In Good Hands

Johnson Tailors (1978) (1x4)

Data di messa in onda: Giu 21, 2013

David returns to Johnson Tailors in Tullow, Co Carlow, where he first filmed master tailor Tom Johnson and his son Michael at work in the early 1980s, to witness the survival of bespoke tailoring in an age of mass-production. At one time, nearly every town in the country had at least one tailors shop, founded on that cornerstone of traditional Irish men's attire, the combination wedding, funeral and mass suit. Today, with huge competition from high street stores, the fine art of bespoke tailoring is on the wane, but Johnson Tailors, now owned by Michael and his son Robin, is still going strong, and is a testament to six generations of tradition. In an age of machine-made clothing, the old skills of artisanal tailoring are as fascinating and time consuming as ever, with much of the work done with garments draped on the knees of the patient tailor. We meet loyal customer and local businessman Eddie Nolan who has had his suits made by the Johnsons for more than half a century. We observe the tailors at work as they create a fine tweed jacket for David, selecting the cloth, perfecting the fit and drape, and working on the painstakingly fine work of hand stitching, lining and adding bespoke detailing that culminates in the proud addition of the maker's mark.