It’s all about men at Ayr's Hunter Kingsley

TALKING TO Alan Moore, owner of contemporary tailoring and menswear brand Hunter Kingsley in Ayr, it’s clear that he’s extremely passionate about what he does.

“We offer a bespoke service – nothing is off the peg,” explains Alan. “Choosing an outfit for a wedding should be a personal experience, a special experience – and that extends to men as well as women. We always talk about ‘the dress’ but in my view the men involved equally deserve to be treated like they are the star of the show.”

Menswear brand Hunter Kingsley believe men equally deserve to be treated as star of the show

Alan’s background is in textiles and, as a graduate of Glasgow School of Art, he set up his own business 10 years ago which focused on one-of-a-kind clothing. “This evolved into made-to-order tweed jackets as well as corporate design projects for hotel, travel and distillery uniforms and apparel, then finally to bespoke tailoring,” he explains.

“It was at that point, in 2018, that I rebranded the business as Hunter Kingsley and focused all my attention on bespoke tailoring.

“The journey into tailoring for weddings and the ethos in the service we provide for grooms was inspired by my poor experience, but that’s not really how the business started out. We’re very much design-led and one of our selling points is how we put fabrics, colours and textures together.

“Grooms certainly have more choice than ever when it comes to their wedding outfit but it’s knowing where to start that is often the biggest challenge.”

Hunter Kingsley makes clever use of fabrics, colours and textures

Today, Hunter Kingsley’s boutique store in Ayr’s Newmarket Street welcomes clients who are made to feel relaxed and comfortable as soon as they walk in the door. “I’ve always operated an appointments system so when you come into the shop, it’s just you – there’s no-one else,” Alan explains. “We were doing this pre-pandemic so it’s not a new way of doing business for us.

“Not all men are great when it comes to shopping so when you come to us, we close the door and it’s just you. There’s privacy and plenty of time to talk to us about what you do and don’t want – from the fabrics and the lapels to the buttons and the stitching, we’ll work with you to choose what’s right for you.”

It’s not a quick process but that ensures that quality remains at the fore. The client is measured then the fabric, chosen from a curated range of UK cloth, is sent down to Hunter Kingsley’s tailors’ workshop in Yorkshire. “They do a fantastic job for us and once we check the fit, length and size, we send it back down to them again,” says Alan.

“There’s something really satisfying about a bespoke service that enables you see the whole process through, from being measured to leaving the shop with the finished item.

“I love seeing what starts out as a piece of cloth become an elegant suit that makes you stand out from the crowd.”

As well as suits and kilts, Hunter Kingsley can provide a bespoke shirt to compliment the look, from a range of UK-made cottons that can be designed to your specific requirements. You can also choose from a wide range of ties, socks, shoes and other accessories.

“It’s a small store but we’re very proud of what we do,” says Alan.

hunterkingsley.com