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Apprentice Tailor Reflects on Bespoke Craft's Legacy

1/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Ralph Fitzgerald, a 16-year-old apprentice at Douglas Hayward in London, learned tailoring by interacting with Roger Moore and photographer Terry O’Neill.
Fitzgerald recalls bespoke suits were a significant milestone for men.
After Douglas Hayward closed in 2014, Fitzgerald preserved the paper patterns of Warren Beatty and Paul McCartney, now in his Manhattan Upper East Side tailoring atelier.
At 32, Fitzgerald reflects on nostalgia for the fading culture of bespoke tailoring.

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Story summary

Ralph Fitzgerald, a 16-year-old apprentice at Douglas Hayward in London, learned tailoring by interacting with Roger Moore and photographer Terry O’Neill.
Fitzgerald recalls bespoke suits were a significant milestone for men.
After Douglas Hayward closed in 2014, Fitzgerald preserved the paper patterns of Warren Beatty and Paul McCartney, now in his Manhattan Upper East Side tailoring atelier.
At 32, Fitzgerald reflects on nostalgia for the fading culture of bespoke tailoring.