As other readers noted it fits your body very well.
As for the colour. Well I think that my wardrobe would come up great without a jacket in this colour.
It’s a beautiful jacket! Before reading the title I though it might have been done by cittleborough & morgan, not sure whether I am completely off path or there are some similarities.
Also – and I meant to write this many times – congratulations for the website. It is great to have someone commenting in detail rather than just posting pictures with brief, enthusiastic (and often sponsored) comments on Instagram!
Cheers Marco. It’s what we’ve been doing for 12 years, and will always continue
Dear Simon,
Thank you again for creating this thoroughly educational, engrossing, and ultimately inspirational site!
Given the relatively light color of this jacket, I thought I’d post my question here: for those of us working in medicine, what shirt/tie/trouser colors and textures do you think would look best with a white coat?
Secondly – these white coats many of us doctors wear are often misshapen, ill-fitting, sad sacks. Frequently they are made of polyester so as to withstand frequent washing & bleaching. There are a few companies that make somewhat better white coats (Medelita, for example), but again, their choices and fits are rather limited. What are your thoughts of commissioning such a coat (or several) from a tailor? Or do you think it may be preferable to get some pre-made coats (from Medelita or the like) and then have a tailor adjust them on me as needed?
Would be happy with any of your advice or that of my fellow readers.
Hi,
Great question. It’s not an area I know much about, and not something I’ve ever worn, but my instinct would be to start with simple and smart things, such as a light blue shirt and perhaps knitted navy tie. Then a blue stripe shirt, then other simple patterns of dark tie. Few things are really going to harmonise with stark white, but strong colours are likely to look the worst.
Also, you’re in one of the few professions where a tie clip is actually practical. Get a nice silver vintage one and wear it with those simple colours, at an angle. If you wanted to up the sartorial game, have a waistcoat and trousers made in the same suit cloth. So practical under a doctor’s coat (see ‘the logical waistcoat theory’)
On the coats, it would definitely be a waste having one made. I’d suggest getting the nicer type and having some alterations made – but only small ones. Don’t get it very fitted.
Hope that’s a good start
David Taub from Gieves and Hawks shared a picture of a client’s white lab coat which looked quite well. I am not sure whether it would have any functional benefits but there are bespoke examples of such coats. Hope it helps.
If you were to make something bespoke, I’d go to a shirtmaker. It doesn’t necessarily need the structure or cut of a jacket or suit
Thank you the excellent suggestions! I agree a lab coat would be best done by a shirt maker (and thank you Anonymous for pointing to an example from David Taub).
The waistcoat-with-trousers idea is truly inspired, and I had a great time diving back into your early posts on the matter! Two questions: I very much like flannel as suit/trouser material – what do you think of it as a material for waistcoats? And also – what about using a cardigan vest, like the one you developed with Smedley back in the day?
As for tie clips (do you use them, ever?) – why do you suggest wearing them at an angle?
Always grateful for your suggestions!
Oh good.
Flannel is great, but best in matching trousers and waistcoat, rather than waistcoat on its own.
A cardigan vest would also work well.
On tie clips, I just think a slight angle looks a little more nonchalant, a little less considered. Which is always a good thing in menswear.
Re the trousers Simon,15″ at the hem seems really narrow and 21″ at the knee looks to be quite wide.Your thoughts?
The difference is quite large, you’re right. Let me double check
Thanks Simon.In the photos your trousers look balanced so the given measurements through me a bit.My guess is that the hem is nearly 16″ and the knee perhaps 18″ -19″. Am I correct?
No, just checked and they’re wider than that. Hem is 17 inch and knee is 21
Hi simon! I have question, Should the trouser rise on a suit be above the belly button or at the belly button? Thanks! *sorry if I posted the same question on the wrong post*!
Hi Joseph,
If you want a high-rise trouser, which it sounds like you do, then I wouldn’t focus on the belly button but rather on your natural waist, which is the gap between your ribs and hip bones at your side. It is in this area, this narrowness, that the sides of the trousers should sit.
If you want lower rise trousers, chances are they’ll have to sit more in the middle of your hip bones at the side.
