Our cutters are as highly prized as top surgeons but we believe only the best is good enough for our clients. Most of our cutters and tailors have been with us for many years.
Simon Cundey, the seventh-generation family owner of Henry Poole & Co. joined the company in 1988. He was appointed Henry Poole’s Chief Marketing Officer for the USA market in 1994 and he began travelling to the USA (East and West coasts) five times a year, in addition to his trips to Japan, commitments he continues to uphold today. In 2012, he was appointed Managing Director of Henry Poole & Co.
Elected to the Livery, Merchant Taylors’ Company in 2001, Simon became Appeal Chairman with the Master Tailors’ Benevolent Association four years later.
In 2006 he became Chairman of the Golden Shears, a national competition that brings together apprentices and college and university students, often referred as the Oscars of the tailoring world.
He is on the committee of the BTBA, the Bespoke Tailors’ Benevolent Association, which is a tailoring charity founded in 1890, by Simon’s great-great-grandfather, Howard Cundey.
Simon is also on the steering committee of the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance, as well as a member of both the SRB and The Royal Automobile Club.
Among his hobbies are classic cars, following in his family’s history in motor manufacture, gardening, tennis, football and golf.
Responsible for upholding Henry Poole’s reputation for consummate standards in ceremonial dress and for maintaining the company’s Royal Warrant as Livery Tailor to His Majesty The King, Keith’s expertise in civil, livery and military dress uniform is exemplary.
Keith has become a recognised talent in his field, thanks to his exacting standards and an unwavering care for both his work and his clients.
Keith was born in 1973 and began his tailoring apprenticeship at the age of sixteen. He learned all aspects of cutting and tailoring before going on to focus on what would become his area of responsibility at Henry Poole.
A bespoke Cutter based in our Savile Row showroom, Tom Pendry is responsible for the company’s trunk show commitments in Switzerland and The Far East. He also oversees production for a varied domestic client base in the Henry Poole workshops.
Introduced to the craft through a vocational course, he learned to sew and thereafter completed a traditional apprenticeship as a Pattern Cutter under Alan Alexander, who served with us for over 37 years.
Born in Sussex, Tom’s academic career gravitated towards arts and crafts and particularly music. It was Tom’s interest in the creative and engineering facets of bespoke tailoring that attracted him to enter the trade and retrain.
Since then, he has worked on various significant projects, including the development of two hybrid adidas sneaker designs in 2017. He now trains another generation of tailors, maintaining and perpetuating more than two centuries of the company’s rich tailoring heritage.
Consultant, Philip Parker is today based in London. Though, his role as a Cutter saw him travel extensively throughout Europe, the USA and The Far East.
Having spent many years in the bespoke industry, Philip brings a profusion of experience and expertise to his work.
Remarkable accomplishments under his belt include chairing the Savile Row Bespoke training committee, which has seen great success in securing the next generation of young artisans. And he has helped encourage young apprentices, through his position as a Liveryman of the Merchant Taylors’ Company, too.
Philip’s simple values – to always do one’s best and help others – have been evident throughout his very well-established career and continue to be to this day.
He was born in Romford, and having underachieved at school, Philip believes his parents breathed a sigh of relief on his announcement of wanting to be a tailor.
Originally from Ayrshire on the West Coast of Scotland, Daniel made the move to London in August 2012 to start his Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Bespoke Tailoring, which he successfully completed, graduating with honours in 2015.
During this time, he also gained experience in technical and production pattern cutting and manufacturing, at various companies including some within the Arcadia Group.
Daniel joined Henry Poole & Co shortly after graduating and, as the saying goes, the rest is history. Completing his training under the late Co-Managing Director Alex Cooke, Daniel is now a permanent fixture on the West Coast trip. He plans to serve Henry Poole & Co clients – existing and new – for many years to come.
Tristan Thorne is a bespoke cutter with over 15 years of experience in Savile Row tailoring. He began his career in 2008 as a cutting apprentice, where he gained invaluable expertise in crafting a diverse range of garments, including military, ceremonial, and Highland attire.
Tristan credits his passion for tailoring to his aunt, whose work in surface textile design inspired him to pursue fashion and design. This led him to the London College of Fashion, where he graduated in 2007. In April 2023, Tristan brought his wealth of experience to Henry Poole. His skills have been a valuable addition to the team, where he takes pride in meeting clients and delivering exceptional bespoke tailoring in London and during regular trunk shows on the East Coast of America.
Beyond his professional achievements, Tristan has served as a steward for the BTBA charity for over 15 years and has been recognized as a Journeyman Tailor by the City & Guilds association. Tristan enjoys cycling and sailing, and shares a passion for food and wine with his fiancé, Stella.
