I wonder about SR quality

[pur_sang]

In some houses it felt more like strictly a business visit, while others felt far more friendly and engaging.

Sad to say, I find A&S very commercial these days. They don't do anything wrong per se, but I find them manufacturing plant like...

[Badden]

In some houses it felt more like strictly a business visit, while others felt far more friendly and engaging.

Sad to say, I find A&S very commercial these days. They don't do anything wrong per se, but I find them manufacturing plant like...

While the experience is perhaps a bit more 'sterile', the similarities to manufacturing have led to increased consistency, responsiveness and timeliness. I'll take that any day over some of my experiences with 'artisanal' Italian makers

I am a big fan of A&S and welcome the more professional approach.

[dempsy444]

I find the specialist system deployed on SR frustrating. I've worked now with a firm on the Row named Huntsman and it has taken them nearly three years so far to get my initial suit right and they are still short of getting it right by quite a bit. A lot of the problem seems to be the one doing the work is the tailor but the one I'm talking to is the cutter. The tailor has never met me or ever seen the suit on me yet he's suppose to correct everything relayed to him by the visiting cutter. Maybe the system works some places but huntsman hasn't seemed to master it. I would rather have one person make my suit or have a head tailor who tightly controls his team.

[davidhuh]

I find the specialist system deployed on SR frustrating. I've worked now with a firm on the Row named Huntsman and it has taken them nearly three years so far to get my initial suit right and they are still short of getting it right by quite a bit. A lot of the problem seems to be the one doing the work is the tailor but the one I'm talking to is the cutter. The tailor has never met me or ever seen the suit on me yet he's suppose to correct everything relayed to him by the visiting cutter. Maybe the system works some places but huntsman hasn't seemed to master it. I would rather have one person make my suit or have a head tailor who tightly controls his team.

Dear Dempsy,

I'm sorry for your difficulties with Huntsman. However, you seem not to understand how tailors work. I know of one tailor on this planet who does everything himself. Even my humble old tailor in Eastern Europe only does the cutting and the fittings, plus here and there a little quick fix.

The system you seem to be dreaming of is not guarantee for quality neither. I know the one tailor I'm thinking of is very good, but so are all the others I am working with. I thought you went to Despos in Chicago and seemed rather happy. I'm not aware that he does everything by himself...

Cheers, david

[Mark Seitelman]

I wonder what all the complaining is about?

My limited experience has been excellent.

Sure, in the old days the prices were better, the work was better, and even the air was better. But for here and now, Savile Row still produces fine clothes.

I would have no hesitation in recommending either Davies & Son or other tailors who have a good "rep" among my friends who are actual customers. (E.g., Henry Poole, Anderson & Sheppard, Huntsman, Sedwell, Chittleborough & Morgan, Dege & Skinner, Haywood, and Mahon.)

[dempsy444]

Dear Dempsy,

I'm sorry for your difficulties with Huntsman. However, you seem not to understand how tailors work. I know of one tailor on this planet who does everything himself. Even my humble old tailor in Eastern Europe only does the cutting and the fittings, plus here and there a little quick fix.

The system you seem to be dreaming of is not guarantee for quality neither. I know the one tailor I'm thinking of is very good, but so are all the others I am working with. I thought you went to Despos in Chicago and seemed rather happy. I'm not aware that he does everything by himself...

Cheers, david

The Huntsman suit I'm referring to is from before I started working with Despos. Yes, despos made a very nice suit and is working on another. I still however want to get the original huntsman right and have been working with huntsman to do that rather than taking it to another tailor. I'll keep trying but it's very frustrating with them. Much of this is due to the long distance relationship but their internal process isn't making it easier.

While Chris has an in-house team, the process fealt tightly managed by Chris with suit I had made and everything was very smooth. With huntsman things feel disjointed like the left and right hand of the process arent in sync. I just feel like they botched the neck shoulder area initially and for the tailor to get it fixed he needs to see it on me rather than hear it from the cutter.

