A Twist of Fate

Some of the most enduring details at Huntsman were never designed to be there at all...

Among them, the two stag heads, mounted either side of the fireplace, that look out across the front room at No. 11 Savile Row. They have become as much a part of the house as the cut of our coats, yet their story begins not with intention, but with chance.

A Rather Long Luncheon

In 1921, shortly after Huntsman took up residence at our current address, a client arrived from his country estate carrying with him a pair of stag heads. Whether they were recent trophies or part of a wider move is now lost to time.

He asked if he might leave them at the shop while he stepped out for lunch, and the request was granted without hesitation. We can assume it was a very successful luncheon, as the gentleman left, and never returned.

A Permanent Fixture

The explanation, as it has been passed down through the house, is disarmingly simple: he remains at lunch.

For reasons unknown, the stags were never reclaimed. Rather than being dispatched, they were placed within the shop, where they quietly became part of its interior. Over the decades, they have watched over fittings, conversations, and generations of clients, their presence as constant as the rituals of the cutting room.

From Accident to Identity

What began as an oversight has, over time, become something far more significant.

The stag heads speak instinctively to Huntsman’s heritage. They evoke the traditions of the British countryside, of field sports and equestrian life, which have long informed the house style. Positioned either side of the mantle place mirror, they form part of the visual language of Huntsman, balancing strength, symmetry, and character.

Today, the stags are synonymous with Huntsman.

They have evolved from a curious anecdote into an enduring emblem of the house, informing design across our accessories collection and appearing as a subtle but recognisable motif. Whether rendered in silk, woven into jacquards, or referenced in detail, they carry with them the quiet authority of Savile Row and the spirit of the house.

A Story That Endures

Savile Row is built on precision and craft, but it is shaped just as much by the stories that cross our threshold.

Our beloved stags remain a reminder that not everything of value is planned. Some things are simply absorbed into the life of the house, gaining meaning over time.

Over a century later, they remain at No. 11, keeping a watchful eye over us all.