The London Lounge

Thanks David. Neapolitan cut, yes, but Rubunacci's price for a sports jacket is 20 - 25% higher than the other makers I've been looking at (for no discernable reason other than brand).

Thanks all for comments. Am not a great fan of the Rubinacci cut, and they are also expensive. It was also my understanding that Rubinacci's London outfit does not actually offer full bespoke (at least not in the same way as you will get if you travel to their Italian HQ). On the suggestions about u...

Does anyone have any experience with Elia Caliendo?

I am considering a lightweight single breasted sports jacket for summer. I have a linen suit from a SR tailor, but it wears very warm (even in the English summer) and so I am looking at Italian makers as an alternative. I would go full bespoke, probably in an unlined hopsack. Who would members recom...

The Permanent Style site is excellent. You may or may not agree with Simon Crompton's style choices but the site itself is a great resource - as others have said, backed up with photos and a wealth of other info which you don't find elsewhere. By all means criticise the content. Criticism of SC hims...

Manself wrote:Has anyone tried any of the other Neapolitans who feature heavily online? I'm thinking of D'Avino and Luca Avitabile?

Would love to try D'Avino but it seems he rarely visits London, and is not easy for me to justify a trip to Naples (Paris, on the other hand...).

I have heard that Mary Frittolini has now closed her business down permanently. Just wondered whether anyone can verify, or has any other news of her?

Can anyone recommend fabric books for casual shirts. By 'casual' I mean denim, chambray or perhaps brushed cotton.

I have generally used Thomas Mason in the past but TM is quite formal and has extremely limited casual styles.

Any recommendations would be welcome.

Has anyone gathered definite plans of Maria Frittolini? I saw her in Paris and know she's moving to Italy. Whether that is only to rest, or to resume work I couldn't say for sure. [Given her illness, I wasn't sure how far to pry in that department, especially since her English, while miles better t...

Does anyone have any recent, first-hand experience of Fiorenzo Auricchio at D’Avino? I gather he is based in Naples but visits London regularly.

Does anyone have any recent first hand experience with Courtot or Lucca in Paris?

This is a quote from Alden from a thread back in 2012: "The results are in. Mary's work is the direct result of her apprenticeship with Pierre. His hand is there, and it is the best I have ever seen bar none. When over ten years ago Pierre Duboin told me he was retiring, I was sartorially devastated...

Mary's work is excellent. She nailed my collar in a way that my last London maker never managed to do even after numerous attempts. Button placement also - something I've never even been offered in London. And her finishing is so much better than I've had elsewhere (although I've found that her butt...

I live in London but alas there are no bespoke shirtmakers working here anymore. I would not subscribe to this quote.There are several bespoke shirtmakers in town. .... ....What counts for me is the result. My immediate reaction was similar to David´s....until I realized that the OP was adhering to...

It will be difficult to find a replacement for Mary. She is an outstanding woman and her work is sublime. I have no personal experiences with these houses, but in Paris both Charvet and Lanvin make shirts to the specific standard of bespoke to which you subscribe, e.g. with muslin fittings. Charvet...