Bespoke Raincoats

[Guest]

Hello,

Since I saw the AA/Esquire illustrations depicting raincoats, I've been wondering whether there is any tailor in the world that makes bespoke rainwear?

[Guest]

This has come up before. The needed waterproofing effectively makes a raincoat a manufactured, not a tailored product. So unless you want to commission a cotton twill raglan coat (Leonard Logsdail sells some very water resistant cloth for the purpose) and take your chances on the seams' holding up, you might be better off getting something off the peg.

[Guest]

This has come up before. The needed waterproofing effectively makes a raincoat a manufactured, not a tailored product. So unless you want to commission a cotton twill raglan coat (Leonard Logsdail sells some very water resistant cloth for the purpose) and take your chances on the seams' holding up, you might be better off getting something off the peg.

I see.

Though raincoats are not tailored, is there anyway to get a bespoke or at least made to measure raincoat from a manufacturer? Maybe if you order 10 MTM coats of a kind, they do? But of course you would have to be very sure of the coat you want, for you will be wearing it all your life.

[Guest]

I also have another question: how did the gentlemen back in the times of the AA/Esquire illustrations purchase those raincoats? Did tailors in those times did do raincoats? Or where the manufacturers small companies (like, say, Burberry) that did make special models, MTM or bespoke for individual customers? Does anyone know?

[Guest]

A SR cutter once told me a story about a woman who, in the 1970s (when fur was unpopular) wanted a best Russian blue sable coat but was afraid of what might happen to her if she wore it out. She came up with a plan executed in SR of having a bespoke raincoat lined with £40,000 worth of this fur. Quite ingenious. Also presumably, SR can make raincoats but this seems to me, even without the fur, a little over self-indulgent.
NJS

[Guest]

There is a whole chapter in Thomas Girtin's "Makers Of Distinction" book devoted on made-to-measure macintoshes. Chapter titled "It Raineth Every Day", and the company that was making macintoshes is... no other than Cordings!

"For every garment that they sell from out of stock three are special ordered."

I wonder, how many special ordered macintoshes Cordings makes today? Probably zero, alas.

Andrey

[Guest]

No more Buts, Mrs Worthington -
Nuts! Mrs Worthington...

[Guest]

Couldn't you buy a raincoat off the peg and have it taken it at the sides?

On a raglan sleeve coat, it doesn't seem like it would need to be completely bespoke.

--Cantabrigian

[Guest]

Raincoats look better a bit sloppy and ill fitting. I am not sure why somebody would want one made bespoke.

Matt

[Guest]

Raincoats, macs call them waht you will, with the possible sole exception of riding macs, are NAFF, NAFF, NAFF, NAFF. A bespoke one would be super-NAFF.

[Guest]

Raincoats, macs call them waht you will, with the possible sole exception of riding macs, are NAFF, NAFF, NAFF, NAFF. A bespoke one would be super-NAFF.

[Guest]

A SR cutter once told me a story about a woman who, in the 1970s (when fur was unpopular) wanted a best Russian blue sable coat but was afraid of what might happen to her if she wore it out. She came up with a plan executed in SR of having a bespoke raincoat lined with £40,000 worth of this fur. Quite ingenious. Also presumably, SR can make raincoats but this seems to me, even without the fur, a little over self-indulgent.
NJS

That is very interesting, thank you for telling. I wouldn’t think of adding fur to a raincoat, its even hard to imagine for me how it could be done well, it would be good to see a photograph of the coat if there was any. Perhaps its more understandable for a woman. But its good to know SR can make raincoats, do you know of any particular tailor that may do well (and be willing to do so)?

There is a whole chapter in Thomas Girtin's "Makers Of Distinction" book devoted on made-to-measure macintoshes. Chapter titled "It Raineth Every Day", and the company that was making macintoshes is... no other than Cordings!

Andrey

That is very interesting too. Is there any information in the chapter that may be worth for me to know, if I’ll be having the bespoke raincoat made? I guess there is a lot in the chapter, but maybe you can summarize it.

Couldn't you buy a raincoat off the peg and have it taken it at the sides?

--Cantabrigian

Yes, I believe that is a good idea. If my plan for a bespoke raincoat fails, I might try that, but also see my answer to Matt.

Raincoats look better a bit sloppy and ill fitting. I am not sure why somebody would want one made bespoke.

Matt

Well, I don’t expect the raincoat to be very fitted, but a double breaste done that has my right measurements (specially the lengths and widths) would require some fittings. But specially what I’m interested in is the style: I want a particular style that I have imagined from looking at the AA illustrations, and it would be impossible to find it of the peg nowadays.


The Original Poster.

[Guest]

A SR cutter once told me a story about a woman who, in the 1970s (when fur was unpopular) wanted a best Russian blue sable coat but was afraid of what might happen to her if she wore it out. She came up with a plan executed in SR of having a bespoke raincoat lined with £40,000 worth of this fur. Quite ingenious. Also presumably, SR can make raincoats but this seems to me, even without the fur, a little over self-indulgent.
NJS

That is very interesting, thank you for telling. I wouldn’t think of adding fur to a raincoat, its even hard to imagine for me how it could be done well, it would be good to see a photograph of the coat if there was any. Perhaps its more understandable for a woman. But its good to know SR can make raincoats, do you know of any particular tailor that may do well (and be willing to do so)?

There is a whole chapter in Thomas Girtin's "Makers Of Distinction" book devoted on made-to-measure macintoshes. Chapter titled "It Raineth Every Day", and the company that was making macintoshes is... no other than Cordings!

Andrey

That is very interesting too. Is there any information in the chapter that may be worth for me to know, if I’ll be having the bespoke raincoat made? I guess there is a lot in the chapter, but maybe you can summarize it.

Couldn't you buy a raincoat off the peg and have it taken it at the sides?

--Cantabrigian

Yes, I believe that is a good idea. If my plan for a bespoke raincoat fails, I might try that, but also see my answer to Matt.

Raincoats look better a bit sloppy and ill fitting. I am not sure why somebody would want one made bespoke.

Matt

Well, I don’t expect the raincoat to be very fitted, but a double breaste done that has my right measurements (specially the lengths and widths) would require some fittings. But specially what I’m interested in is the style: I want a particular style that I have imagined from looking at the AA illustrations, and it would be impossible to find it of the peg nowadays.


The Original Poster.

[Guest]

Furriers can be a good source for this. My wife had a Revillon taffeta parka, fur lined and trimmed. The furs were fabulousi but the taffeta needed redo. A furrier in NYC somewhat specializes in fur lined raincoats, and did a very nice job of duplicating or even improving upon the Revillon product. Ben Thylan Furs in NYC, owned by Jane Thylan. She has a range of gabardine, taffeta, and so on, which can be lined in fur, cashmere, or synthetics. She did a very nice job. (see their small dispay ads in the New Yorker). Certainly machine stitching but several fittings, more than you'll get at your local Burberry outlet.

tteplitzmd

[Guest]

I am not sure of this -- but doesn't Burberry have a MTM service for raincoats? Other folks who would know include not only Len Logsdail but his suite-mate Steven Kempson.

SJ