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The financial crisis has radically altered City fashion, sounding the death knell for the pinstripe and finally making brown acceptable in town.
Savile Row tailors today described how the "shame" of looking like a banker had sent sales of pinstripe suits plunging and triggered some unusual trends.
City workers are now choosing more subtle designs, opting for plain dark or dotted "pin-head" fabrics or extra-thin stripes. Even tweed is returning.
Steven Hitchcock, who trained at Anderson & Sheppard before opening his own shop in Savile Row, said that only one in 10 suits he has sold recently was pinstriped, with almost all of these bought by US clients.
"Most of my customers don't want to dress like a banker, even the small number of them who are bankers," said Mr Hitchcock. "People no longer want an obvious statement."
He estimates that pinstripes would have accounted for just under half of sales a few years ago and about 90 per cent in the Eighties.
The longer-established Savile Row tailors have seen a similar shift away from pinstripes.
Darren Tiernan, sales manager at Dege & Skinner, said: "The days of the City wide-boy stripes are over. People now want something more classic."
Pinstripes make up only 10 per cent of suit sales at the firm, which opened in Savile Row in 1865.
Anderson & Sheppard, another of the sartorial street's old guard, reports a similar decline.
Head cutter and managing director John Hitchcock - Steven's father - said: "Everyone hates bankers at the moment.
"Pinstripes certainly used to be the most popular style: they were perhaps half of sales. Now we're hardly selling any."
Pinstripe sales are also suffering away from Savile Row.
Sunil Chopra, manager of Apsley Tailors in Pall Mall, said: "The typical banker look was very fashionable a few years ago, but it died with Lehman Brothers."
Tatler proclaimed the death of the pinstripe at the end of last year.
Tailors are now reporting soaring demand for brown suits - previously only considered appropriate for the country.
Steven Hitchcock said: "Men can wear brown in town now - things are less stuffy."
But one part of the Gordon Gekko "Greed is Good" look from the 1987 film Wall Street does seem to be returning: braces.
Dege & Skinner's Mr Tiernan said: "I think they are definitely coming back, but people are picking more muted colours rather than bright red."
Reader views (5)
Bob - you've missed the point. It is not about total sales of pinstripes, it is about the fact they are no longer the top choice when buying a suit - off the peg or handmade.
- Tl, London, 09/09/2009 19:37
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The death knell of the pin stripe rang a good many years ago (at least 15) when dressing down became widely acceptable. The dress down idea came from US banks keen to keep staff out of pubs at lunchtime; way back then you could not get served in city pubs when wearing casual clothes. Luckily, the pubs were quick to change their dress code!
- Paul, London, 01/09/2009 14:25
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Sorry, but there is NOTHING more attractive than a fit man (a banker) in a good suit. Wish there were more around!!
- Essie, London, 01/09/2009 13:51
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@Bob, Cheam "What a load of pants"!!!!!!!
That has really made my day!
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 01/09/2009 12:30
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What a load of pants, it's nothing to do with people not wearing pin stripes, 80% of the guys I catch the train with in the morning are wearing pin stripes. It's because no one can afford to buy tailor made suits and are going for off the peg numbers. In case they hadn't noticed there's a recession on and it's affecting bankers as much as anyone else.
- Bob, Cheam, 01/09/2009 11:57
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