Golden Shears 2021: The Style Judges

The Golden Shears has built a formidable reputation over the years since it began in 1974 as a competition to champion and celebrate exquisite tailoring in the next generation of tailors and fashion students in the UK. Since its first year, the competition has helped to cement the flourishing careers of several outstanding tailors including Ichiro Suzuki, winner of the Silver Shears in 2010, who has gone on to a highly successful career in Paris, and Kathryn Sargent, who became the first female Head Cutter on Savile Row before launching her own bespoke tailoring business.

This year, instead of a live Grand Final hosted at Merchant Taylors' Hall, a film will be released at 7pm showcasing the finalists' pieces modelled and interviews with our panel of style judges. Find out more about them below:

DAVE BERRY, TV presenter, radio host and writer

Dave Berry is an award-winning TV presenter, radio host and writer. His career started on Nickelodeon where he earned a BAFTA nomination.

Dave went on to front shows on MTV, Channel 4, ITV and the BBC as well as VH1 in the US.

He has been at the helm of three UK Breakfast Radio Shows, XFM, Capital and his current home on Absolute Radio. He writes for the Guardian, the Independent and Empire magazine.

His parenting podcast Dave Berry’s DadPod is now on its third season. Dave’s love of clothes began in his teenage years when working in a vintage clothing store. He went on to found his own tailoring brand ‘October House’ in 2009.

TOM CHAMBERLIN, Editor-in-Chief, The Rake Magazine

Tom Chamberlin is Editor-in-Chief of The Rake magazine. He started his time in journalism working for Nick Foulkes on society magazine, Finch’s Quarterly Review.

During this time, under the tutelage of Foulkes, he learnt about not just the variables and mechanisms of magazine making, but also the technicalities of tailoring, cigars, watches and the world of craftmanship. This led to a move to The Rake in 2014, where as editor he has not only maintained the magazine’s position as one that is dedicated to artisans of all stripes, but also the leading luxury publication for men in the world.

Tom’s tailoring style when commissioning a bespoke piece is almost exclusively double breasted, preferring a structured shoulder and traditional cut. He likes each commission to include something that displays tailoring’s intricacies and artistry: inverted pleats, pinch pleats, sports backs, patterned fabrics, lap seams and frogging.

This is his first time judging the Golden Shears and is honoured to help expose and celebrate the talent who will take tailoring to future generations.

ALEKS CVETKOVIC, Journalist and creative strategist

Aleks Cvetkovic is a freelance journalist and creative strategist. He writes on men’s style for international publications including FT – How To Spend It, Robb Report and Monocle, among others. With a keen interest in craft and in supporting independent businesses, Aleks tells stories that celebrate passionate brands and foreground craftsmanship of the highest quality.

He also hosts HandCut Radio, a critically-acclaimed men’s style podcast that presents interviews with key figures in men’s fashion, branding, media and luxury. The podcast launched in May 2019 and has since achieved over 250,000 downloads across more than 100 countries. Additionally, Aleks is an ambassador and columnist for Walpole, the definitive British luxury trade body, and he has appeared on BBC World as well as on European and Australian TV networks, advocating for British style internationally.

As a strategist, Aleks works with corporates, independents and luxury brands to steer clients’ content strategies and shape creative solutions to communications challenges. From the UK’s leading flex space provider to one of Northampton’s finest shoemakers, Aleks works with businesses large and small to provide clarity and direction for clients. Before transitioning to consultancy, Aleks worked as digital editor at The Rake magazine, and was one of a team of four to launch The Jackal, a free monthly men’s lifestyle magazine for London, in 2017.

DAISY KNATCHBULL, Founder, The Deck

The Deck is a London based made-to-measure tailoring house, for women by women, launched in Chelsea in 2019 by female founder Daisy Knatchbull. The brand recently moved to the prestigious Savile Row, London in September 2020 and opened their new Atelier, making The Deck the first shopfront on Savile Row exclusively for women sitting proudly amongst some of the finest tailors in the world.

Since launching The Deck on Savile Row, The Deck and its Founder Daisy Knatchbull have received a few prestigious awards. Most recently The Deck have been named as one of ‘The Brands Of Tomorrow’ for 2021 by Walpole, the official sector body for British Luxury. Previous winners of this esteemed award include Charlotte Olympia, Astley Clarke and Emilia Wickstead. All those companies that have received this sought-after award have seen accelerated growth, international development, and access to inspirational business leaders in the luxury community. In 2021, when brick and mortar stores remained closed due to the pandemic, Walpole supported the 2021 ‘Brands Of Tomorrow’ by launching a virtual boutique. The virtual boutique launched through Walpole’s Instagram page and gave consumers the opportunity to purchase products from The Deck.

Daisy Knatchbull has also received the respected award of ‘The Pioneer’ for ‘Rake Of The Year’ from The Rake in late 2020. Selected by The Rake for various reasons key to them was, because in a year which has been extremely challenging for businesses Daisy Knatchbull and The Deck have outperformed anyone else in her field by miles and opened a new store in the middle of a pandemic. This has been achieved with a lot of hard work and determination and has been executed with elegance and grace. thedecklondon.com

LILAH PARSONS, Presenter & illustrator

Lilah Parsons is a well known and loved British television and radio presenter. She can often be found hosting her Heart FM Radio show, where she has won the hearts of her listeners through her enthusiastic presenting style and down-to-earth sense of humour.

Lilah has had an extensive career in presenting. She has hosted the Capital Breakfast Show and MTV Chart show, as well as the Brit Awards Red Carpet, Capital’s Summertime Ball and the Jingle Bell Ball.

On top of this, Lilah is a successful model, having worked with the likes of Chanel and Vivienne Westwood. She is an ambassador for David Beckham’s Haig Club whisky and regularly DJs for global brands such as Michael Kors, MAC, Kate Spade, Charlotte Tilbury and Breitling.

Lilah’s true passion, however, lies in the world of art. She loves to draw and paint, taking to her TikTok or Instagram to show off her latest creations and sell her illustrations.

In her spare time, Lilah – who trained to be a youth worker – now runs art sessions at her local youth club. Lilah recently collaborated with a sustainable brand to design her very own T-Shirt, featuring her hand drawn illustrations, to raise money for the youth centre.

When Lilah is not DJing at an event, painting or hosting her radio show, she can be found decorating her home and pursuing her love of interiors.

Find out more about the Golden Shears and watch the final from 7pm this evening here.