The more you know...

[schneidergott]

[alden]

SG,

Nice to see you.

A very good post because you have been able to sum up the important points clearly and succinctly without getting into the fine "detail" that is mind numbing and not very useful for most of us. You also give practical advice with images that are easy to understand.

I do think the results are different depending on the cutting technique though your point that a lot depends on the talent of the cutter himself is a valid one. An unskilled cutter using "rock of eye" is a scary thought and the results from a competent professional altering an established pattern might give a better result.

A good deal depends on the hand of the tailors, coatmakers actually sewing the clothes. A great pattern and cut can be easily ruined by a second rate craftsman.

Cheers

Michael Alden

[ay329]

I posted a pic of a jacket I made...but it came out more like a coat. I was concerned about this when I picked up the finished product from my tailor, but my tailor convinced me to accept it as is since I wanted 2 inches of overlap. After folks posted some comments, my previous concerns convinced me to take it back...get rid of the overlap and cut the jacket with more open quarters. The I should have pics up by next week, once I pick up the final garment as to before and after pics.

Fortunately, it was one of those bespoke disasters...which fortunately could be fixed

[The_Sartorialist]

Schneidergott,

Excellent post, and the illustrations were very helpful as well!

[schneidergott]

[schneidergott]

[alden]

Not every bespoke customer has the chance to see his tailor whenever he needs to, so this is meant to provide a little help when communicating with the tailors.
The more you, the customer, knows the more your tailor will know. So you both will benefit. Hopefully...

This is a point I have been making for a few years now and you have summarized the concept well. I would only add that there are also young men planning to make a step into style and will choose bespoke or some form of tailoring as their vehicle. They benefit from the education in the fundamental concepts of the tailoring art as well.

Cheers

M Alden

[S. Gillette]

Not every bespoke customer has the chance to see his tailor whenever he needs to, so this is meant to provide a little help when communicating with the tailors.
The more you, the customer, knows the more your tailor will know. So you both will benefit. Hopefully...

This is a point I have been making for a few years now and you have summarized the concept well. I would only add that there are also young men planning to make a step into style and will choose bespoke or some form of tailoring as their vehicle. They benefit from the education in the fundamental concepts of the tailoring art as well.

Cheers

M Alden

schneidergott and Alden both have a pont here. I have made the experience that a bespoke piece can benefit from talking to and learning from and about each other (tailor, client) a lot. Ideally, after some time, the tailor would know, how a client want's the cloth made up before they have talked about it. Today, however, finding such a tailor is increasingly difficult. "Chemistry" is, in my opinion, the most underrated factor in a sartorial relationship.

How are people's opinions on a cutter and head tailor (and, maybe, owner) being one and the same person in a business? I found it to be highly useful, given the person we are talking about is a true master of his craft, because the risk of losing information "on the way" from the cutter to the tailor is minimal.

[schneidergott]

[alden]

The ideal case would be that there is only one person a customer has to work with, in second place a firm with sufficient in-house tailors which makes communication and supervising easier.
In any case the cutter, (especially the one who is outsourcing his work to tailors) should prepare a work sheet with all the details. Most just mark them on the cloth with chalk, which may leave room for interpretations, or they simply vanish. A clear technical drawing of the garment should be provided, ideally a copy of the pattern as well, maybe even pictures of the customer. Instructions and pictures help the tailor to judge where some additional iron work might be necessary, along with other things.
Chemistry not only works between cutter and customer, but also cutter and tailor. Both should be at the same high level of skill and knowledge. If not, they should at least try to correct that. Each side is wasting time and money if they don't.

SG,

Some excellent remarks in this post. The work relationship between cutter and tailor is crucial and like in so many workplaces communication in a team has to be developed and maintained. Most often the tailor will never see the client, so the cutter has to be able to describe the iron and needle work that has to be done.

I am clearly going to be looking for these things and asking questions as I conduct my DWS visits of SR tailors and houses. So your comments come at a very good time. I saw an excellent level of organization at Anderson & Sheppard during my visit there recently. There were clearly detailed worksheets with photos of clients in evidence.

Cheers

M Alden

[schneidergott]

[jakob]

I have a German video showing (some of the) processes described, if interested I can try to upload several scenes from it.

Dear Schneidergott

That is a wonderful idea!

Regards,

J. Bauer

[schneidergott]

[schneidergott]

[schneidergott]