| Address: | 33 Islington Green Camden Passage London N1 8DU |
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| Nearest Tube: | Angel | Categories |
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| Opening Hours: | Wednesdays 10 am to 6 pm Saturdays 10 am to 6 pm Sundays 12 noon to 6 pm Or other times by appointment. |
Central Non Chain Shop Menswear Tailoring & Bespoke |
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| Telephone: | 020 7 704 9698 - mobile 0781 493 4917 | ||
| Website: | www.africanwaistcoatcompany.com | ||
| Credit Cards: | All accepted | ||
Classic and contemporary hand-woven textile art, masterfully tailored by Savile Row waistcoat makers.
Calum Robertson has been collecting hand-woven cloth in Nigeria since 1975, and selling it in Islington's antiques and fashion market since 2003. He also stocks hand-made beads and accessories alongside robes, scarves and throws; but the gentleman's tailored waistcoat is his masterpiece in this unique material, arguably the most creatively alive today of all ancient African crafts.
Robertson spends about a month each year going round the weaving compounds and cloth markets of south-west Nigeria, commissioning from his regular weavers and studying the development of the industry, which is still remarkably flourishing under mostly local patronage.
He likes to think that by encouraging a high-quality export market he is doing his little bit to help the weavers resist the pressure brought by social changes in Nigeria to go down-market, quick and cheap; and to support a creative occupation for young people who have few other opportunities.
