Here's why women should suit up too

Pawan and Ashish of Knights & Lords bust gender-related myths surrounding bespoke tailoring

Bespoke suits, when they were born four centuries ago, were originally battle dresses used by the British military. Gradually, they became a part of every nobleman's culture, sharing the same rich history as the esteemed gentlemen who wore their suits. It is also due to this that all legendary bespoke tailoring houses have very masculine names such as Andreson & Shepard, Henry Poole & Co, etc.

Well, bespoke suits have since evolved from being mere battledresses or military uniforms to lounge suits, which are crafted keeping the purpose of the suit in mind. These purposes today are shared equally by men and women - since battles today are being fought in business boardrooms. Bespoke power suits are, therefore, proving to be worthy statement-makers for both genders alike. It is a misconception that bespoke suits are meant for men or that such tailoring houses with their very masculine names do not make suits for women. Today, all Savile Row tailors craft suits for women and men. Unfortunately, the name of the tailoring house or the history behind it does not communicate the same since, back in history, it was solely used by men as a way of equipping themselves on the battlefield.

Since its inception, Knights & Lords has had the pleasure of crafting suits for several notable women. One of them happens to be Kelly Rodgers aka Kelis, singer of the multi-award winning hit song Milkshake from the album Tasty. She has been recognised at the Brit Awards, Q Awards, NME Awards and Grammy Awards. She has also diversified her interests and is a recognisable name on the culinary scene, appearing as a celebrity chef in television cooking shows and penning her own cookbook to boot.

She had commissioned a deep teal three-piece power suit for her music performances on stage. The suit has since acted as an anchor to energise her during her shows. The aim of the Peak Lapel on the suit was to 'peak' the ability of the artist to her utmost potential. The inner lining was chosen as a patterned bronzed gold to give it that subtly elite touch with flashes of the lining when the jacket is left undone. Additionally, the trousers were cut in a high-waisted fashion with a slight flair at the bottom from the 1970s. This gave it a perfect personal blend of a powerful suit with subtle references taken from dressing in the 1970s and reinterpreted for the current day.

Other notable leaders of industry like Arianna Huffington and Indra Nooyi, heads of state like Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton, as well as other celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and Lady Gaga have also been known to wear bespoke suits.

In a world where women continue to excel in most fields just as much as - or even
more than - men, a bespoke suit is a worthy companion to amplify this success in a world that is now largely recognising their meritorious talents.
Meet the authors Pawan and Ashish are bespoke tailors at Knights & Lords, a bespoke tailoring house in Dubai. They are inspired by the alchemy of craftsmanship and bespoke tradition aimed at re-designing the wearer's inner architecture. They have learnt the traditional craft of bespoke tailoring from Savile Row, London - considered to be the spiritual home of bespoke tailors even today (www.knightsandlords.ae; bespoke@knightsandlords.com; www.instagram.com/knightsandlords)
wknd@khaleejtimes.com