A Man of the Cloth : From the Archives

A Man of the Cloth, From the Archives

In March 2011, the late A A Gill wrote about his journey into the world of tweed for The Sunday Times. That journey brought him to Wellington in Somerset and into the heart of Fox Brothers. His piece traced the history of Britain’s most enduring cloth, and it was also a personal account of designing a tweed of his own.

The British Suit, and the Cloth that Shapes It

For centuries, the suit has been Britain’s sartorial calling card. Worn by statesmen and scholars, poets and pragmatists, it speaks of assurance, civility and a respect for form. A well-cut suit in fine wool has a language all of its own, and for Gill, that language was rooted in tweed.

Tweed carries a quiet dignity. Its origins lie in the rugged landscapes of Scotland, yet its story is closely tied to England’s. Once the preserve of sporting estates, it became a democratic cloth, worn by Highland stalkers, university lecturers and city commuters alike.

A Visit to Wellington

Gill’s affection for tweed brought him to Fox Brothers, where we have been weaving woollen cloth since 1772. During his visit he explored our archives, which record patterns and styles across generations, and he saw the work of our skilled weavers.

The Birth of a “Town Tweed”

Rather than draw inspiration from the moorland, Gill turned to the city. He studied London’s streets, noting the tones of stone, tarmac, signage and the first hints of synthetic colour.

Working with our team, he chose a diamond weave to add depth and character. The result was a tweed that felt at home in Chelsea while still respecting its rural heritage. In his own words, an estate tweed for housing estates.

From Cloth to Suit

Once woven, the cloth travelled to Anderson and Sheppard, where it was made into a three piece suit. Gill wore it with quiet pride, regarding it as something both personal and timeless.

More than a decade on, this collaboration stands as a reminder that traditional cloth can be reimagined. In Gill’s words, tweed is as close as Britain comes to a national costume, a cloth with character, history and the ability to adapt.

Picture above: Artist interpretation of the late A. A. Gill wearing a windowpane tweed cloth.

This story is inspired by A A Gill’s article “Suits You Sir: A Man of the Cloth,” originally published in The Sunday Times on 13 March 2011.

Approximate reading time: 3 minutes