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Death of 'famous' tailor who worked until 82

IMRAN KHAN A black and white photograph of a man with white hair wearing glasses, a shirt and tie and suit jacket holding a piece of checked clothed. IMRAN KHAN
Raymond Lister who was well-known in West Yorkshire's tailoring trade

A tailor described as "famous" in the city where he worked for more than 50 years has died at the age of 86.

Raymond Lister ran his own bespoke shop in Bradford, where his customers included politicians and sportsmen.

After briefly retiring, he returned to work at the age of 82 when the owner of IK Collections gave him a job.

Imran Khan said his employee was a "legend" and "famous in the Pakistani community".

A man with dark, curly hair sitting down in a tailor's shop wearing a pinstriped black and white, doubled-breasted suit with a yellow tape measure around his neck.
Imran Khan owns the tailoring business that occupies Mr Lister's old premises

Mr Lister set up his business in the 1960s and the premises are now occupied by IK Collections, which Mr Khan, 42, founded in 2012. He took on several of Mr Lister's former staff.

Mr Khan persuaded his mentor to come out of retirement, and in the latter phase of his career Mr Lister made suits for Captain Sir Tom Moore and actor John Barrowman.

Other recent clients during his spell at IK Collections as a cutter included Jeremy Corbyn, Tyson Fury and David Dickinson.

Mr Lister passed away at the end of December. He left a widow, Judith, and one child.

Mr Khan said: "We're still shocked. [When he was unwell] he used to ring me on a Tuesday saying he was feeling a lot better and was going to try to come in on a Thursday.

"Obviously his body wasn't there, but his head was. Right up until the end.

"The staff here loved him to bits. The apprentices loved him, because he gave everyone a chance.

"He's true a legend. Every single culture, every single person knew him.

"He was famous in the Pakistani community. I know so many people who'd had a suit made by him.

"Ray always said that he just wanted to give his experience to me, and the younger generation, because he wanted to continue his legacy."

A woman with blond hair and glasses wearing a pink tunic and white blouse sitting behind a sewing machine with some blue material in her hand.
Bespoke tailor Sofia Marijewko worked with Raymond Lister for more than 30 years

Among Mr Lister's loyal staff who transferred to IK Collections was Sofia Marijewko, who is still working herself at the age of 87.

She came to Bradford in 1959 as a political refugee from communist Yugoslavia, and worked with him for 30 years.

She said: "We had our arguments about work, but we couldn't do without one another. I was a widow with two young boys when he took me on.

"He was a very good person, very honest, and very kind with everybody.

"In my opinion Raymond is a legend here in Bradford. There will never be another Raymond. He was such a good man."

A bald-headed man wearing a pinstriped suit with white shirt and yellow pattern tie and a blue measuring tape around his neck, standing in a tailor's shop with a couple of dummies dressed in blue and black tuxedos to one side.
Alan Thornton first entered tailoring in 1969 working alongside his brother Maurice

Another of Mr Lister's contemporaries is Alan Thornton, 81, who first entered tailoring when he started work at his brother Maurice's shop in 1969.

After selling his own business, he was recruited to work at IK Collections at a similar time as Mr Lister joined.

He said: "Even now people say some of the best suits they have were made by Raymond Lister.

"I only met Raymond in the last three years. I had a good reputation and so did Raymond for bespoke, made-to-measure suits.

"He was jovial, liked a laugh and was a great Frank Sinatra fan, which I am too. So we did reminisce about big bands and singers.

"It's very sad, but that's life."

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