STAR POWER: THE DOUGLAS HAYWARD BRAND

Douglas Hayward, the highly esteemed British custom clothier who crafted suits for Michael Caine, Roger Moore, Steve McQueen, James Coburn, George Hamilton, Clint Eastwood, Sammy Davis Jr, Sean Connery, and others, can now add Alec Baldwin as a client, advisor, and possible investor. Says Laurence Ellis of Sterling House, the well-respected London tailoring house that now owns the Douglas Hayward license, “Alec discovered the brand a few years ago, and contacted us when we first acquired the label. He wanted to help us share the Hayward experience with American men, suggesting that we contemporize and broaden the offerings so that young men can build wardrobes with numerous stylish options. In addition to his passion for product, Alec has strong marketing skills and is already proving instrumental to our launch in the States.”

The new Douglas Hayward collection will introduce its range of Made-in-England suits, blazers, raincoats, shirts and accessories to the U.S. in August. Ellis describes the collection as ‘well-dressed English gentleman,’ featuring both the Douglas Hayward slim fit as seen on Michael Caine in The Italian Job and the regular classic fit worn by Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair.” Says Ellis, “We’ll be showing the Douglas Hayward Spring/Summer 2025 collection at Pitti Uomo in June and hopefully, at the Chicago Collective in August and soon at a NYC showroom.”

Other plans in the works: Douglas Hayward’s bespoke tailor, Mr Delroy Anthony Smith (who was Hayward’s apprentice for 10 years and is featured in the Douglas Hayward documentary by Sir Michael Caine and Sir Roger Moore (douglashayward.com) will visit the U.S. three to four times a year to see VIP clients for fittings. Back in the day, menswear icon Joe Barrato created a special shop at Bergdorf Goodman for Douglas Hayward clothing. Hayward would make personal appearances at special in-shop events; Sammy Davis Jr. and other star celebrities would come into the shop for fittings. Hayward’s London studio on Mount Street was also a celebrity salon where top stars would meet, hang out, and then party together. Ralph Lauren, an early friend of Dougie’s, was said to be very much inspired by his exceptional tailoring. Hayward’s passing in May 2008 was clearly the end of an era, a time when clothing meant much more than simple body covering.

In addition to working with Alec Baldwin, the Ellis brothers (Laurence, Michael, Jeffrey and Steven) have recently met with reps from the Steve McQueen estate for a potential Steve McQueen by Douglas Hayward collaboration.

A Conversation with Alec Baldwin

How, where and when did you first discover Douglas Hayward clothing?
I was shooting a film in Belfast and needed a water-repellent jacket. It was rainy and I wandered into a men’s clothing shop and bought this perfect lightweight jacket; the label read Douglas Hayward. I liked it so much that I researched online to find out who owns the license now. I learned that Sterling House, a well-respected custom clothing maker, had just bought the rights, so I contacted Mike Ellis and his group, hoping I might help him bring this product to the States. This was the fall of 2019…

What made you think American men needed a British custom clothing brand, even one with the legendary history of Douglas Hayward?
This clothing is exceptional. I’m aware that men during Covid largely abandoned suits and ties but fashion often cycles back around. And after dressing in sweatpants throughout the pandemic, I believed a certain vein of men who were returning to the office might opt for a more elevated way of dressing. Not all men, of course, but definitely some. I must admit that I’m mildly appalled by grown men running around in jeans and backward baseball caps…

Who or what first inspired your interest in fashion?
One of my first acting jobs was on a soap opera; the actor who played my father was an extremely elegant bachelor. He taught me how to dress based on his rules of what to wear with what; his taste leaned toward Brooks Brothers and Paul Stuart. Then throughout my career, costume designers with blank checks from movie studios would purchase clothing for me from Zegna, Canali, Armani, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren… Ultimately, I developed an appreciation of fine tailoring.

What clothing brands do you favor these days?
Since 30 Rock, I’d say 90 percent of my wardrobe comes from the Zegna store in NYC for three reasons: 1) They make all categories of men’s clothing so I can get the suit, shirt, tie, shoes all in one stop. 2) Their suits are the perfect weight for all seasons. I live in NYC and don’t often wear coats; I prefer to run around in a mid-weight suit or sport coat with a nice scarf. Zegna makes suits in the perfect weight. And 3) Zegna’s fabulous salesman, Mauro Paolucci, knows exactly what looks good on me; his taste is impeccable. (For Zegna’s 100th anniversary, they reissued their original suiting fabric and made one suit for Gildo, one for me.)

That said, I also have suits that I love from Canali; my favorite blazer is from Ralph’s Purple Label.

So are you now a partner in Douglas Hayward? What’s the extent of your involvement?
I’m not financially invested at present but might be down the road. I’m currently dealing with other matters that have had an immeasurable impact on my work but I’m hoping those issues will soon be resolved. I’d love to focus all my energy on making Douglas Hayward a huge success in the States. Acting these days has become a bit redundant, and something of a chore. But inspiring men to dress in beautifully tailored, perfect-fitting clothing is a project that excites me. I believe that once guys go custom, they never go back.

Will you be the official spokesperson for Douglas Hayward clothing?
We’ve been discussing this lately: who should be the face of the brand, who would be the right person? I don’t want it to be just a pretty face so it wouldn’t be a Timothy Chalamet. I believe we need someone with a bit of depth to him, maybe an artist or musician, someone creative who leads an interesting life, the next generation of McQueen or Connery. I’m thinking someone like Gary Oldman or Tom Hardy. I’ve considered doing it myself but I’m not sure I’d be the right guy. But whoever the ambassador, I have abundant faith in the concept, in Sterling’s exceptional tailoring, and in the incredible strength of the Douglas Hayward brand.