Royal Ascot is the most famous horse racing meeting in the world. Renowned for its high-status reputation it’s become one of the major events of the British social calendar. It was Queen Anne who first suggested a racecourse at Ascot back in 1711.

Royal Ascot is held in mid-June each year; the dates for 2011 are from Tuesday 14th June to Saturday 18th June.

Royal Ascot is prestigious but the Royal Enclosure is the most prestigious part of Royal Ascot! As you might expect, access to the Royal Enclosure is very restricted. To be allowed in for the first time you must be sponsored by someone who has attended the Royal Enclosure over at least four years, though these don’t have to be consecutive years. In the Royal Enclosure the dress code is more strict than elsewhere. Men have to wear a full morning suit, in either black or grey, including a waistcoat and a top hat.

Royal Ascot is renowned for being a very smart occasion. Put on your best suit or better your best morning coat !

For the occasion Scabal's staff of the Savile Row store makes some suggestions for excellent fabrics to look at your very best.

Festival Bunch : unique fabrics for special occasions

851754 : plain black woollen Super 100s fabric, made in England at an interesting price
851757 : a heavier fabric Super 90s, made in England - if quilted on a bespoke piece
851759 : softer Super 150s with cashmere, made in England

Eton Bunch : Super 130s fabrics with supreme comfort 

751393 : a brown herringbone fabric for a different younger look - the trousers and the waistcoat would be in the same fabric
751394 : a gorgeous grey herringbone fabric ideal for a sharp morning coat with a single breasted waistcoat and trousers, flat front with a side adjuster, narrow leg
751396 : a darker grey herringbone fabric for a nice timeless piece that can be worn again with the same fabric trousers and waistcoat and a nice top hat
751398 : a navy fabric elegant and with a touch of class
751433 : a classic black twill, matches perfectly with the trousers from the Festival Bunch and a grey or bronze single breasted waistcoat

>> Discover the bunches in the Fabrics Catalogue
>> www.ascot.co.uk

On April 8th Scabal organized a "Bespoken Club" event in Wemmel, Belgium in collaboration with it's customer "Savile Row" (Markt 16, 1780  Wemmel).

In partnership with Maserati, Rémy Martin and Piper-Heidsieck a tailor-made experience was set up for the most loyal customers. They discovered the world of custom made and made-to-measure suits assisted by Scabal's professionals.

Maserati exposed the Quattroporte S and the GranCabrio so that visitors could experience the best the Trident brand offers.

>> Stores in your area
>> www.maserati.com

For Autumn Winter 2011-2012 Scabal goes straight to the core: fabrics. They become vivid personalities to inspire you grasping a fabric and understanding its technical properties and design possibilities.

At this first rendez-vous we get to know Mr. Explorer who presents fabric 851987. If you are an active weekender who wants to look Britishly smart in his free time too, then this fabric could become your next favorite leisure jacket. Woven with a blend of ultrafine lambswool and top-class cashmere, its soft feel will give you a comfortable feeling in all circumstances. The subtle brushed effect adds small tufts of wool to the surface, which makes the fabric more voluminous and pleasantly warm. The refined blue checks brighten up the grey, bringing in a joyful accent. Fabric N°851987 will uplift your free hours, with its harmonious bond between tradition, fashion, and prime Scabal quality.

See you in August on the website for lots more !

FABRIC N° 851987 - MR. EXPLORER

The intense satisfaction derived from the final fitting of a custom-made suit is the fruit of close co-operation between the tailor and his customer. At the heart of this teamwork : dialogue. For this reason, Bespoken and Alan Cannon Jones offer a step-by-step guide to specialist terms that will allow you to clearly communicate your needs to your tailor. In this newsletter we deal with the letters S.

Sleeve head
The top section of the sleeve nearest the shoulder.

Stand
The part of the collar which joins the neck edge of the garment and terminates at the crease edge of the collar where the fall commences.

Stay tape
A narrow strip of fabric, usually cotton or lined, which does not stretch and is used to strengthen or control various parts of the garment.

Stitch
One of a series of units of conformation of threads resulting from the thread or threads being repeatedly passed through or into fabric during the sewing operation.

Stoting
A hand stitch used to draw together two cut, or raw edges of fabric.

Stitchings
A sequence of stitches applied to a fabric for decoration.

Suppression
The creation of shape by the removal of a calculated amount of fabric.

Swatch
A bunch or collection of sample cuttings of materials used to indicate their representative characteristics.

Swelled edges
An effect on the edge of the garment by sewing a row of stitching at a specific and regular distance.