Molloy & Sons' Donegal Tweed - 545g/m

[Screaminmarlon]

Thank you, Frederic.
I'm really fond of those visits to the taylor, to have a chat or an expresso (and have a look at all the old fabrics - this last part often lead to temptations and leave previously acquired cloths in a queue ).
Which donegal did you choose for your next suit?
How do you find the Molloy donegal for trousers? Is it advisable to have a second pair of trousers made?
Best regards
M.

[Frederic Leighton]

Which donegal did you choose for your next suit? How do you find the Molloy donegal for trousers? Is it advisable to have a second pair of trousers made?

Screaminmarlon, the trousers feel great! After about 15 wearings, mine still look new. As coat and even waistcoat will get more use than the trousers, I'm happy with one pair of trousers only and decided to do the same for the second suit. This is the cloth - it's just wonderful; it has some brown flecks that you won't see in the photo. I'm still not sure about the buttons. Also, as the cloth is a bit thick, you might want to think twice before asking pleats and turn-ups for your trousers, as the folds could get a bit bulky. Again, on a tweed suit with 'sport' details (and even in general, given my body-shape) I'm happy without pleats. The cloth itself is very inexpensive - have a pair of pepper-and-salt odd trousers made and you won't regret it! Thanks again for sharing your photo

[Screaminmarlon]

Great choice for next suit, Frederic: please, post photos of it when you can.
As for the pepper donegal trousers, great advice: in fact I have to have a new pair made as the old one is giving up.
I'll contact Molloy for this.
Saluti
M.

[Frederic Leighton]

Requested by a member, here is the fashion plate at the origin of my blue-Donegal project.

I opted for a shorter coat and gave my tailor two vintage 1920's coats that were already in my wardrobe to use for reference. I also handed in two waistcoats to have some details reproduced - a vintage 1930's and a vintage 1956 Savile Row. As I already mentioned before, the trousers are a replica of some 1930's morning trousers also from my wardrobe.

The little I know about clothing was actually learned and discovered buying vintage items in shops all around London. The interesting thing is that, once the lesson is learned, you can even sell those items back and usually get more than what you paid. On the other hand, I know a man who bought a 2008 bespoke Savile Row three piece suit from a charity shop of Fulham for £50 (inside the pocket, the name of the original owner; a well known politician).

[YoungLawyer]

Thank you - what an interesting plate. Do you know the name of the publisher/tailor?

[Frederic Leighton]

Today my tailor sent me some old photos related to this cloth. I thought I'd share them here as I always love when members share theirs.

[Screaminmarlon]

Thank you Federico for sharing them. Lovely lapel.
How do you find this donegal for trousering, after some wearing?
Saluti
M.

[Frederic Leighton]

Thank you, Screaminmarlon. After about 30 wearings, the cloth is quite fluffy compared to the start. I was doing the comparison just yesterday, as I had a fitting for my second suit in Molloy's tweed. The crease on the blue trousers is still there and, to be honest with you, I haven't touched it up once - without being a razor blade, it's just perfect for the 'tweed look'. I was thinking about a second pair of trousers for the same suit, but I don't think I'll need it. This sporty coat will get plenty of wear also with odd trousers in flannel and in different colours of Molloy's tweed.

[bond_and_beyond]

Does anyone know if Molloy shrinks their tweed before sending to the tailor?

Just had a forward fitting on this tweed and it seemed to simply have shrunk. The body was much tighter than at the basted fitting stage and jacket and sleeves were shorter than specified by the cutter. Either the coat maker had one too many while working on my coat or, much more likely, the cloth had simply shrunk while being pressed

The coat felt like it had been made by a Swedish fashion brand (if Swedish fashion brands used 545g/m cloth )

My tailor has not worked with Molloy tweed before so he was leaning towards it not being pre-shrunk (he told me that most other cloth providers pre-shrink now, though it was not common in the old days to do so).

BB

[Russell]

Hello BB,

I've got several garments made from LL / Molloy tweed & had no sign at all of shrinkage either during the fitting & making nor the day to day wearing.


Regards
Russell

[davidhuh]

Dear BB,

your coat has simply shrunk by sewing

No worries, the tailor will fix this. Molloy tweed is ready for tailoring without pre-shrinking in my experience.

Cheers, David

[Frederic Leighton]

I was with my tailor today for a fitting and mentioned your problem. He decided to perform a simple test on the left overs of my second Molloy's tweed. The intensive steam-ironing didn't have any significant effect on the size of the swatch.

[bond_and_beyond]

Thanks Federico. Then I jot it down to the coat maker having one too many

It should be easily remedied though, so I am not worried.

BB

[bond_and_beyond]

Thought I'd share a photo of the Molloy in the wild, at the Guinness Academy in Dublin:



BB

[HristoStefanov]

Gianfrancesco Musella did for me a double breasted jacket from a Molloy & Sons fabric and I am very happy with the result.
Beautiful fabric in the hands of a skilful tailor leads to great results:
http://www.muselladembechmilano.com/pos ... h-belt-and
http://www.muselladembechmilano.com/pos ... nd-fitting
http://www.muselladembechmilano.com/pos ... newproject