5 THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
Best known as a judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, fashion designer and entrepreneur PATRICK GRANT, 45, is single and lives in London
1 SUITS
I own more than 60 suits in different styles and fabrics.
My favourite is a classic grey wool design as it looks effortlessly smart and is made to last.
I have always enjoyed dressing up and am certainly not your average jeans-and-trainers kind of guy, although I am partial to a goodquality crew neck jumper.
Generally I prefer a tailored look and the most I have ever spent on a suit is around £7,000.
While I admit it is a lot of money, I know it won’t date.
2 CYCLING
I absolutely love cycling and when I’m in the UK I religiously pedal nine miles each way from my home in south London to my Savile Row shop, Norton & Sons.
In my opinion, being on a bike is the most relaxing and scenic way to commute. My journey takes in The Oval, Westminster and Buckingham Palace and means I always start the day feeling invigorated.
When I’m in London I ride a Pashley Roadster Classic bike which comes complete with a spring saddle and a bell.
It is incredibly sturdy and great for negotiating the capital.
Outside of the city, the longest ride I’ve ever done is the London to Newcastle 24-hour bike race, which was well and truly a test of my fitness and endurance.
3 PENCILS
I am by nature an incredibly orderly person and always have a pencil case with me, full of pens, rubbers and perfectly sharpened pencils.
Although we are now living in a digital age I still use a paper diary. I also don’t think you can beat a pencil for sketching out rough designs.
After extensive research, I have become a bit of an expert on various types and my current pencil of choice is the Faber-Castell 9000.
4 CUP AND SAUCER
I don’t like racing from one thing to the next with only a cup of takeaway coffee to keep me going.
Instead I prefer to sit down for at least 15 minutes in the afternoon with a nice pot of Darjeeling tea.
I will use a mug if I absolutely have to but I prefer to drink out of a matching cup and saucer. Somehow it just tastes better.
When I have the time I really enjoy an old-fashioned afternoon tea at The Wolseley, London.
There is nothing quite like perfectly cut sandwiches and freshly brewed tea to break up the day.
5 HANDMADE SHOES
I like my shoes to last, which is why I am happy to pay for a goodquality pair of Tricker’s leather brogues or classic Oxford lace-ups.
If I counted them up I reckon I’d probably have at least 30 pairs of shoes.
I like to mix and match and I could never throw anything in my wardrobe out.
I am rather sentimental about my clothes and shoes as each item reminds me of a special time and place.