[C.Lee]

...I still however want to get the original huntsman right and have been working with huntsman to do that rather than taking it to another tailor. I'll keep trying but it's very frustrating with them...

Is ending the commission and asking for your money back an option?

Multiple fittings over as many years and still a poor outcome should be grounds for moving on. Fit is the hallmark of bespoke, and if a tailor can not deliver this given enough opportunities, I say it should be a loss borne by him.

I share your frustration as it is a situation (not SR) I am working through myself.

[dempsy444]

Is ending the commission and asking for your money back an option?

Multiple fittings over as many years and still a poor outcome should be grounds for moving on. Fit is the hallmark of bespoke, and if a tailor can not deliver this given enough opportunities, I say it should be a loss borne by him.

I share your frustration as it is a situation (not SR) I am working through myself.

I doubt huntsman would do that and i wouldn't ask for it. I see it as the risk that comes with the first commission. I think one just votes with his feet and if bad enough shares the experience so others have it in their mosaic when picking SR tailor. I've witnessed such a stark contrast over the last nearly three years between the air of supperiority that Huntsman presents ("we dress the best, Make the best and expect the best ") and the actual work and service received (at least in their travelling business) that I think it is important to call them out publicly. Its one thing if you are a small private tailor doing his own thing but its another when you are business owned by a hedge fund and doing a fair amount of marketing. I have no problem calling out the latter publically. As a business, If you are going to publish look books that make such bold claims around being the best to potential customers you need to live up to it, or at least be in the general vicinity, especially if this crowds out business from good but lesser known tailors.

Some of the things I have encountered with huntsman are:

-Getting the fit fundamentally wrong and still not being able to correct it this far after.
-Not correcting my name in the breast pocket after making the request. Still not fixed a year later. (yes, it's my suit). Obviously, not a critical detail but it's telling.
-No reply for a month several times. For example my last email from three weeks ago still hasn't received a reply.
-Several times being told the suit "will" be shipped by a certain date but then nothing even a month past the date, and no update from huntsman. I make the call to ask.
-Not updating the shipping address after making the request. To date, I still receive things at the other address.

All this taken together pisses off a paying customer. Whoever the new owners are they have work to do.

Alex Higgins-Hughes

[MRJ]

This sounds very poor. If you like the Huntsman cut then I suggest you try Richard Anderson. I have always found his service exemplary but living in the UK I am able to visit London reasonably often

[aston]

If this happened to me, I would definitely ask for, and expect to receive, a refund.

Such apparent sloppiness in the make, and shoddy response, should embarrass them to blazes. Artisan, craftsman, blah blah, nonsense.

[andreyb]

Hopefully, someone from Huntsman is reading this.

This is an excellent opportunity for new owners to step in and start fixing problems.

Andrey

[hectorm]

Hopefully, someone from Huntsman is reading this.

Dear andreyb,
Since the beginning of 2013 Huntsman´s new owner is the Belgian hedge fund manager Pierre Lagrange. His boyfriend, designer Roubi L Roubi, is the "creative director" of the firm now. This might explain (not justify, of course) some of the flaws in the service you are getting.
But the last time I checked Mr. Peter Smith -who is one of the most respected and competent fellows in SR- was still their General Manager.
So I wonder what´s really going on.

[dempsy444]

But the last time I checked Mr. Peter Smith -who is one of the most respected and competent fellows in SR- was still their General Manager.
So I wonder what´s really going on.

Yes he is the gm. I noticed no positive impact from his respected presence other than
a friendly smile and a "you're in good hands sir."

[andreyb]

This might explain (not justify, of course) some of the flaws in the service you are getting.

I'm not a Huntsman customer -- I appealed (with the message above) for new owners to step in and resolve the troubles dempsy444 has.

Andrey

[Badden]

A good friend of mine had a very similar issue with Huntsman back in 2007. Despite 4-5 fittings in NY, and a recut in between, they still weren't able to get a decent fit.

They did, however, cheerily refund my friend's deposit.