
Written by:
Justin Li August 10th, 2010

With roots on London’s historic Jermyn Street at British clothier Turnbull & Asser, the Fayed and Goncalves brothers are bringing the bespoke philosophy to ready-to-wear for the next generation. The brothers decided to try their hand at catering to the offspring of the Turnbull regulars who appreciate old-world craftsmanship on slimmer, more modern cuts. Designed and manufactured in England with materials sourced from British and Italian textile mills, Bespoke combines classic Americana with British mod wit. In a few short seasons, Bespoke‘s take on velvet, herringbone tweed and cashmere for blazers, cardigans and trousers have been well received both at home and on this side of the pond. We managed to catch up with 3 of the 5 that make up Bespoken just as the Fall/Winter 2011 collection is set to drop.
LH: We’ll start with the formalities, who are you, what are your respective rolls and what did you guys do in your previous life?
Paulo Goncalves: I guess you can say we’re a bit of a mixed bag. There are two set of brothers – James, Sam and Liam who grew up in their family business of Turnbull & Asser in London. Carlos & myself grew up in NY working in finance and advertising, respectively. We collectively make it work, and being brothers and all, it keeps us honest despite the occasional headbutting (not in an Noel & Liam Gallagher sort of way). We’re all extremely passionate about this brand and what we do, so its definitely a collaborative effort.
LH: Growing up in and around Turnbull & Asser and given your backgrounds, it seems you could have gone in a variety of different routes and just as easily given up on clothing, so what about clothing makes it so appealing to you guys?
Sam Fayed: Honestly, it was something we could all relate to, born out of a frustration of our own. Being guys in our 20s & 30s, we felt that its been difficult to find a menswear label that marries fine tailoring & construction with more contemporary fits and styles. It was through working the sales floor at Turnbull where we were exposed to just how customers reacted & appreciate the quality and details, down to where it’s manufactured. We thought we would bring this to a younger audience, and along the way, round out our personal wardrobes.

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