Meet Jessica Rubinson, one of Oliver Brown’s key figures within the bespoke department, based in our flagship Lower Sloane Street store.
Jessica grew up in a town called Radlett just outside of London, and has now been working at Oliver Brown for a year and a half, specialising in all things bespoke. Working closely alongside our Head Cutter Isaac, she is always busy drafting waistcoat and trouser patterns, coat making, and ensuring that each piece she creates reflects the brand’s commitment to quality craftsmanship.
Prior to Oliver Brown, Jessica studied at Savile Row Bespoke Academy for a year and a half, where she honed her skills in pattern cutting, fitting and remarking, waistcoat, trouser and coat making. She proceeded to develop these skills at a series of tailoring houses, including Thom Sweeney and Kent & Haste. Jessica subsequently completed a five year coat making apprenticeship at Edward Sexton, where she developed lifelong expertise in the craft. Now she embraces the daily challenges that arise in her role at Oliver Brown.
Her passion for tailoring is deeply rooted in her family heritage. One of her main inspirations is her Grandfather, a self-taught tailor who immigrated from Poland after the war and set up his own tailoring businesses in East London. Her mother, a self-taught dressmaker, has also played a significant role in Jessica's tailoring journey and the two have even completed fashion courses together. Her relatives’ dedication to the craft has always inspired Jessica from a young age, and with other family members of hers involved in mass production, tailoring and her love for the fashion world almost feels like a natural calling.
Jessica loves the hecticness of the job, especially as an individual who strives under pressure and tight deadlines. She doesn’t like when it’s quiet, so she is always trying to make herself as busy as possible, encouraging any challenge that comes her way. She loves the client-facing nature of the role and the process of engaging with clients during fittings, understanding their vision and ensuring that her creation aligns with this. At Oliver Brown, there is no such thing as a typical day of work for Jessica. Every day is different - one day she might be drafting and striking a pair of trousers, and the next she might be running to the presser or teaching her colleague Sabina the intricacies of coat making. Each day brings new challenges and creative opportunities.
Throughout her career, Jessica has experienced a multitude of standout moments, however one of her most memorable was when she personally assisted in the creation of five suits for Harry Styles during his rebranding phase. Amongst these was the iconic pink suit that he wore at a performance in New York, and a striking silver suit inspired by lightening, featuring bold jagged stripes. Jessica has also crafted various pieces for film and theatre, contributing to productions such as Peaky Blinders and Doctor Dolittle. She describes the surreal feeling of witnessing her creations on screen as one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.
In relation to her own wardrobe, the most important piece of clothing that she owns is a jacket that Edward Sexton personally cut for her. Crafted from salmon tweed and adorned with a bright flamingo lining, she has worn it proudly for the past twelve years. Not only does it showcase her distinctive style, but also gives her the confidence to stand out in any setting.
Outside the realm of tailoring, Jessica indulges in a variety of pursuits that keep her energised and inspired. She is an avid tennis player and runner, having recently completed a half marathon in Rome. Beyond her athletic endeavours, she finds that travelling and learning new languages fuels her creativity, allowing her to explore diverse cultures and new ideas. During her downtime, her mind is still constantly occupied with thoughts of her designs and what she will create next. In the future, she hopes to start doing more womenswear, and get herself to a stage where she can dedicate time to crafting pieces for herself, alongside her dearest family and friends.
Find out more about Bespoke at Oliver Brown here.