_Belgian businessman Pierre LaGrange on being chairman of historic tailor Huntsman & Sons
For Pierre LaGrange, business is personal
“You should never be worried about breaking traditions,” Belgian businessman Pierre LaGrange tells us from Savile Row, where he has been the chairman of historic tailor Huntsman & Sons since 2013. It’s a bold statement from the owner of one of England’s most storied fashion houses, but one that every aspiring entrepreneur should heed if they ever dream of following in the financier’s footsteps.
“A tradition has only been an innovation that’s lasted; it was not a tradition when it started. Be true to the DNA of who you are, but you have to move forward – a tradition needs to evolve.”
It is undoubtedly this striking attitude towards innovation that has seen LaGrange transform the fortunes of Huntsman over the past six years, and take it from the Row – where it was already regarded by many as the very best – to across the pond and around the globe.
As well as becoming the first Savile Row tailor to open a permanent residence in New York, Huntsman has also enjoyed a little time in Hollywood, with the London store famously serving as a front for the James Bond-like secret agents of 2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service.
And just like 007 himself – or any decent huntsman, for that matter – LaGrange is no stranger to cornering markets and hitting targets. He first made his name during the hedge fund boom in the 90s, where he co-founded GLG (which was bought by Man Group in 2010). Thirty years later, financier and entrepreneur has not only acquired an estimated net worth of £300 million, but is as deeply admired across the art scene as he is in the world of business and finance.
But there’s nothing convert about his success with Huntsman, nor does it involve breaking with tradition altogether. “Go down to the shop,” LaGrange insists, “ and you’ll see some of what’s there is the same as 100 years ago, and that’s really important. It’s about perfection, process, repeatability and sustainability – doing the same thing again and again but better and better.”
For LaGrange, the beauty of this business is making it personal. “The future of Huntsman is bright and bespoke,” he claims. “When I was shopping in ready-to-wear, I was always buying the same stuff because I know it and it’s predictable. Here [at Huntsman], they’ve got my cut [and measurements], I can just choose a couple of cloths and then – boom! – it’s going to happen.
LaGrange goes on to say "I know I’m going to be well taken care of. It’s that kind of one-to-one relationship that we really want to develop.”
While the increasing popularity of bespoke tailoring is hardly breaking news, this inclination towards a more personal touch versus a digital one is something that the entire luxury sector is sitting up and paying attention to. For LaGrange, at least, it’s certainly keeping him in plenty of good company, loyal customers and bountiful cash – but he admits it’s not without its challenges.
“There’s a bottleneck of both skills and capacity now. There’s also a question of affordability, and a lot of people have answered that by going towards ready-to wear.
“I just don’t think that’s what we should do. Instead, I’ve been trying to see how we can improve the bespoke product, both in terms of accessibility and debottlenecking. Naturally, the answer is coming from there.”
But could this quest for innovation come at the cost of the beloved tailors coveted brand heritage? LaGrande certainly doesn’t think so: [Breaking the rules] is an homage to Savile Row,” he smiles. “You’ve got a tradition of people breaking ground and that’s what I’m interested in doing.”
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