To Be Modern and British: Thom Sweeney

Some years ago, I was really enamored with slightly contemporary British cuts that were a bit structured in the shoulders, nipped in the waist, and slimmer fitting. I think this is the kind of suit that works well for a man in his late-20s and early-30s, which was how old I was at the time, but I admit I never found too many occasions to wear such a thing. New Year’s Eve parties, certain weddings, and some bars maybe, but that’s about it.

In any case, these are the kinds of suits that Thom Sweeney does well. The company was started by Thom Whiddett and Luke Sweeney, who met while they worked for London’s famous East End tailor, Timothy Everest. The two take a contemporary perspective on very traditional, classic British designs. Their typical style is slim and single breasted, with a distinctly fitted body and very flattering lapels.

Whiddett and Sweeney say that their shoulders are modeled after the Italian soft shoulder, but they still look fairly structured to me. Nevertheless, they’re made with lighter padding and softer canvases, which does soften them up a bit. At the same time, it’s important to note that softer tailoring has been popular all throughout England for years, including on Savile Row, so this isn’t particularly unique to just them.

Below is their lookbook. While they do a full bespoke service, and can cut any number of styles, they produce a large number of odd jackets and trousers for their clients. Here we see grey Prince of Wales flannels, navy needlecords, brown tweed checks, and a number of really amazing cashmere overcoats. At the very end of this post is an interview that Tom Stubbs did with them a while back. You can see what I mean in the video when I say these suits work well for men in their early 30s. That’s how old Whiddett and Sweeney are, and they look sharp as tacks.

If you’re not in London, you can catch Whiddett and Sweeney on one of their tours in the US. They visit many of the major cities with some frequency.