The House
The History of Besnard
A heritage of craftsmanship and quiet distinction, established in 1876
A. Besnard Tailleur
Albert Besnard was born in London, the son of Louis Besnard, a Parisian chef who later became chef to King William III. When his father was appointed to the royal household, the family moved to The Hague. Albert grew up near the Royal Palace, surrounded by the customs and formalities of court life. In 1876, at the age of 26, he opened a small atelier in The Hague, not far from the palace.
A Master Tailor
His craftsmanship and attention to detail earned him recognition in the press, leading to the expansion of his atelier into larger premises.
Mr. A. A. E. Besnard, who established a good reputation as a master tailor and – to use an artistic term – is regarded as a tailor-artist, moved his atelier to a new location. His renovation of the shop is distinguished by simplicity and quality; the shop window is made of one piece of glass, the largest shop window ever placed in the city.” (Dagblad, 6 May 1885)
Military and Court Tailor
From his atelier near the Royal Palace, Besnard became one of the few tailors entrusted with producing official uniforms for court and military occasions. These garments were worn at royal weddings, audiences, and other state ceremonies.
This type of work followed strict rules. In 1815, King William I had standardised the appearance of court dress in royal decrees. Each uniform required accuracy, fine embroidery, and knowledge of protocol.
Several of Besnard’s garments are now part of national museum collections.
Costume Director-General of the 1930s
© Royal Archive Paleis het Loo
The End of an Era
After more than half a century, as Albert Besnard neared retirement, the house had no successor, and the atelier eventually closed its doors. For almost a century, the name lay dormant.
A New Generation
Today, the house is led by Albert’s great-great-grandson, Victor Besnard. While the focus is now on ready-to-wear and made-to-measure tailoring, the founding principles remain unchanged: quality, design, and craftsmanship.
The collection is designed entirely in-house and produced with small, family-run workshops, where artisans with decades of experience uphold the highest standards of their craft.