Joe joined the company in November 2018, and trained under the tutelage of the late Co-Managing Director, Alex Cooke.
After leaving school Joe took time out to travel, and upon his return found his love for tailoring through watching the film ‘Catch Me If You Can’. Determined to re-create Di Caprio’s suit, Joe enrolled at Newham College to learn the fundamentals of tailoring.
After a spell in military tailoring, Joe took extra classes at the London Academy of Bespoke where his love for traditional tailoring was reignited. Joe now sees customers in our London showroom as well as on our Austin and New York trunk shows.
Having spent several years training under the exacting technical eye of Tom Pendry, Charlie has since taken over responsibility for most of Henry Poole’s European trunk shows, alongside cutting and fitting suits for clients on Savile Row.
His first attempt at tailoring came in his childhood, when he took a pair of scissors to one of his father’s suits to try and make it fit him. The suit was destroyed but an interest in the bespoke craft was born.
After completing a diploma in bespoke tailoring at Newham College and gaining valuable experience at a couple of smaller firms, Charlie’s big break came at the founders of Savile Row, where he has been chalking and cutting cloth ever since.
Anette’s journey into tailoring began in the late 1980s in her native Norway, where she studied pattern cutting and tailoring at a technical college. A naturally creative person, she was captivated by the craft after learning about the tradition and excellence of Savile Row. Determined to pursue this path, Anette secured an apprenticeship on the street after studying at college, eventually completing her training in 1994. Since then, she has worked with several prestigious Savile Row houses, refining her skills and deepening her love for bespoke tailoring.
In the summer of 2022, Anette joined Henry Poole as a Master Tailor. With expertise in both tailoring and cutting, she specializes in creating bespoke garments for female clients. Anette collaborates closely with her clients to design unique pieces, taking each order from concept to completion. She hand-drafts paper patterns, tailors garments by hand garments, and conducts fittings to ensure that every detail is perfect.
Outside the workshop, tailoring remains a central passion for Anette. However, she also enjoys outdoor walks, cooking, and knitting—creative pursuits that allow her to unwind while bringing joy to her family.
Maria, a coat maker in our workshop at 15 Savile Row, has been with Henry Poole since 2005. During her time with the company, she has trained four apprentices in the art of making a Henry Poole coat, including her current apprentice, Gerson Hermano.
Originally from Viseu, Portugal, Maria comes from a family of tailors and dressmakers and always dreamed of working on Savile Row. She moved to London in 1989 to study tailoring at the London College of Fashion, and after completing her studies, she began her apprenticeship at Henry Poole, becoming the first female tailor on the street.
In addition to her tailoring expertise, Maria is a certified NLP Practitioner and Life Coach. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending quality time with her family and dogs.
Paul Frearson, one of our experienced coat-makers, developed his sewing skills while still in school, initially altering his and his friends clothes to suit the slimmer styles of the era. At 15, he decided to turn his passion into a career and began working at a bespoke tailoring shop in Hastings. His exceptional talent for coat-making quickly propelled him to Savile Row, where he begun tailoring at just 17 years old. In 1981, Paul joined Henry Poole & Co as part of the Sullivan & Woolley acquisition. During his time with Henry Poole he has trained seven apprentices, two of whom won the Golden Shears award. Paul’s dedication to the trade led him to become a board member of the Bespoke Tailors Benevolent Association (BTBA) charity in 1990, where he currently serves as treasurer.
Outside of his professional life, Paul is an avid adventurer, having completed many hikes and trails across the UK, including the iconic coast to coast walk that stretches over 190 miles starting at St Bees and concludes at Robin Hood’s Bay. He has also run 21 marathons and remains an active member of his local running club. Paul is a proud father of five, grandfather of twelve, and has been happily married to his wife Eileen for 62 years.
Amos Gustavus is a dedicated trouser maker at Henry Poole with a career spanning several decades. Born in Jamaica, Amos discovered his passion for tailoring at an early age, inspired by his mother, a skilled seamstress. He eagerly seized every opportunity to use her sewing machine, fostering a lifelong love for the craft.
In 1985, Amos enrolled in a Vocational Training Programme focused on tailoring and menswear, laying the foundation for his career. Determined to advance his skills, he moved to the UK to study at the prestigious London College of Fashion. After graduating in 1996, he joined Henry Poole the same year as an apprentice trouser maker.
Outside of work, Amos leads an active lifestyle, enjoying the gym and countryside walks. When he’s not staying fit or working at his sewing machine, he delights in visiting the theatre.
