Chester Barrie
Chester Barrie is a British menswear brand founded in 1935 by tailor Simon Ackerman, known for semi-bespoke ready to wear and made to measure suits. For decades it combined a factory in Crewe with a shop at 19 Savile Row in London.
| Founded | 1935 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Simon Ackerman |
| Factory | Crewe, Cheshire |
| Former flagship | 19 Savile Row (1937 to 2020) |
| Website | chesterbarrie.com |
What is Chester Barrie?
Chester Barrie is a British tailoring brand that pioneered high quality semi-bespoke suits made to Savile Row standards but produced in a factory setting.
History
The company was founded in 1935 by Simon Ackerman, a Russian born tailor who had built a tailoring business in New York and came to England to make British suits for the American market. Production was based in Crewe, Cheshire, moving in 1949 into part of the Rolls-Royce works and in 1961 into a purpose built factory. In 1937 the brand opened at 19 Savile Row, a shop it kept until January 2020.
- 1978: sold by the Ackerman family to the Austin Reed Group
- 2002: brand and licensing rights acquired by SRG Group after receivership
- 2007: brand sold to Prominent Europe
- 2022: sold to a UK based private consortium
Products and positioning
The core offer is ready to wear and made to measure tailoring, extended over time to shirts, ties and more casual clothing. A 2018 relaunch of the Savile Row shop highlighted its Gold Label line and a Made in England capsule.
Why it matters
Chester Barrie helped establish the idea of factory made tailoring with bespoke credentials, a model now common across premium menswear.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Chester Barrie?
Chester Barrie was founded in 1935 by Simon Ackerman, a Russian born tailor who had worked in New York.
Where were Chester Barrie suits made?
Chester Barrie tailoring was produced in Crewe, Cheshire, and sold for decades from 19 Savile Row in London.