What do I do when my respected tailor does poor work?

[old henry]

I see nothing wrong with what you wrote Rowly. A bit of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
I would certainly do my best to guide a novice customer to choose correctly and I would also do my best work for him because he has put his trust in me. Lenny Logsdail touches on this very sincerely in the " Advice Requested " thread.

[Rowly]

I would certainly do my best to guide a novice customer to choose correctly and I would also do my best work for him because he has put his trust in me.

That Frank, if you don't mind me saying so, is why you are one of the most respected mentors in the London Lounge.

[old henry]

That is very kind of you , Rowly, but I must laugh thinking of a few past customers who have seen another side of me. Ha ! However, Thank you. FS

[alden]

That Frank, if you don't mind me saying so, is why you are one of the most respected mentors in the London Lounge.

Rowly

Frank is much more than a great mentor on the LL, he is a skilled craftsman (one who does not toot his own horn.) So I will submit this clarion blast, a lovely shoulder by Frank Shattuck:



Cheers

Michael

[davidhuh]

Dear Michael,

what a beauty, amazing coat!

The only trouble with Frank is he lives a bit too far west

cheers, david

[Merc]

my tailor has done good work for me but has made mistakes due to a poor system of recording instructions for a commission--
minor generally ( flaps instead of jets or vice versa)
its very frustrating but as they say in these parts--i suck it up---because his actual work is good and they were items i can live with--
my experience with shirt-makers is worse both mtm and true bespoke

[alden]

K-tie,

I have been wandering around the bespoke world for awhile now and what I am about to recount comes through the rose colored glasses of my own experience. I have only asked a tailor to alter a garment once in over a hundred. In that rare instance, the coat was fine but cut just a bit snug compared to the others the tailor had made for me. The coat was made a bit larger and I was happier with it.

If I have ever gained or lost weight and it has happened often in the last thirty years, I have employed my own alterations tailor to do the work I required. My weight loss or gain was never the result of the tailor’s skill or lack thereof but rather of momentary gluttony and fasting. So I would have felt ill at ease asking the innocent to resolve problems of my own making. And alterations to bespoke garments are like rolling dice.

The only time I was ever truly displeased by a tailor(s) was in Naples many years ago and that was due to crooked as opposed to straight business practices from a few of the them. You cannot make saints of scoundrels.

I sometimes think that I have been very fortunate. But we make our own luck and my good luck in bespoke probably has something to do with clairvoyance or practical measures I took to pick the right people to work with and how I comported myself with them.

I have often said that there are very few bad tailors. Though I have heard a good deal of wailing in the night, I have seen few examples where a client’s trust has been abused. Most displeasure with a genuine tailor’s work comes from a client’s lack of experience or inflated expectations (often one in the same.)

As regards the LL, I have always been uneasy about the hatchet jobs that can be read on other sites. They often are the result of commercial warfare. I think hearing good news from many objective sources (not forum infomercials) is always better than trying to avoid a bad experience from negative reviews gleaned from dubious sources.

And there is always the “bespoke paradox” that describes the fact that some men can get great clothes made by tailors that are poison to others.

Many years ago a Roman aristocrat (and bespoke addict) gave me good advice. He said, “If you ever see a fault in a garment, hold your tongue. Pay the tailor for the work and thank him. When you place the next order, ask the craftsmen in passing (and in the most matter of fact way you can muster) to look out for the fault you saw in the first work. The tailor will understand the message you have sent him and appreciate the respect you have shown him. You may have to live with the fault on the first coat, but you will have a lifetime of impeccable service to look forward to for the show of respect.” It is probably an Italian thing, a bit romantic and more suited to the Padrino than a tailoring forum, but building a relationship based on mutual respect is good advice (in any endeavor.)

Cheers

Michael

[Rowly]

Michael, I try to hold back my appreciation for fear of seeming a sycophant, and I agree with your trumpet blast for Frank. I would not want to hear the trumpet blasts due to yourself in case it would blow the sound card out of my computer. I'm sure I speak for all.

[davidhuh]

Many years ago a Roman aristocrat (and bespoke addict) gave me good advice. He said, “If you ever see a fault in a garment, hold your tongue. Pay the tailor for the work and thank him. When you place the next order, ask the craftsmen in passing (and in the most matter of fact way you can muster) to look out for the fault you saw in the first work. The tailor will understand the message you have sent him and appreciate the respect you have shown him. You may have to live with the fault on the first coat, but you will have a lifetime of impeccable service to look forward to for the show of respect.” It is probably an Italian thing, a bit romantic and more suited to the Padrino than a tailoring forum, but building a relationship based on mutual respect is good advice (in any endeavor.)

Michael

Dear Michael,

this is another piece of excellent advice, thank you. I will frame it!

Best regards, david

[old henry]

Michael, I try to hold back my appreciation for fear of seeming a sycophant, and I agree with your trumpet blast for Frank. I would not want to hear the trumpet blasts due to yourself in case it would blow the sound card out of my computer. I'm sure I speak for all.

Mr. Alden is a solid man. A classy old school Gentleman. He has a great respect for men of humble trades. I like that. FS

[Merc]

Many years ago a Roman aristocrat (and bespoke addict) gave me good advice. He said, “If you ever see a fault in a garment, hold your tongue. Pay the tailor for the work and thank him. When you place the next order, ask the craftsmen in passing (and in the most matter of fact way you can muster) to look out for the fault you saw in the first work. The tailor will understand the message you have sent him and appreciate the respect you have shown him. You may have to live with the fault on the first coat, but you will have a lifetime of impeccable service to look forward to for the show of respect.” It is probably an Italian thing, a bit romantic and more suited to the Padrino than a tailoring forum, but building a relationship based on mutual respect is good advice (in any endeavor.)

this has generally been my method

[old henry]

Along with old school tailors, old school customers are few and far between.
What Mr. Alden wrote above is old.

[Rowly]

When you place the next order, ask the craftsmen in passing (and in the most matter of fact way you can muster) to look out for the fault you saw in the first work. The tailor will understand the message you have sent him and appreciate the respect you have shown him.

Funny, that is exactly what I did in building my relationship with my tailor although I knew I was dealing with a gentleman from the outset.

[Merc]

again it all depends
if everything is screwed up, then that advice doesnt apply
but with a real tailor thats rare

[K-tie]

Dear all

Thank you very much for all your advice and comments. It's been very helpful. I have done a lot of reflecting, and I guess I have to learn from this experience and move on. The love for beautiful tailoring is too big to let these experiences stop me. But I have to admit that I'll probably make a pause from SR for the time being. I am currently based in Latin America, and will probably spend much of my European vacations in Italy instead of London until I return permanently to Europe. Too bad, I do love the English pubs...