When a tailor retires...

[richardcharles]

Godfrey, I wanted to address your request. I feel strongly about sharing the resources with whom I have had positive experiences and not treating thus as my intellectual property.Others feel differently.I am currently in process on four suits with Michael Bruno in Mississauga. This is not my norm as I would usually wait for the first to be completed and then go forward. Michael, is a true gentleman and I have developed a strong feeling of confidence in him. He does all work ( including pants ) in house. The distance between he and I has slowed the process. I am due to see him in two weeks for my third fiting. His number is 905-566-9055.I have had other experiences in Toronto but none worth mentioning on this forum.

[richardcharles]

Godfrey, I wanted to address your request. I feel strongly about sharing the resources with whom I have had positive experiences and not treating thus as my intellectual property.Others feel differently.I am currently in process on four suits with Michael Bruno in Mississauga. This is not my norm as I would usually wait for the first to be completed and then go forward. Michael, is a true gentleman and I have developed a strong feeling of confidence in him. He does all work ( including pants ) in house. The distance between he and I has slowed the process. I am due to see him in two weeks for my third fiting. His number is 905-566-9055.I have had other experiences in Toronto but none worth mentioning on this forum.

[Cantabrigian]

Thank you Leonard. I can certainly see why that would be difficult.

It seems - as Mark mentioned - that the only group that seems to be able to consistently survive generational jumps is the London houses.

So I find myself torn with, on the one hand, the inevitable difficulty involved in trans-Atlantic fittings and (if the IMF recommendations are heeded) the continued and likely worsening weakness of the dollar and, on the other hand, the desite to not be starting from square one when someone retires.

I guess the best advice is to simply make hay while the sun shines and try to - where possible - pick someone whose career will likely coincide with your own.

Does anyone know when CHC or MMatthew will be coming into the trade?

[mathew]

(to cut to the chase) when I'm able to deliver a top-quality product.

[Godfrey S.]

Richard, thank you very much for the recommendation -it is likely that I will give Mr. Bruno a call this summer. I want two or three suits made by the end of September.

Could I beg you for a few details regarding his work? I am accustomed to a soft english cut suit without machine stitched buttonholes or basted lining (you would be shocked at how many supposedly high end MTM suits in this city come with this), and slightly roped shoulders. Will he be able/willing to accomodate this? And if I may be so bold as to ask in a general way how his prices are, I would be interested in hearing this. I often find that a good independant tailor can provide a high quality garment for a little over the price of a mid-high end RTW (think upper deck Hugo Boss to Zegna or similar), is this the case with Michael? If you do not feel comfortable in alluding to his approximate prices, please do not answer, I am perfectly willing to discuss prices with the tailor himself before (and regretably sometimes after) commisioning a suit or jacket.

On the advice of a colleague, I intend to drop in on Beauchamp Walter for a blazer in the upcoming weeks. I have been there before for shirts and accesories before, but this will be my first experience in suiting with them. They seem to have something of a tradition there, so I expect a high quality bespoke garment -though I fear the price will be comparable with Harry Rosen bespoke. Have you an opinion on Beauchamp? If not, hopefully I will be able to fill you in before too long (and let's hope I only have positive things to say).

Thank you again for sharing your experience. Toronto certainly needs more discerning customers like ourselves!