In the buttoned-down world of Savile Row, Matthew Farnes is an awkward fit. The 35-year-old Farnes calls himself a Savile Row tailor even though his workshop is in his house outside London, far from the city's famous district of custom suitmakers that has grown up around the street.

Traditional Savile Row tailors require precise customer fittings in their shops; Farnes makes house calls. In a world governed by discretion, Farnes courts attention with a blog, "The Savile Row Artisan," where he touts his creations and offers fashion tips, like which jackets go well with jeans.