Carol AlayneApr 20, 20192 minFor gawd sake, get me to the church on time!I had request from a bride-to-be this week. It was not for a new commission, but rather a desperate plea to remedy a gown she had ordered from another suppl...
Carol AlayneNov 7, 20181 minBorn again clothes!I was helping a male client with his wardrobe edit the other day; what to keep, amend, archive or recycle. He was convinced his old DJ had seen its day and...
Carol AlayneDec 30, 20173 minBriefing for Bespoke: Line, shape, proportionYou may have caught the compelling TV series “Madmen“. The story of the how the advertising industry took fire on Madisson Avenue in the 60’s. (30 years ea...
Carol AlayneDec 10, 20172 minSeveral SavilesDuring the summer my thoughts were solicited by THINK, a style magazine based in Dubai. It was running an article on the latest in bespoke tailoring and how ...
Carol AlayneDec 1, 20172 minButton up your overcoat, when the wind is free…t’s time to sing that chorus again. With the evenings drawing in and the temperature falling, we will need to think of bundling up in a few more layers wh...
Carol AlayneOct 21, 20172 minTrouser rolesI have a number of autumn/winter trousers in production at the moment. As I was putting the final hand stitches into a blue birdseye wool pair it struck me ...
Carol AlayneSep 17, 20172 minIs tailoring eco-friendly?One of the things I find most satisfying about tailoring is the opportunity to create practical but aesthetic garments. The perfect combination of usefulness...
Carol AlayneAug 30, 20173 minWhen less is moreIn 1940, with all-out war looming, the UK government Board of Trade decided to restrict the amount of clothing available in order to preserve resources. They...
Carol AlayneAug 1, 20172 minSensational ButterfliesThe caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity’, supposedly said the comedian George Carlin. I guess this is true in most cases. ...
Carol AlayneJul 27, 20172 minWomen tinkering with tailoring! Why not do it for real“Annie Hall” hit the mark perfectly some 30 years ago in the eponymous film by Woody Allen. From top down, her combination of trilby, shirt and tie, waistc...
Carol AlayneJul 16, 20172 minThe credit crunch, suits, and a pricing conundrumWith the current financial turmoil that surrounds us it seems appropriate to talk about price of goods, but on this occasion I intend to do it from the ‘make...
Carol AlayneJun 6, 20173 minTools of the tradeI make no secret of my love of craft – the special skills, the attention to detail, the creativity. This week I’m privileged to speak at a meeting of the Cit...
Carol AlayneMay 30, 20172 minThat thing called SwingFrom time to time I wonder what happens to the finished garments that leave my studio, often with my exit advice to “wear them in”. It is common to ask this ...
Carol AlayneMar 17, 20172 minThe credit crunch: Best value…made-to-measure or bespokeIt seems from recent press that ‘buying quality’ is the advice when preparing your wardrobe in times of financial uncertainty. So how does this apply with y...
Carol AlayneFeb 19, 20171 minDressing for the stageWhen I first started business in the UK it was through a company I created called ‘The Concert Store’. Music is a great passion of mine, and this business b...
Carol AlayneJan 10, 20172 minAll in a day…dressThe V&A seminar, an invitation to speak on the BBC’s iconic radio programme Woman’s Hour, and a new commision from the King’s Singers have all given life an...