Fast fashion is big business, and has been dominating the industry for some years now, with the high-quality, timeless pieces we used to know and love taking a backseat as the need to keep up with ever-changing trends has transformed the way many people shop.
But the fast fashion industry has come under fire in recent years due to its increasing detrimental impact on the environment. Emitting more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined, it might make shopping for clothes more affordable for the masses, but it comes at an environmental cost.
It’s not just about emissions, either. The fast fashion industry is also the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply, and due to increasingly unsustainable practices which are employed in a bid to turn new trends and collections around more quickly, we’re seeing toxic chemicals and microplastics polluting the ocean now, more than ever before.
Luxury lovers will likely need little convincing that a garment that is truly worth investing in is expertly made, using the highest quality materials possible – all combined to create a classic piece that will stand the test of time. But today’s savviest of consumers are demanding more from the brands they buy from, with sustainable practices going hand in hand with expert tailoring and craftsmanship.
Luxury fashion brand Pratt & Prasad, founded by Haddon James Pratt and Paul Prasad is one of the brands leading the way when it comes to returning to the more sustainable approaches of times gone by, focusing on bespoke tailoring and the utmost in quality over mass production – all whilst ensuring fair wages for its craftsmen. Each of the garments they produce are hand-woven in Britain using natural fibres, offering customers an elevated experience and impeccably made attire, with a naturally lower environmental impact as a result.
The brand produces garments specifically for each customer in line with their requests and desires, ensuring that each piece is perfectly proportioned and designed for the individual. In a process led by Haddon alongside tailors in and around Savile Row, each garment is entirely unique – which means you’ll never, when wearing one of them, experience that awkward moment when you arrive at an event in the exact same get-up as someone else.
Not only that, but those buying from them can rest safe in the knowledge that they are supporting a local, independent start-up business and thus contributing to the local economy, reducing their carbon footprint – while of course, investing in impeccably made and beautiful clothing that will last them for years to come.
The founders themselves are no strangers to bespoke tailoring, with Haddon having 10 years of experience, working on garments for customers of the highest calibre – including high-profile senior executives, celebrities and even royalty.
Haddon explains: “Our venture was born out of a love for the art of bespoke tailoring, and in an era of fast fashion, we were eager to preserve and provide a more accessible bespoke tailoring service that offers a flawless, customer-focused experience that is designed to ensure that each person who buys from us looks and feels incredible.
“We believe that bespoke is about the experience just as much as it is the final garment. It’s not just about suits, either – the possibilities are endless. Our clients know that if they come to us with an idea that the sky is the limit, and that we’ll work closely with them to bring their vision to fruition.”
And look incredible, they certainly do, because at Pratt & Prasad, you’ll find Savile Row quality garments but at a more affordable price, all outside of central London.
In fact, it was precisely on Savile Row that Haddon gained his expertise, having most recently been trained as a cutter by the respected Terry Haste at the renowned Kent, Haste & Lachter. It is there that Haddon learnt the art of what goes into creating a Savile Row garment.
Previously working as a coatmaker and assistant shop manager at English Tailoring in Canary Wharf, he was fortunate enough to have the chance to work on the jackets for popular UK band McFly, worn at the wedding of Tom Fletcher to his now-wife, Giovanna, with a long list of other star-studded clients to his name, too. Haddon then moved to The Disguisery in Fitzrovia, where he went on to learn the art of trouser making and successfully entered and reached the final of the prestigious ‘Golden Shear Awards’ – a national tailoring competition hosted by the Merchant Taylors Company and sponsored by the Savile Row Bespoke Alliance.
Business partner and Haddon’s husband Paul Prasad, meanwhile, is a Chartered Accountant with a wealth of experience in economics and finance behind him, also having roots on Savile Row, where he worked as Finance Director for Huntsman and previously held senior finance positions at larger fashion brands, Moss Bros Group Plc and Phase Eight.
A brand new company with an exciting future ahead of it, Pratt & Prasad was launched during the pandemic and is already beginning to amass a legion of loyal fans who value its ethical approach and expert craftsmanship as well as the seamless experience they enjoy from start to finish. From the initial idea to the final product, they are continuously involved in the process and since each item is produced on demand, it couldn’t be further from the fast fashion model we should all be looking to move away from for the sake of our planet.
As lockdown finally eases, we sense that there are some great things ahead for this inspired new start-up, and its client list is certain to fill up fast. So, if you’re looking to refill your wardrobe with some bespoke pieces that are guaranteed to last you for years to come, then here at LLM, we recommend getting in there quickly.
To keep up to date with what Haddon and Paul are working on, follow Pratt & Prasad on Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to the newsletter or contact either one of them through the Pratt & Prasad website to get your bespoke journey started.
