Made to Measure in Marylebone
Having been open for a year, Erlend Norby continues to aspire to, “make made to measure as good as it can be”
Article by Rupert Watkins Photography Andy Barnham
Tucked away north of Oxford Street, lies one of London’s newest tailors Taliare. Founded by Erlend Norby only a year ago, this elegant and comfortable establishment is already seeing a steady stream of custom beat a path to its door. Erlend unapologetically focuses on a made to measure service. Though he is has a nascent full bespoke capability, he has found the made to measure market to be more cost effective.
Erlend trained in France before coming to Britain to complete his education on the Row, at 40 Savile Row. Following this, he moved to Stephan Shirts – the Cypriot shirt makers - in Fulham for just over five years. This small but thriving firm also supplied Service and Barrack Dress shirts to the British Army and Erlend was a frequent visitor to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to measure up Officer Cadets. This working with the military and the shape, style and silhouette of many officer’s dress uniforms and civilian suits has influenced Erlend’s own house cut. The high waisted trousers he offers are a clear nod to military overalls. A Taliare coat is cut under the rib cage and long to allow the skirt of the jacket to naturally flare. It will have high armholes and slim arms and the pockets will sit fractionally higher than elsewhere thus showing a slight Army Service Dress pedigree.
Chatting with both Erlend and his colleague Greg Dunn, this classic and refined outline is once again finding favour. Greg commented that labels – especially those who are tightly bound to transient fashion and cut – are quietly being superseded by those more discreet brands offering a more traditional dimension and profile. The 1960s look with skinny lapels that hit its peak three to four years ago is starting to head out. That said, many of their customers are bolder now with their colour palette. Erlend and Greg are seeing a lot of their younger clientele going for a much brighter blue for their suits than even a couple of years ago.
Like many of the newer tailors, Taliare’s new custom tends to be in their early to mid 30s. The bulk of their work is for traditional business suits though Erlend sees a number of clients wanting wedding suits. He stocks cloths by the major mills, Dugdales, Holland & Sherry and from abroad, Loro Piana, Bernhardt and Reda.
Made to measure has been revolutionised over the past decade. Erlend does not hide the fact his suit are made abroad. He uses Bernhardt in Prague to make up his garments; having worked with them during his time on Savile Row, he praises the quality of the cut the factory strives for. Technology has hugely improved the methodology of made to measure he says, a bespoke cut and silhouette can now be moved onto a made to measure system. Bernhardt use sophisticated computer aided design (CAD) programmes that now enable the cloth to be manipulated far more dextrously than ever before. Taliare offers an affordable route into fine tailoring, being open about its provenance but holding onto the same principles – cut, cloth and tradition – that mark out the finest English workmanship, “We are trying to make made to measure as good as it can be”.
The company’s first steps into full English made bespoke remain slow and careful. Skilled tailors remain at a premium. Despite high profile event such as the Golden Shears, Savile Row still complains of a lack of labour though there remains very little money – even at that level – to take on the necessary personnel. Newer firms looking to move into this most exclusive world have to compete with the inevitable cache of the Row. That said, Erlend commented on brands like Patrick Grant’s E Tautz are beginning to allow more design oriented apprentices a foothold. His colleague Greg worked in theatre costume making so comes to Taliare with a strong background in pattern cutting and creating garments from scratch.
Footfall for Taliare in their Seymour Street home has been excellent, helped by the kernel of customers Erlend bought with him from Stephan Shirts. Many of these are serving or ex – Army officers and Erelend commented he has always liked the traditions and panache of that military manner of dressing. He can offer a full floating canvas for his coats and also (befitting his previous firm) offers made to measure shirts though with a 70:30 split this is not the dominate side of Taliare’s business. Offering shirtings from the likes of Canclini, Tessitura, Ringhart and Thomas Mason, Erlend uses another firm in the Czech Republic, Stylus, to create his shirts. Offering the ability to only order one shirt (at a very respectable £120) is a huge bonus for this form of shirt making. He will re-collar and re-cuff if needed and provides a second set when the initial order is placed.
Erlend stresses the importance of his initial consultation, not merely a time for a customer to aimlessly pick out a suiting, it is critical for him to know what for and how frequently the suit will be used. This element of service ties Taliare to the very best traditions of English tailoring. As Greg pointed out, “most men still don’t know about style”. Like so many tailors Riddle has interviewed, whilst the profusion of blogs and articles means the information is readily accessible, Erlend and Greg also believe too many new customers remain overwhelmed by the combinations available as well as still being confused by how bespoke and made to measure continue to be badly defined in some marketing. Throughout the process Erlend stresses, “the client needs to know what they’re buying”.
Like many new business in the tailoring and luxury world, Erlend innately felt the right time had come when he set up Taliare last year having the confidence to know both his core area and handle the business side of the undertaking. As he says though, it is a pleasure running his own business, “it’s stimulating…you’re always dealing with individuals”. With custom coming in to take advantage of a rather decent opening price of £595, Taliare is thriving; as well as normal suits, the tailors does the occasional dinner jacket and has made a couple of morning dress suits.
And what of the name..? Taliare is taken from the Latin verb “to cut”, the root of the word tailor. Erlend offers an excellent service and Taliare is an elegant way to introduce oneself to the world of fine tailoring. 
Further Enquiries: Taliare, 5 Seymour Place, London W1H 5BA / 0207 7235100 / [email protected] / http://www.taliare.com/