A FAVOURITE suit of the Duke of Windsor has been re-created by a Holme Valley textile firm.
A Saville Row tailoring firm asked Bower Roebuck, of Glendale Mills, New Mill, to reproduce the suit for its centenary celebrations.
The original 1950s suit, worn by the duke - who gave up the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson - had been bought by the tailors at an auction in Paris.
Bower Roebuck were asked to produce a length of cloth to the exact same pattern.
From that, the tailors will fashion 20 suits for the most valued customers.
The commission meant a spot of detective work for Bower Roebuck directors John Booth and Ronald Hall and designers Raymond Ellis and Wayne Fitton.
Although they had the original suit, there was no way of identifying the maker.
In addition, the suit had weathered, discolouring the cloth.
Mr Booth said: "We were asked to match the original cloth exactly in terms of weight, pattern and quality.
"It has probably taken us about six months to research the colours. We had to get some of the colours specially dyed."
The original suit was a three-button, single-breasted fine worsted suit in a dark blue Prince of Wales check, which was a favourite of the duke's.
Mr Booth said his team scoured the company's archives - which catalogue cloth patterns dating back to 1908 - to help the research.
He said the length of cloth would be delivered by hand to the Saville Row tailors this week.
He added: "The duke's suit was very well-made. A suit made to the same pattern and quality would probably cost about £2,000 today."
Bower Roebuck has built a reputation as one of Huddersfield's finest worsted manufacturers - and experts at producing "period pieces" for Hollywood blockbusters.
Al Pacino, Robert de Niro and Pierce Brosnan are among film stars to wear outfits made from Bower Roebuck cloth, in films such as The Godfather, Bugsy and Goldeneye.
