Paul Hawley London Dressmaking & Soft Tailoring
I love designing clothes! I have been making them since I was a young man growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Like many young people, my first experience sewing garments began with pleas from my brother and sisters to narrow their trousers (after all, this was the early eighties). My interests led me to experiment with fabric; cutting patterns and constructing clothes based on how I thought they should look. As you can imagine, this resulted in some interesting garments, indeed! I moved on to using commercial patterns, but felt constrained by having to adapt other people's designs. I knew it was time to move to a centre of fashion and enterprise.
I came to London in 1990 to study fashion and began taking classes at London College of Fashion. Having completed a variety of full time courses including Ladieswear (for which I received a certificate in 1995) and Menswear (for which I received a degree in 2000), I moved into high street business.
In July 1997 I began working at Nicholas Craig, a bespoke tailors in Islington, where I developed their range of ladieswear and men's occasion wear (including neckties, bow ties, cravats and cummerbunds). In 1998, I designed a dress in saffron coloured silk to be used as a window display. It was an instant hit! It soon became nicknamed ‘That little gold dress’ because while I was serving customers inside the shop, a common phrase I heard women make to their friends as they passed on the street was, ‘…there's that little gold dress I was telling you about.’ From then on, women began coming into the shop with great frequency. Their requirements ranged from simply enjoying having clothes made to measure, to having unique fit or style requirements that made ready-to-wear impossible, to wanting to have a favourite garment copied. My years at Nicholas Craig helped me to focus on what women really want—stylish clothing that is both flattering and comfortable to wear.
On this website you will find pictures of clothing and outfits I have made. I have also included a section of flat drawings. These are simple line drawings of clothes that are very classic and hugely popular. You may wish to use these drawings as a point of reference when you want me to make something for you. Alternatively we can chat over your requirements and match them up with concepts from other sources. I have many examples to inspire you!
When it comes to selecting cloth, my many suppliers for suiting and dressmaking fabrics present you with a choice where the sky is quite literally the limit.
