canvas...then?

[Guest]

I am really confused on how the interior of the bespoke suit is constructed. From what I have gathered a canvas is used for the main body and horsehair and dommete is used for the chest area. Is this it? Is this what all SR tailors do? Last week I was throwing out some clothes and I decided to open one of my old bespoke jackets…however there was no dommete but instead there was a white felted layer (with the usual seams). Why was that?

cheers

[Guest]

I don't know what dommete is(sorry)!
It basically depends on the preferences of the tailor, but felt is not inferior or superior, it's just another way to cover the stiff canvas or horsehair construction. This is necessary to avoid the short and stiff fibres of the horsehair from going through the lining, which would make the coat feel really uncomfortable.


SG

[Guest]

well mine puts the canvas and horsehair layer but then puts a white felted cottony layer on top of those two..Is that ok?

[Guest]

SG thanks for your reply! Are you a tailor...if so what do you use? And if you are just a good bespoke customer do you know what your tailor does (Im guessing he is on the row?)?

thanks again

[Guest]

I use any soft material, as long as it is not too thick. It is difficult to find decent tailoring stuff in Germany, so I sometimes use a thin synthetic wadding, which I iron onto the canvas.
But in a real bespoke garment with floating canvas it should be attached by hand. I don't think the material itself matters. It just has to be soft and heat-resistant, to avoid complications in the future(dry-cleaning and pressing).


SG

[Guest]

A "structured" coat is typically made using several layers of different kinds of canvas or interlinings. The largest is a layer of wool/horsehair blend that is basically the same size as the front third or so of (each side of) the coat, running from the lapel through the chest, from the collar seam to almost the bottom edge. Then there is a piece of pure horsehair (much stiffer) in just the chest. The purpose of this is to smooth out and "clean up" the chest of the coat. Some add a piece of linen to the upper chest. The horsehair and linen are then covered with a light cotton flannel to prevent the horsehair from poking through the lining and scratching the wearer's body. These pieces are sewn together around the edges, and then padstitched with basting thread (white cotton) before they are put into the coat. This is what is meant by "making" the canvas. "Canvas" used in this sense refers to the whole internal structure. Once made, that structure is then pad-stitched to the coat front and lapels using colored silk thread. (Again, there are two of these structures, one for each side of the coat.)

[Guest]

so its not inferior to use cotton flannel instead of a dommete?

[Guest]

each tailor has his method of construction its the way that works best for him.
if there was only one way to do it then there would be only one tailor.

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