Meet Savile Row trained master tailor,
rory duffy
Rory Duffy is a fifth-generation, Savile Row trained master tailor.
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After seven years of apprenticeships, Rory became the first-ever trainee of Savile Row founder’s Henry Poole & Co, to take first prize of the highly coveted Golden Shears in 2009.
Shortly after his victory, Rory was approached to train an apprentice of his own making him one of the youngest Master to an Apprentice in Savile Row’s two hundred year history.
Rory eventually emigrated to New York City to start his own tailoring company, Rory Duffy Handcraft Tailor and in 2012 released a video series The Making of a Coat on YouTube which reached over 4 million views (and counting)!
Later that same year, Rory joined the part-time facility of Parsons, the New School, first as a 3D lecturer before being asked to contribute to the elective courses on the menswear BFA programme.
In 2014 Rory was invited to the White House by former First Lady, Michelle Obama and was personally thanked for his contribution to education. It was this meeting that inspired Rory to follow his dreams and start a school of his own dedicated to preserving the art of handcraft tailoring.
After taking a career break from lecturing, Rory returned to Ireland in 2015 to open his school, The Handcraft Tailor Academy. Since the opening of the school, Rory has had the pleasure of teaching students from every inhabited continent, created a set of ‘how-to’ video series with more to come, and authored his own book, Pattern Drafting for Bespoke Menswear – the Imperial System.
About The Handcraft Tailor Academy
Founded in 2016 by Rory Duffy, he has built his school on the ethos of inspiring, encouraging and nurturing talent.
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From the beginning of his career, Rory has aspired to open a school of tailoring styled on the trade schools of old, such as the former London based school The Tailor & Cutter Academy (1866 – 1972). This aspiration was further developed after a chance of meeting with the former First Lady, Michelle Obama in 2014 when she personally thanked him for his contribution to education. This set Rory on the path to achieving his life long dream.
In 2012, Rory released his video series The Making of a Coat and became seen as a leader in his trade. He spread the knowledge and skills of bespoke tailoring further than he could’ve imagined, gaining a bigger following which helped further establish his company name.
THE HANDCRAFT TAILOR ACADEMY IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING, TEACHING AND ENHANCING THE ART OF HANDCRAFT TAILORING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
At The Handcraft Tailor Academy, we feed the student all the knowledge they could require
and offer the support and guidance needed to achieve their dreams. The time spent acquiring the skills of a master craftsman through our school is half that of a tailor’s apprentice.
We promise to develop every student's skill set, kindle their fire of determination and train them to the highest attainable standard.