Comparison
Anderson & Sheppard vs Huntsman
The clearest choice on Savile Row: a soft draped coat that hangs and moves, or a lean structured one that imposes a line.
Anderson & Sheppard
Anderson & Sheppard, the softest Savile Row tailor, cuts jackets with extra cloth across the chest so they hang softly and move with you.
Huntsman
Huntsman, Savile Row's sharpest tailor, makes lean jackets with strong shoulders, a high nipped waist and usually one button, rooted in riding clothes.
One street, two philosophies
These two houses stand a few hundred metres apart, cost roughly the same, and cut coats that could not be more different. Choosing between them is the single most instructive decision in English tailoring, because it forces a customer to decide what he actually wants a coat to do.
Both use identical construction: a full horsehair canvas, hand pad-stitched, hand-set sleeves, hand-worked buttonholes, made by outworkers. Asking about construction will not separate them.
Drape
Anderson & Sheppard cuts with extra cloth across the chest and shoulder blades. Standing still, the front falls in a soft vertical fold; moving, the coat follows the body. The shoulder is natural and lightly padded, unusually soft for the Row.
It flatters a slim man by suggesting a larger chest, and it is markedly more comfortable than a close-cut coat. On a man who is already broad it can read as bulky. The lineage runs back through Frederick Scholte to the Duke of Windsor.
Clean cut
Huntsman cuts close: lean through the chest, a strong shoulder frequently with a roped sleeve head, a high marked waist, and traditionally a single button. It descends from riding and sporting tailoring and it carries that upright military bearing.
It is sharper, more formal and considerably less forgiving. A single-button coat leaves nowhere for a poorly cut chest to hide, which is a statement of confidence by the house.
Side by side
| Anderson & Sheppard | Huntsman | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1906 | 1849 |
| City | London | London |
| Bespoke | Yes | Yes |
| Made-to-measure | No | Yes |
| Ready-to-wear | No | Yes |
| Shoulder | Natural | Roped |
| Chest construction | Full Canvas | Full Canvas |
| Silhouette | Drape: Soft, Full Chest, Long Skirt | Lean, High Waisted, Single Button |
| Handwork | Extensive | Extensive |
| Made in | London And The South Of England (Outworkers) | London (Outworkers) |
| Ownership | — | — |
| Silhouette | Draped: soft, full chest, long skirt | Lean, close, high waist |
| Shoulder | Natural, lightly padded | Defined, frequently roped |
| Button stance | Usually two | Traditionally one |
| Flatters | A slim figure; suggests a fuller chest | An already-good figure; imposes a line |
| Comfort | Higher: the coat moves with you | Lower: the coat holds a shape |
| Services | Bespoke tailoring only | Bespoke, made-to-measure and ready-to-wear |
| Lineage | Frederick Scholte, via the Duke of Windsor | Equestrian and sporting tailoring |
| Entry price | £6,500–9,500
Two-piece bespoke suit · September 2026 · estimated-range |
£6,800–10,000
Two-piece bespoke suit · September 2026 · estimated-range |
What each is better at
This section is editorial opinion, clearly separated from the record above. It follows our stated assessment method.
Other comparisons
All →Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page. Anderson & Sheppard · Huntsman
- House information, Anderson & Sheppard.
- House information, Huntsman.
Picture credits 2
- An illustration of the house's recorded cut: natural shoulder, full canvas chest, drape: soft, full chest, long skirt. Not a photograph of the house's own work.: Original art · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale original art
- An illustration of the house's recorded cut: roped shoulder, full canvas chest, lean, high-waisted, single button. Not a photograph of the house's own work.: Original art · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale · Il Sartoriale original art