Inspired by Claude Lelouch’s 1976 short film C’était un rendez-vous, our latest campaign is an ode to London in black tie. 

Black tie has always been about more than the dinner. It is the anticipation of getting ready, the pleasure of wearing something as elegant as the night ahead, and the thrill of the drive across town to get there. 

We may not have invented the dinner jacket, but we have been dressing London for its evenings since 1821 and we take formalwear in its most classical sense. This campaign shows it at its best across our men’s and women’s made to measure and bespoke services. Explore the campaign below. 

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Portrait of an Evening

Look 1: The RA

He wears a double-breasted dinner suit in a black barathea, with silk grosgrain lapels, and a plain-front dinner shirt in ivory poplin. The double-breasted cut is a confident spin on the classic dinner suit, giving a sharper, more structured line through the chest. Kept in black, it stays firmly within the rules of black tie while standing slightly apart from the room.

She wears a jacket in pure black cashmere with a wide, bellied shawl lapel. A dramatic silhouette that still feels effortless. The lapels are self-faced in the same cloth rather than silk, which means the jacket moves easily beyond black tie to dinners to events across the rest of the season. The cashmere gives a rich depth of black and paired with flared trousers in a wool & cashmere flannel and a pleated dress shirt, it makes for a commanding and quietly elegant look.

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Chelsea, Calling

Look 2. Chelsea, London

He wears our Ready to Wear classic dinner suit in black barathea. Cut with all the traditional details of black tie, from the silk-faced lapels to the braid running down the trouser, it is the dinner suit at its most timeless. The one every man should have ready in his wardrobe for the invitations that arrive at short notice. Worn with a white marcella dress shirt, it encompasses black tie exactly as it should be.

She wears a two-piece suit in black velvet, pairing a single-breasted jacket with a wide-leg trouser. The velvet has a deep, rich black that catches the light, made for the festivities of the season. Styled with a white pleated dress shirt with a pointed collar, it adds a crisp, graphic contrast against the softness of the velvet.

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Make it a Double

Look 3. Brutes Martini Bar, Mayfair

The ivory dinner jacket has long been the more daring choice in black tie. First worn for warm-weather evenings and later made famous on screen, it remains one of the most striking things a man can wear to a formal occasion. The shawl lapel softens it, giving a rounded, unbroken line that feels more relaxed than a peak. Worn here with a black turtleneck in place of a shirt, it takes a nod from the 60s and 70s for a more contemporary evening that is a little less formal but no less elegant.

She wears our Formline suit, cut in a fine wool crepe that drapes beautifully in a wide leg trouser. Sleeveless and with a glimpse of the collarbone, it's a sexy alternative to a full suit, particularly for summer black tie or warmer events indoors. Styled with a classic black waistcoat underneath, it is a contemporary take on women’s formal tailoring.

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Mayfair, After Dark.

Look 4. Mayfair, London

He wears a single breasted dinner jacket in black velvet with large peak lapels and a single link-button fastening. Velvet brings a richness of depth and texture that suits the festive season perfectly. Paired with our pleated-front dress shirt, the look becomes something of a showpiece, playful yet entirely considered.

She wears a classic three-piece suit. Norton & Sons answer to the little black dress. Cut with the subtle details of black tie, from the peak lapels to the link-button fastening, its crafted in a high-twist black wool that continues to hold its shape through a long evening. Here the waistcoat is worn on its own as the top, for a sleek formal look but the suit is just as at home as a classic two-piece for the office. Making this suit a timeless staple.

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Last Orders

Look 5. Chez Rose, Mayfair

He ends the evening as black tie always should, in our classic barathea dinner suit and white marcella shirt. Familiar from the drive across town, it is just as at ease at the dinner table. Proof that a well-cut dinner suit needs no reinvention to carry a whole night.

She wears an ivory two-piece suit from our bespoke service, designed and made at No.16 Savile Row by our Head of Womenswear. It is women’s bespoke at its finest. Inverted pleats at the front and back of the jacket draw in the waist to create an hourglass silhouette, a nod to Dior’s New Look, while wide, sharp peak lapels and a double-breasted cut give it real authority. Paired with wide-leg trousers it brings the spirit of couture to tailoring.

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Shop the Black Tie Edit

Peak Lapel Dinner Suit in Black Barathea

Peak Lapel Dinner Suit in Black Barathea

£2,100.00
Marcella Front Dress Shirt

Marcella Front Dress Shirt

£225.00
Silk Grosgrain Bow Tie

Silk Grosgrain Bow Tie

£95.00
Pleated Front Dress Shirt

Pleated Front Dress Shirt

£325.00
White Linen Pocket Square

White Linen Pocket Square

£45.00
Formal Long Socks in Black Cotton

Formal Long Socks in Black Cotton

£35.00
Your Own Rendez-vous

Every look in the film began with a conversation at No.16, and yours can too. Available across Ready to Wear, Made to Measure and Bespoke, book an appointment  with our team to get started on your next black tie look. 

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