Tina Loder - Summer Suits and Ties

Tina Loder has worked in tailoring for thirty years. She worked with the legendary Douglas Hayward, the 'Rodin of tweed' and tailor to Charlie Croker in the 1969 original of The Italian Job, as well as being a freelance designer for Laura Ashley and Arabella Pollen.

Careful with that Pimms

From her tailor's shop in Savile Row (above Holland & Sherry) she began with bespoke commissions, but has recently expanded into a made-to-measure service and designing hand-made ties in limited collections. Below you see lovely summery examples of the bespoke suits made by Tina Loder. This splendid jacket is constructed from Irish linen in a brave cream — careful with that Pimms — and has patch pockets with flaps and mother of pearl buttons.

The elegant three-button jacket below (two-button jackets being the preponderant choice right now) is made from French cotton gabardine — a pig to work with by all accounts. The jacket has swell stitching on the lapels and slanted pockets.

Summer Ties

Ties are a natural progression for Tina, who has stated: 'A tie to a suit is like an olive to a Martini—it creates perfection.' The designs are far from the boring high street fare, and are made using heavy silks woven by a centuries-old silk weavers in East Anglia (Vanners, I imagine). Tina uses the heavy silks to allow 'a lighter wool interfacing for maximum fluidity and movement'.

Here, from the summer collection of ties we have the ravishing Hotel Du Cap.

Below we have the verdant Gimlet, which would be a fine candidate for next year's Chelsea Flower Show.

Both of these ties have bags of summer verve, don't you think?

Dearie, dearie me. Whilst you were thinking about how to combine these ties, others were far more convinced and both ties have now sold out. Be a bit more decisive, man, and take control of your own destiny and tie collection.