A BESPOKE tailor is hanging up his measuring tape in Chester city centre, and going to work for his son.
Robert ‘Bob’ Morris, owner of Robert Morris Tailors now on Northgate Street, is shutting up shop this month after around 40 years based in the city.
He has passed the torch – or tape measure – on to son Michael who had worked in the shop for a decade but decided to set up his own business, Distinction Bespoke Tailoring, five months ago.
Since then, he’s already tailored suits for the entire Liverpool football team from his home-based workshop on Priory Close, Pen-y-fford and gone full-time.
Michael said: “I have been working alongside my father in his busy workroom and shop floors for over ten years. By doing this I have learned and mastered the art of bespoke tailoring.
“He is now at the stage of his life when he can start enjoying the fruits of his labour and, rather than take over the shop, I have decided to start my own visiting tailor service.”
Bob, who had been based on Brook Street for some 30 years before moving to Northgate Street two years ago, says he is closing because rates and the cost of the lease have become too high.
He was a gentlemen’s tailor for more than 40 years and his skills took him all over the world. A member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen, Robert Morris Tailors dressed the concierges at the Chester Grosvenor hotel among other prestigious contracts.
Joanne Butterworth, Michael’s partner, has joined him in business.
She said: “Rafa (Benitez) has just had his first fitting. We have over 3,000 different cloths. Depending on budget, tastes and style we show our clients different bunches of material and order them in.
“Then it gets to the fitting stage, with another fitting before the final try-on.
“There are a lot of tailors around Chester but we are one of the few that make our own garments rather than get it sent from abroad. it’s all handmade on the premises with British cloth.”
After Michael wore a red and white tie to the team’s fitting at Liverpool’s training ground at Melwood, team coach and boot room legend Sammy Lee liked the look of it and put in an order for 47 of them.
“It was lucky I was wearing that tie on the day!” says Michael.
They have tailored the whole squad with suits provided by Hardy Amies and Rafa and Jamie Carragher have put in personal orders for original bespoke suits.
They are also producing a bespoke suit and tournament shirts for darts player Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor.
With a starting price of £650 and a waiting time of six to eight weeks, you could join the rank of stars who have had a bespoke tailored suit made for them.
Pictures of the Liverpool stars being kitted out by Michael Morris will appear on page 5 of the City edition of Friday’s Chronicle, available from October 10.
