Charvet - Bespoke Tailoring

[lifefan]

Good Afternoon fellow LL guests and members.

This is my first post as a new guest, here on "The London Lounge". I have been doing research and needed to know the following two things:-

1) Does Charvet's suit tailoring include such fabrics as molsekins, cord's, cavalry twill, English Tweeds etc...In other words would you find the same choices there as at an English tailor such as Anderson and Sheppard?

2) Having narrowed the choice to two establishments, can anyone tell me more about either of them and why they would/have picked one or the other? Anderson's and Charvet are my choices.

To explain how I arrived at these choices, Anderson's purely for it's house cut and Charvet because every single person and opinion I have come across tells me they are the best at whatever they choose to do. Beyond this I need to be educated.

Thank you

Yash

[Jackson]

In answer to your first question, yes they have all the fabrics you listed on hand. Their fabric selection is first-rate which is to be expected. However, if you'd already researched Charvet's tailor wouldn't you know this?

Do you live in either London or Paris? Granted the two cities are just a 2+ hour trip on the Eurostar apart, however if I were you I would lean to trying whichever one is in your own backyard first. And if those are the two you favor, by all means consider trying them both if it fits into your schedule and budget.

[lifefan]

Thank you for replying to my question. In answer to yoyur first question, I did call Charvet and speak to someone there (Christophe) who informed me he was a "consultant". I asked him several times about fabrics such as moleskins, cavalry twills and such like. He couldn't understand what I was saying and my French is, at best, schoolboy, so I thanked him and posted the question here instead.

In answer to your second question - I live in London. But your response tells me exactly what I need to know, and, of course Charvet being the firm it is, will produce the very best quality as will Anderson's. The only thing now since the are both within budget is as you rightly state schedule and travel time.

Thank you once again.

Yash

[rjman]

Christophe is a salesman. His English is good and, like all the salespeople there, he is very knowledgeable, although the tailoring terms may have been beyond him.

The tailor is Jean-Jacques. I'm pretty sure they have moleskins and cavalry twills; they have bolts of all sorts of good fabric (from tweeds to cashmeres) and books of many more. Unlike certain other places, they don't appear to want to dazzle you by pushing the newest Super 200s gimmick at you.

Anderson & Sheppard is or was famous for the breadth of their fabric selection. While Charvet appears to have a very good selection of fabrics, it's possible they may not have quite as many tailoring fabrics. However, I've noticed they have some very nice tweeds.

If I lived in London like you, I'd choose a local tailor for convenience, given that there are plenty of excellent tailors in London. I live in Paris, and after using Poole, with satisfaction, I've tried Charvet. As with shirts, it's incomparably easy to stop by for a fitting, and there's no annoying wait for a visit or until the next time I can travel to the tailor's. As a note, however, the tailor at Charvet works Tuesday through Saturday (bar lunchtimes), so that he is available on the weekend if you hop a Eurostar. I understand that many places on the Row still aren't open weekends.

[lifefan]

Christophe's English was excellent and you are right in that the only problem was that he didn't understand the terms - nothing more.

A & S is only open Monday to Friday, not weekends but that is in common with a lot of London tailors. I think that now the only thing left for me to decide is location based, as they are as good as each other in every respect. If I decide on Charvet for shirts (which is looking more and more to being the case) then Charvet may also make sense for suits. In any event they are, from what I gather both excellent and I won't lose out by picking either one.

Thanks and Regards

Yash

[dopey]

I think you are making a mistake here, and a large one, in one respect. While both Charvet and A&S may make excellent suits, they look nothing like each other. I don't see how you can begin to decide between them without deciding which look you prefer. And while you are at it - have a walk up and down Savile Row and see which of the tailoring house styles appeal the most to you. You are not likely to go wrong on quality, so you might as well figure out what look you like best on you.

[Concordia]

I think you are making a mistake here, and a large one, in one respect. While both Charvet and A&S may make excellent suits, they look nothing like each other. I don't see how you can begin to decide between them without deciding which look you prefer. And while you are at it - have a walk up and down Savile Row and see which of the tailoring house styles appeal the most to you. You are not likely to go wrong on quality, so you might as well figure out what look you like best on you.

+1.

Which is not to say that you won't like both cuts in different applications. But this is a very personal matter and should not be decided solely by the competence or reputation of the tailor involved. That's an excellent start, but you have to like looking the way he wants you to look.

[lifefan]

In response to both Concordia and dopey, my preference was first for Anderson and Sheppard based on house style. I found out that Charvet tailors suits, quite by accident, when I called them to talk about shirts. I have looked at Anderson and Sheppard only in pictures and at the window of the new shop as well as their website. I really do love their look but don't know yet whether that particular look will suit me. I am very slim indeed. Charvet (Christophe) told me that they don't have a particular house style but like to meet client needs.

I have walked up and down Savile Row and did that at the same time I was looking at Anderson's window. Huntsman, Kilgour, Dege, Poole's were duly noted and appreciated, but my heart was with Anderson and Sheppard. I did, however, think that Norton and Sons cut a very nice (different to A&S) looking suit, but just not one that I prefered to the Anderson look.

I think, maybe, the best thing for me to do is to go into Anderson and Sheppard and have a talk and a proper look. I have spoken to them on the telephone and they were very welcoming. That's the only way I'll know for sure.

Yash

[Concordia]

You may as well try A&S, if for no other reason than to get it out of your system.

Plan to develop a relationship, as Suit #1 isn't always as good as they'll wind up making for you later on. This is universal to all tailors.

Another thought specific to Anderson's-- consider a DB jacket, even if you wouldn't normally wear one. They do that very well, and to my taste are more successful at it than the SB. Your mileage may vary, of course, as you are probably not built much like me.

[lifefan]

I had not even considered the fact that as time goes on they may make you a better suit. Makes sense though.

Anderson and Sheppard is known more for their DB than SB and in fact, that's where I first fell in love with it - Prince Charles used to wear Anderson and Sheppard DB. I am partial to DB and even with my slimness it looks good, actually quite dapper. An exclusive blue pinstripe that they do would look particularly smart in double breasted. Their DB suits have a wonderful flowing look to them.

Yash

[lifefan]

I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have answered my question and all those who may contribute further.

It is my first post on the LL and the response puts me in good spirit. Makes me realise that I've become a guest on just the right forum.

Yash