Monarch backs British craftsmen by opting for artisan tailors to make his Coronation outfits
Savile Row outfits that will transform Charles from ‘pauper’ to king: Monarch supports British artisans by choosing artisan tailors to make his coronation outfits
King Charles is supporting British artisans by choosing artisan tailors to make his coronation outfits, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
A source close to the preparations for the coronation said: ‘The idea is that the king arrives “as a pauper” and leaves as a crowned king and that the clothes allow for that transformation.
“That’s why we’ll find the king changing outfits during the service.”
The King arrives at the Abbey wearing Royal Navy military trousers made by Master Tailor Malcolm Plews.
Regarded by many as ‘the best cutter on Savile Row’, Mr Plews has been responsible for the King’s military uniforms for the last 40 years and holds the Royal Warrant. His biography on the Royal Warrant Holders website says his ‘commitment to quality transforms his bespoke suits into more than just something you wear.
King Charles is supporting British artisans by choosing artisan tailors to make his coronation outfits, The Mail on Sunday has learned
The King arrives at the Abbey in Royal Navy military trousers made by Master Tailor Malcolm Plews for the coronation
They become an emotion, a feeling of trust – something that keeps customers coming back.”
A lot of attention has been paid to every stitch
For the anointing, the king wears a silk undershirt made by Turnbull & Asser. The collars and cuffs are hand embroidered with acorns and oak leaf details.
The garment is said to have been made in Gloucestershire from English hand-spun silk.
Savile Row shoe retailer Gaziano & Girling is thought to have been responsible for making special slippers – ‘opera pumps’ – for the king to wear on coronation day.
They are completely handmade in Northampton with Swiss calf leather. The only leather comes from a tannery in Devon using ancient methods.
A source said: ‘At every stage of the preparations, the king has asked for traditional techniques and sustainable fabrics to be made. A lot of thought went into planning every stitch and every detail.”
The Mail on Sunday previously revealed that the king would wear a golden coat and a super tunic – a priestly robe to symbolize the divine nature of kingship.