Individualised suit consultations, complete with measurements, fabric swatches and an expert’s trained eye, don’t usually happen at speed. But that’s exactly what the tailoring team at King & Allen have achieved with Bespoke On Board: a UK-first concept that turns a train carriage into a pop-up tailoring studio, delivering an entire made-to-measure suit consultation for business workers on their daily commute.
Having proven the concept in the capital, with a 27-minute commuter dash between Surbiton and London Waterloo in January, the King & Allen team brought Bespoke On Board to the Midlands this week, boarding a commuter train from Sutton Coldfield into Birmingham New Street.
Following an initial call to determine the client’s requirements, the tailor met Richard Curth Baydum and took him through style choices, followed by cloth, linings and button selection and a full set of measurements, all before the train reached its destination.
Building Manager, Richard, explained: “The Bespoke On Board experience was brilliant. I loved the fact I could have a full suit consultation on my way to work, without having to find the time to visit a showroom. The whole experience was so relaxed and enjoyable that I genuinely forgot we were even on a train. Then, before I knew it, we were arriving at Birmingham New Street and everything was done. It was such an easy and enjoyable way to have a bespoke suit made.”
Jake Allen, co-founder and CEO of King & Allen, added: “Bespoke tailoring has always been an incredibly personal experience, but that doesn’t mean the way we deliver it can’t evolve. Bespoke On Board is about fitting our service around the lives of our clients and turning time spent commuting into an opportunity to create something completely personal to them. Richard’s consultation showed just how naturally the experience works.”
Following the consultation, the process is completed at King & Allen’s Jewellery Quarter premises – it is designed to be brief and respectful of other passengers, while demonstrating that heritage craftsmanship businesses can evolve without losing their essence.
Allen concluded: “We’ve been making bespoke suits for more than 20 years, and we’re always looking at how we can make the experience more accessible and convenient without losing the personal touch that makes bespoke tailoring so special.”
King & Allen has premises in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Knutsford, Surbiton, London Liverpool Street, and Savile Row. They have been serving clients since 2003, redefining bespoke tailoring through sustainable practices and individually crafted suits. Celebrity fans include X Factor’s Lucy Spraggan, Formula 1 legend Nigel Mansell, singer Conor Maynard and Love Island’s Marcel Somerville.
Visit their website here: kingandallen.co.uk
Or follow them on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/kingandallen
