HOW TO KEEP YOUR SUIT SHARP

Jake Allen is founder of King and Allen, London-based tailors who work all over the UK. Here he offers tips on how to keep your suit looking smart during air travel.

Choose one made of a creaseresistant fabric. “Modern technology enables cloth merchants either to comb the yarns during manufacture or to add a twist to the yarn. Both give suits a natural spring, helping them to return to their original shape after creasing. A good example is Crispaire fabric from Holland and Sherry.”

There is one clever way to fold your jacket without creasing it. “Turn one shoulder inside out, and slot it inside the opposing shoulder. The collar and lapel will create a nice fold. Finally, fold the whole suit in two. Wait until everyone has placed their bags in the overhead lockers and then slide your jacket on top.”

Invest in a decent suit bag. “Gate 8 sells a cabin bag for suits called the Tri-fold Garment Mate. You can also

use this as your carry-on bag since it has a laptop bag attached. Otherwise you could carry your suit in a normal garment cover and, during security checks, roll it up and pack it into your carry-on bag. But take it out and hang it once you’re on the plane.”

Ask cabin crew if they can hang your suit for you on board. “Even in economy class, most aircraft have wardrobes that they reserve for bridal dresses. If it’s not full of wedding dresses, quite often crew will hang your suit if you ask nicely.”

There’s an easy way to combat creases. “Turn the shower on as hot as possible. Close the door, fill the room with steam, and leave jacket and trousers on separate hangers in the bathroom for ten minutes. That will get rid of any creases.”