About this template
The Savile Row template is a senior letter cut like a London bespoke-tailor receipt: Caslon throughout, fine charcoal pinstripe rule beneath the header, justified body in two indented paragraphs. Reads as the correspondence of an executive who buys shirts on Jermyn Street. Compatible with the ATS systems of City investment banks (Workday at Rothschild & Co London, Lazard Brothers, N M Rothschild) and Magic Circle firms (Slaughter and May, Linklaters, Allen & Overy).
Who is it for?
It suits senior executives applying to City investment banks, Lloyd's of London underwriting boxes, traditional London law firms (Slaughter and May, Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance), gentlemen's-club committees (White's, Brooks's, Boodle's, The Garrick) and bespoke-tailoring advisory roles. Senior bankers, syndicate underwriters, partners and club-committee candidates. Out of place in tech casual-office, US start-ups or contexts where the British register would read as mannered.
How to use it
The charcoal pinstripe rule echoes Prince of Wales tweed codes — it must stay at 0.4 pt and never exceed page width. Paragraphs are justified with first-line indent (1.5 cm), English-style. The hook may open with an internal British reference ("I write following our exchange at the [club] dinner") only if you are actually a member of the cited club. A handwritten signature in Quink black ink, scanned at 600 dpi, sits bottom-right — never centred.
Frequently asked questions
Is it suitable for the City of London?
Yes for Rothschild & Co London, Lazard Brothers, N M Rothschild, Hambros, Schroders, Brewin Dolphin and independent M&A boutiques like Robey Warshaw, Centerview Europe, Greenhill London. The Savile Row register is immediately recognised by City HR teams.
Should I mention my club membership?
Only if the recipient is also a member or if the club is named as the correspondence address in their public profile. Otherwise, mention reads as name-dropping. Keep such references in paragraph 2 as implicit signals, never in the signature.
Is the letter suitable for Magic Circle firms?
Yes for Slaughter and May, Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith Freehills — which appreciate the Savile Row register for partner and senior-counsel applications. For New York white-shoe bulge-bracket, choose letter-exec-ivy-league.
