Senior representatives from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) visited prestigious tailoring businesses on Savile Row in London, as part of the new UKFT-led review into the Bespoke Tailor and Cutter Level 5 apprenticeship standard.

Nikki Christie, deputy director of the business services division, Tina Bhambra senior assessment manager and Kirsty Woollaston, senior product manager in the Creative and Design route at IfATE, travelled to Savile Row to visit  Anderson & Sheppard, Dege & Skinner, Henry Poole and Co and  Huntsman and Sons Ltd, to see some of the best bespoke tailoring in the world. They were shown around by Su Thomas, Director of Savile Row Bespoke.

Savile Row has been internationally recognised as the home of bespoke tailoring for more than two centuries. These businesses deliver apprenticeships and will form part of the Trailblazer group for the revision of the Bespoke Tailor and Cutter L5 standard.

During the visit Nikki, Tina and Kirsty toured the Row and viewed the cutting room, where traditional pattern cutting methods are drawn to enable the bespoke cutting of the fabric. They also visited the tailoring facilities, which is divided into two areas, one area where coat makers are responsible for the end-to-end making of a full range of bespoke coats (including, smoking jackets and waistcoats) and the other where trouser makers are responsible for the end-to-end making of trousers.

They also had the opportunity to talk with master cutters, coat makers and trouser makers as well as apprentices. The apprentices were enthusiastic about their apprenticeships and IfATE were highly impressed by the apprentices’ dedication and the time and effort master cutters and tailors gave to training highly skilled staff to maintain the integrity of the making and the craft.

Having the opportunity to see the occupations in action also gave them a better appreciation of making and the required knowledge skills and behaviours that will be required to ensure an apprentice reaches full occupational competence.

The Row raised a few concerns about some of the current content of the standard and EPA and this will be considered as part of the revision process. IfATE are delighted that representatives from the Row will form part of the Trailblazer group, when the standard is revised.

The Level 5 Bespoke Tailor & Cutter Apprenticeship was originally developed in 2016 by an employer-led Trailblazer group which included Henry Poole, Anderson & Sheppard, Dege and Skinner, Gieves and Hawkes, Chittleborough and Morgan, Norton and Sons, Welsh and Jeffries, Richard Anderson, Meyer and Mortimer, Kathryn Sargent, Davies & Son, and Lutwyche.

The apprenticeship was fully approved and has since provided a funded apprenticeship pathway covering two specialisms for both Tailor and Cutter.

The apprenticeship has now been running for six years and must be reviewed to ensure content, assessment and delivery still reflect the needs of the industry. Feedback so far has been positive, with just a few amendments and additions identified by employers and apprentices that have taken part. UKFT is leading the review, which will take place later this year based on up-to-date feedback from the industry.

UKFT SKILLS AND TRAINING