Fashfest 2014: Designer Profile – Braddon Tailors

On Saturday I was lucky enough to catch up with Pip Morgan and Tarun Charker, the minds and passion behind three-years-young made-to-measure and bespoke atelier Braddon Tailors, located right in the heart of the Canberra CBD.

Haven't heard of them? Neither had I, and yet Braddon Tailors have filled more than 400 orders for tailored and bespoke suiting since opening in 2009. As the boys explained, their relative anonymity has been a conscious decision, not advertising at all and relying instead on word of mouth and client referrals to build a stable of savvy customers who know what they are looking for in fine-cut garments.

Photo provided by Braddon Tailors

I don't want to get too gushy, but BraddonTailors is already the show that I am most looking forward to of Fashfest 2014. Both Pip and Tarun have a genuine interest in the manufacture and supply of the very best in tailored and bespoke clothing to Canberra. In the two hours I spent chatting with them I caught a glimpse into the world that they offer to Canberra, and I liked everything that I saw.

Pip, who is public servant by day like myself, started the company to provide made-to-measure suits to a small customer base seeking a perfect fit and luxury fabrics. He is originally from Orange, NSW, where several generations ago his family owned a haberdashery.

Tarun joined Pip last year, a Canberra Institute of Technology clothing manufacturing student with an interest in denim and street wear and a wealth of experience in fashion retail.

Together they provide a service unlike any currently offered in Canberra, which is a luxury in and of itself. After an initial consultation at the studio in the heart of the city,  your measurements are taken, and then the fun begins. You can choose from over 2000 fabrics milled internationally, including from Dormeuil, the company who have provided the fabrics for every suit any James Bond has ever worn on screen; or The London Cloth Company, who use an historic loom rescued from a barn to create breathtakingly individual fabrics.

Your measurements will then be sent to China, and in roughly six weeks you will receive your hand-fitted but machine-stitched suit based on three fittings. Or, a truly bespoke suiting service, where every stitch is completed by hand and the only machinery used is a pair of scissors; can be arranged via a team of top tailors in London's West End.

For Fashfest 2014  Braddon Tailors are the first, and only, luxury house showing on the runway. A line of 10 outfits, including two for women, covering industrial, traditional and luxury tropes will be presented. And following Fashfest Pip and Tarun will launch Cotter’s Crossing, a weekend semi-formal and ready-to-wear casual clothing label.

Fashfest 2014 will run over four nights from April 30 at the striking location of Canberra International Airport. Tickets can still be purchased at www.fashfest.com.au