After refusing to stand up and sing ‘Three Blind Mice’ in front of his class, Geoff Souster was dismissed from school, and went off to find a job before delivering the bad news to his parents. Luckily, Geoff landed an apprenticeship at local Luton tailors, W Bell & Son, and so the tailoring story begins.…
Geoff attended the London College of Fashion one day a week to learn the basics of the trade, including cutting and hand-sewing buttonholes. Geoff instantly had a passion for tailoring, and he even discovered it was in his surname. From medieval English surnames ‘Soustere’, ‘Sewester’ and ‘Sowester’ originates from the old English ‘Seowian’ meaning it’s an occupational name for a tailor or a seamstress. Geoff really was destined to sew.
So education went on, and Geoff continued to progress in his role as a local tailor. He went on to meet his now wife, Laura at the beloved local dance hotspot, Cavalier Club. They were an instant match made in heaven, Geoff a bespoke tailor and Laura a trained dressmaker. They married in 1972 and opened their first shop in 1978, and so the bespoke tailoring shop now known as ‘Souster & Hicks’ was born.
Geoff went on to become the youngest ever president of the Federation of Merchant Tailors in 1988, and Souster & Hicks became one of the first companies to use a factory made-to-measure computer system to create one-off garments. These were really big steps in the tailoring industry, and Geoff Souster became a recognised name, and a tailoring force to not be reckoned with.
Geoff has had the pleasure of clothing the likes of Eric Morecambe, Bob Monkhouse,
Michael Buble, Daniel Ricciardo, Eamonn Holmes, and more recently, Captain Sir Tom Moore. Bob Monkhouse even claimed: “I may not be the best comedian, but with Geoff as my tailor, I am the best dressed”.
Souster & Hicks is now a bespoke tailors based in the heart of the beautiful Georgian village, Woburn in Bedfordshire. The team now includes Geoff, Laura, their two sons Scott and Wes, plus daughter-in-law Natalie. It’s something that they all live and breathe, and the passion really is in the name.
Don Haddaway, a loyal customer of over 30 years at Souster & Hicks commented: “I attribute a huge amount of my business success and progression, and believe it’s definitely down to a chance encounter with Geoff Souster outside his shop. In short, Geoff noticed me looking in his window at a rather nice grey suit and a pair of classic leather shoes. He asked if I ever wore a suit to work and at this time, I am ashamed to say it was the 1980s and my sartorial elegance had not yet transformed from a Starsky and Hutch type woolly zip up cardigan, Farah tight fit flairs and Hush puppies….you get the picture.
“Geoff invited me to try on a version of the suit from the display, the shoes completed the look and a crisp white shirt, and subtle tie added gravitas. My then wife to be, who I had been waiting for, came into the shop and said “wow you’ve got to get it!”
“The following week having picked up the adjusted suit (Geoff is a perfectionist) I went to work at my office in London for the first time fully suited and booted. The effect was immediate. My boss didn’t recognise me, initially was shocked, then started inviting me to host meetings and organise projects. Other Senior Managers started talking to me in corridors and the invitations to executive meetings rolled in. Long story short, the palpable effect that dressing smartly (not loud, not flashy but smart) has had on my life has been immeasurable.”
Geoff turned 70 years old the other week, and has just turned one of his rooms in his house into a cutting room – it wouldn’t be a home without a cutting board. He lives and breathes his trade, and his customer’s speak so highly of all that he has done for them, their confidence and of course, their incredible wardrobe. It’s time that the world recognised the man that was quite literally…born to sew.
Find out more about Souster and Hicks by visiting www.sousterandhicks.com
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About Souster & Hicks Ltd:
Souster & Hicks is a family business established in 1978 by husband and wife team, Geoff and Laura Souster, based in a stunning Georgian building located in the beautiful village of Woburn in Bedfordshire. Geoff and Laura’s eldest son Scott, joined the company back in 1999 and younger son, Wes joined in 2003. Both Scott and Wes are fully trained in the art of bespoke cutting and tailoring, and will continue the future of the Souster name within the tailoring world. Scott’s wife Natalie, joined the company 7 years ago to help Laura with the ladies tailoring and look after the general running of the business.
Geoff has a career spanning over 53 years, hand cutting more than 30,000 bespoke suits. Geoff was elected as the youngest ever National President of the Federation of Merchant Tailors in 1988, and also works as a consultant helping to set up and improve the patterns created for made to measure manufacturers. Souster & Hicks create bespoke tailor made suits, cut and fitted on the premises and tailored to the same high standards as the world renowned Savile Row tailors. For more information please visit www.sousterandhicks.com
Media Contact:
Daisy Craydon
07539494720
Souster & Hicks Contact:
Scott Souster
01525 290862
