ENG

Ayres Gonçalo was born and raised in a traditional tailor’s family and soon showed interest in this art. His grandfather, Ayres Carneiro da Silva owner of the Ayres Haute Couture business, was considered one of the best Portuguese tailors; His career spanned eighty illustrious years where he tailored suits and other articles to a distinguished clientele, including artists, sports people, members of Parliament and bankers.

Throughout his youth Ayres demonstrated an increasing interest for fabrics, needles and scissors. At the age of sixteen he had already fallen in love with the art of tailoring and was fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to work after school hours in Grandfather’s tailoring shop.

He soon became heavily involved in the business by accompanying his Grandfather on client visits giving him his first real exposure to fabrics and fitting. By the time he was nineteen tailoring took up most of his day as this became a full time occupation working under the guidance of his mentor.

In 2004, Ayres made the decision that in order to broaden his skill set he was to embark on an international adventure to Madrid. It was there at the Sociedad de Sastres de España (Madrid), that Ayres was given the opportunity to improve his knowledge and tailoring techniques. Whilst maintaining a full time job with a well known Spanish tailor ( Pedro Muñoz of N. 72 on Calle Serrano) the Sociedade de Sastres de España awarded Ayres the Cortador de Sasteria certificate in June 2005.

Mid 2006 Ayres was to continue his international venture when he opted to relocate to London with a view of fulfilling a childhood dream of working on the ‘Golden Mile of Tailoring’. This street more commonly known as Savile Row is home to the most well known names in the world of traditional bespoke tailoring. After overcoming the initial nervousness of finding a role in this new country, Ayres was offered a position with the renowned Gieves & Hawkes located in No. 1 Savile Row. Here he was given the opportunity to make suits and other articles from scratch whilst learning the high standards required to obtain a ‘Savile Row’ designation. The highlight of his career whilst working for Gieves & Hawkes was undoubtedly when Ayres was requested to make a suit specifically for HRH The King Charles III

In 2009 whilst still working at Gieves & Hawkes, Ayres was a finalist in Golden Shears Contest, a contest designed to acknowledge young up and coming tailors working in the United Kingdom. In 2010 he received the Bespoke Tailor certificate from the Savile Row Bespoke Association, a seal of approval providing him with worldwide recognition as a tailor who is part of an elite group of bespoke tailors on what can be best considered the Mecca for men seeking the very best of tailoring - Savile Row.

It was late 2010 when Ayres decided to gain further international experience out of the EU region. His first stop was New York City, where he worked with a renowned, up and coming tailor - Michael Andrews Bespoke. This six month partnership allowed him to reinforce his experience through contact with the New Yorkers tailor craftsmanship which then led him to China, where he worked for several months training tailors in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

With well over a decade of experience, Ayres Gonçalo understands that this is an opportunity to continue with the Ayres family tradition and establish the Ayres Bespoke Tailor brand. Currently based in Portugal operating between Lisbon, Porto, London and Zürich, Ayres will dedicate his time exclusively to his Portuguese and international clients, who have been following him over these past years whilst he has sought to learn, adapt and mature as a tailor. Ayres will utilize this wealth of international experience to continue to provide his exclusive tailoring services to his prized clientele.

PT

Ayres Gonçalo cresceu no seio de uma família tradicional de alfaiates e cedo demonstrou interesse por esse ofício. O seu avô, de nome Ayres Carneiro da Silva, dono do estabelecimento Ayres Alta Costura, foi considerado um dos melhores alfaiates portugueses; ao longo de uma carreira de mais de oitenta anos. Produziu fatos e outros artigos para uma distinta carteira de clientes, incluindo artistas, desportistas, parlamentares e banqueiros.

Ao longo da sua juventude, Ayres demonstra um interesse crescente por tecidos, agulhas e tesouras, e aos 16 anos, já apaixonado pela alfaiataria, decide começar a trabalhar em part-time no atelier do avô, acompanhando-o nas visitas aos clientes e assim adquirindo experiência com tecidos e provas. Aos 19 anos, a alfaiataria passou a ser a sua ocupação a tempo inteiro, sempre sob a alçada do avô.

Em 2004, então com 23 anos, decide estudar corte na Sociedad de Sastres de España, em Madrid, para melhorar os seus conhecimentos e técnicas. De noite frequentava as aulas do curso, enquanto de dia trabalhava com o prestigiado alfaiate Pedro Muñoz, no número 72 da Calle Serrano. Em Junho de 2005, é-lhe atribuído o certificado de Cortador de Sastreria pela Sociedad de Sastres de España.

Em 2006, decide rumar a Londres para concretizar o sonho de trabalhar em Savile Row – a famosa rua londrina onde exercem os mais prestigiados alfaiates do Mundo. As hesitações iniciais tornam-se certezas quando, ao fim de quinze dias, assegura uma colocação na prestigiada Gieves & Hawkes, localizada no n.º 1 da mesma rua. Aí tem a oportunidade de elaborar fatos e outros artigos de acordo com os mais elevados padrões de técnica vigentes em Savile Row. A confecção de um fato para o Rei Carlos III terá sido, seguramente, um dos momentos mais especiais da sua carreira.

Em 2009, ainda a trabalhar na Gieves and Hawkes, é finalista do Golden Shears Contest, concurso destinado a reconhecer jovens alfaiates a exercer no Reino Unido. Já em 2010 recebe o certificado de Savile Row Bespoke Tailor pela Savile Row Bespoke Association. Esse título certifica-o definitivamente como alfaiate naquela rua londrina.

Ainda em 2010, decide ter uma experiência fora da Europa, rumando a Nova Iorque, onde tem a oportunidade de trabalhar com Michael Andrews Bespoke até Maio de 2011. Esta parceria permite-lhe reforçar a sua experiência, através do contacto com as práticas de alfaiataria nova iorquinas, tendo-o ainda conduzido à China, onde trabalhou durante alguns meses, dando formação a alfaiates em Hong Kong.

Ayres Gonçalo entende que chegou o momento de dar continuidade à sua tradição familiar e fundar a marca Ayres Bespoke Tailor. Encontra-se presentemente em Portugal, onde, dividindo o seu tempo entre Lisboa, Porto, Londres e Zurique se dedicará em exclusivo aos clientes portugueses e internacionais que o têm seguido ao longo destes anos de aprendizagem, pesquisa e maturação dos atributos que fazem dele o alfaiate que é hoje.