When Huntsman came to Eastnor Castle

British tailoring house Huntsman used Eastnor Castle and its grounds as the backdrop for its autumn/winter 2024 collection shoot

Hollywood stars and shoot productions are something both Eastnor Castle and Huntsman are more than familiar with. As the 1950s brought about the golden age of cinema, the British tailoring house found itself dressing many of Tinsel Town’s leading lights, such as Gregory Peck and Katharine Hepburn, thanks to Huntsman’s then head cutter, Colin Hammick’s glamorous aesthetic and imitable craftsmanship. Modern movie buffs will also remember 11 Savile Row from the film Kingsman: The Secret Service, where the Huntsman boutique serves as the Kingsman storefront and interiors in the film. And, of course, Eastnor Castle was home to a 350-strong cast and crew while being used as the setting for the final two episodes of the debut season of HBO series Succession.

Now, Eastnor Castle finds itself the setting for another shoot: this time, for Huntsman’s latest collection. Maintaining its reputation as a maker of the world’s finest handcrafted clothes, offering refined ready-to-wear pieces as well as a bespoke service, the label set out to find a location grand enough to complement its new garments – and the castle perfectly fit the bill.

‘Eastnor Castle and the breathtaking location it is set in provided a stunning backdrop to shoot in,’ says Campbell Carey, head cutter and creative director at Huntsman. ‘It did more than justice to our autumn/winter 24 collection.’

Located at the foot of the Malvern Hills and surrounded by acres of nature that just begs to be explored, the Georgian castle quickly captured Carey’s imagination and helped provide inspiration for the lookbook.

‘The sandstone from the Forest of Dean quarry that the castle is built from forms the basis of many of our exclusive house cloths featured in this collection,’ Carey says. ‘We used a grey or natural tone as a starting point to drop in accents of colour, which really complements and enhances a look when shot against this background.’

Naturally, the castle stone became a key element in the shoot, with the courtyard entrance providing the perfect scenery for many of the knitwear and sporting outerwear shots. ‘The vast sandstone courtyard entrance was a beautiful place to shoot,’ said Carey. ‘As the sun set, it changed the look of the exterior every few minutes.’

Huntsman’s autumn/winter 2024 collection features an impressive array of ready-to-wear styles, from eveningwear to sportswear and even silk pyjamas. Serving purposes through the changing seasons, the collection also caters to every discerning gentleman’s weekend needs. The perfect place to take them on a test run? With 12 eclectic bedrooms available for private hire and a host of countryside pursuits to experience, Eastnor Castle boasts everything one needs for a (well-dressed) few days of R&R.

Imogen Hervey-Bathurst, owner and resident of Eastnor Castle, said of the experience working with the Huntsman team: ‘As long-serving patrons, we were honoured to assist Huntsman in providing a backdrop for its new collection. We love the label’s clothing and feel like the pieces really capture the essence of British weekend tailoring – something we see plenty of here at the castle.’

For more information about Huntsman, visit huntsmansavilerow.com