Simon
I just received my first jacket from Steven- a rather grey-toned cream shetland tweed from Wbill. When I first tried it on I thought it a bit roomy, having been accustomed to more modern english tailors like Thom Sweeney and neopolitans, but after a few wears it has quickly become my favorite jacket. Comfortable enough to sit in all day but a beautiful drape with lots of shape and subtle waist suppression. Needless to say I’ll be going back to Steven in the future and was extremely happy with the process and result.
Thanks as always for your thoughtful and comprehensive coverage of a great tailor, Simon.
Dear Simon,
Does Steven’s coat have more drape in the chest than the A&S or is it comparable?
Alex N.
Very similar. And of course it’s something you can tweak as a customer too
How much can you tweak something like that before it qualifies as changing a house style? Your coat looks great and If I went to him I would use it as a reference, but some coats I have seen from him have much more drape. Some drape is great for movement and comfort, but I somehow feel that companies can overdo the amount of drape just as a marketing tool. Steven in a video said he liked to cut lots of drape, which either would be contrary to the moderate rating you have assigned to him or he simply used it as a marketing tool to differentiate himself. Thoughts?
You can change it without affecting house style – it is something that would naturally come up during fittings. So I wouldn’t worry too much about that.
I think I know what you mean about it being a marketing tool, in that it is a fairly easy way for one tailor to differentiate themselves from another. But it would be something you could adjust.
Simon- would you say this cloth could work with dark denim?
Yes I think so
Hi Simon,
This series has been really helpful in understanding and appreciating different styles. You’ve mentioned before that one advantage of a hand-padded lapel is that it will roll better (more?) than a machine padded one. This Hitchcock jacket appears to have far less roll than your Solito jackets (I know images can be misleading regarding fit). If this is the case, could one say that the neapolitan style benefits more with a hand-padded lapel than a more english cut?
Hi Noel,
I’m very pleased to hear that, thanks.
You’re right, a hand-padded lapel does give you more control over how the lapel rolls open. And yes, a two-button jacket like this will always have less roll than a three-roll-two style, like the Solito.
That style does benefit a little more from the hand-padding, therefore. But that’s not to say that the two-button doesn’t benefit. There is still some subtle roll there that the tailor will want to control.
I hope that answers your question – as per usual, it’s shades of grey, not black and white!
Simon
Simon,
I would like your view on the following.
For a summer suit with Criapaire/ Fox air would you recommend a style like Steven’s? I have a summer jacket from a Neapolitan maker and is my go to piece, I never have to think about it when picking it out of the closet. However, for more formal things I do prefer British style. I had a photo shoot recently with a W and S suit and a Neapolitan suit and thought the Neapolitan was too distracting with the shoulders, lapel shape and buttonhole. The British are tidy, not perfect, but I believe that makes them understated. As much as I was rooting for Neapolitans to be a substitute of English style, they are not. More Comfortable, but not as suitable for a formal professional environment. So back to the question? For flannel, my go to would be Steven. However, I am just not sure how his cut would work in a 10oz cloth.
Would live your feedback.
Alex
I think it would work well Alex, no issues there. Particularly in a high twist wool
Simon, I recently commissioned some sport coats from W&S and I am very pleased with the results, service and relationship. The more I look at your Hitchcock commissions, the better those jackets look to me. A few questions. First, is it fair to say that the styles here are closely related between W&S and Hitchcock (drape cut, etc) – I have spent time with your style guides and it seems so to me. Second, I have the sense that Hitchcock’s finishing might be finer, although this is not a top priority for me – is that generally fair? Third—and I realize this is going to vary by customer—have you found that Hitchcock does a better job fitting you overall? Your reviews seem to imply Hitchcock’s balance, adjustment of his house style to the customer, etc is very close to the best you have had in English jackets. Just looking for a sense whether it is worth trying Hitchcock to further improve my bespoke experience so far. Thanks!
The styles are similar, but I’d say there are differences too – a little more drape with Steven for example.
The finishing I’d say is similar, though some of Steven’s have been exceptional.
And fit, again I’d say they’re both very good to be honest, there’s not much to pick between them.
I’d only change probably if you want a slightly different style
Thanks so much for the very valuable advice, Simon!