Square Mile tailor Neil McCann: I look forward to when gilets are a thing of the past!
We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, Square Mile tailor Neil McCann tells us about his career, style and the scourge of the gilet in this week’s Square Mile and Me
CV
- Name: Neil McCann
- Title: Owner and founder at McCann Bespoke
- Previous roles: Door to door suit salesman
- Age: 50
- Born: December 23 1974
- Lives: Matching Green, Essex
- Studied: Reading University 1993-1996
- Talents: Sport, relationships and family man
- Motto: “Never give up and keep going, it always get better”
- Biggest perk of the job: Meeting wonderful people, some of whom call me a good friend
- Coffee order: Americano with oat milk
- Cocktail order: Negroni
- Favourite book: Red Notice by Bill Browder
What was your first job?
Working in my mother’s hotel washing dishes at the age of 11.
What was your first role in the City or world of business?
Selling business finance to small and medium sized businesses. After that I decided to sell tailored suits and shirts door to door in 2002, then operating out of a garage in Balham.
When did you know you wanted to build a career as a tailor?
Honestly, it started with the realisation that I didn’t want to spend my working life behind a desk, I think I have ADHD. I did it for six months and knew I couldn’t do it anymore, it was soul destroying for me. I knew I wanted to do something that I truly had a passion for, something hands on, creative and personal. As I found my way into tailoring, I began meeting some incredible people who completely shifted my perspective. I saw that I could make a real difference, not just by helping people look great, but by helping them feel great. That impact, seeing someone’s confidence lift because of what they’re wearing is incredibly powerful.
And as the business grew, something even more rewarding happened: I started to build a team. Being part of a group, working towards shared goals and being able to contribute to each other’s growth – that’s what truly inspires me.
What’s one thing you love about the City of London?
Honestly, it’s the energy. It’s not for the faint of heart. But, it’s a blend of tradition and innovation and you’re surrounded by history – which is rocket fuel for a business person. The networking is also unparalleled; you can meet with a fintech founder, a creative director, head of a bank and an international sportsperson all in one day in the Square Mile. Even in our shop, we’ll have people who come in who know someone who knows someone, and, before you know it, people are doing business.
And one thing you would change?
If I had to pick one thing, it would be making the Square Mile more accessible and welcoming to emerging talent and start-ups. It can still feel a bit closed off like you need the right credentials or connections to get a foot in the door. I’d love to see more spaces that encourage collaboration between established institutions and fresh thinkers, especially from more diverse backgrounds. The future of business depends on new ideas, and London’s beating heart should be where those ideas are nurtured, not just where they’re scaled.
How do you rate the Square Mile’s style?
I’d rate it highly – there’s a distinct confidence to the Square Mile’s style. It used to be all pinstripes and formality, but over the last 23 years, there’s been a real shift. Style here is more expressive now – it still respects the sharp tailoring and professionalism, but there’s a modern edge. You see people blending streetwear with suiting, tech entrepreneurs in sneakers next to brokers in double-breasted suits. It reflects the broader change in business culture – less rigid, more personal, but still ambitious.
What about gilets?
I am looking forward to when gilets and poor fitting chinos are a thing of the past! I made our own gilets here slightly hesitantly – not because I don’t like gilets, but because of what the gilet has done to dressing in London!
Any notable customers?
One of the most defining moments in our career was a meeting with the board of QPR Football Club – a group that included some of the most influential figures in Formula 1 and elite sport. It was a true sliding doors moment. That meeting opened the door to dressing Leicester City during the most successful period in their modern history, followed by work with Celtic FC, Stoke FC, Middlesex CC and Surrey CC eventually expanding into other sports such as rugby and snooker.
More recently, we’ve also dressed the Phelps brothers (or the Weasley twins in Harry Potter). They’ve been in the shop quite a few times and it’s quite funny seeing the tourists who have come to take pictures in Leadenhall Market double taking.
And any business faux pas?
Not saying thank you to your customer and having an attitude of gratitude.
What’s been your proudest moment?
The opening of our flagship store in the heart of the City in 2019, a bold move that was almost immediately tested by the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only did we navigate those uncertain times successfully, but we emerged stronger, establishing ourselves as the premier bespoke tailor in the Square Mile. Today, our store is regarded as one of the most successful and experiential tailoring destinations in London.
And who do you look up to?
My father. He would be 109 if he were alive, but he passed when I was 17. He was in the RAF during the Second World War. Not only was he the first person I knew who wore Savile Row blazers but had his shirts made in Jermyn Street, he also had a mantra: “When your back is against the wall, you have to come back like a bouncing rubber ball”.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
Work harder than anyone else, enjoy what you do and be eternally positive.
And the worse?
Look to scale your business with outside funding, which essentially means losing control of your integrity.
Are you optimistic for the year ahead?
Yes, very much so. We’ve never been busier. Our product mix is spot on, from bespoke suits and shirts to shoes and even nightwear, all made one piece at a time with an obsessive attention to detail. The City is thriving again. People are back at work and, more importantly, they’re dressing the part.
Here in Leadenhall Market especially, this has probably become the City’s main shopping street for suits. We’ve been very lucky too with Canary Wharf seeming to be dying a death and a lot of law firms coming back into the City. There’s a renewed energy here – underdressing and the work from home wardrobe are fading fast!
We’re going for lunch, and you’re picking – where are we going?
Café Luca or Ivy Asia.
And if we’re grabbing a drink after work?
Either the fully stocked bar at McCann Bespoke or the Wagtail roof bar.
Where’s home during the week?
Matching Green, Essex.
And where might we find you at the weekend?
At home with the family and generally doing family things. It’s the special place when the week is done.
You’ve got a well-deserved two weeks off. Where are you going and who with?
Either Barbados on the beach with my wife, children and friends or South of France for shorter breaks.