Word on the street is that they were using John Brian, who also handled the bespoke shirts for a few other tailors like Henri Poole, but I have no direct experience.alebrady wrote:Curiously, has anyone happened to try Richard Anderson's for bespoke shirts? I know that they also outsource to a shirtmaker but not sure who.
Huntsman bespoke shirts
Well I have now received my first order of four shirts from Dege and Skinner, cut by Mr. Whittaker. The first shirt took about 12 weeks to produce. There were then adjustments after the fitting and further adjustments after a period of wearing. Once we were happy with the pattern the remaining shirts took less than a month. I was informed by telephone that they were ready, I asked for them to be sent and they arrived the next day. The fit is spot on (best collars I have ever had) and the quality of making very good. All in all the process took five months, which I don't consider too bad, especially considering the end result.
Re Mercer (mentioned up the thread, which I can't quite figure out how to quote now), they do a nice revival of the Brooks Brothers button-down. Next to no lining if any for collar/cuffs, nice roll, and their famous "baggy" cut can be modified by asking for a body smaller than normally goes with the neck size. I do 18.5" neck, but was able to cut something like 4" off the waist by getting a 17.5 long body.
They'll also, for guys who prefer open collars and don't want the shirt to move around too much, add a button to the front placket and hike the second one up a decent notch. So for the long body, I have 9 buttons. Not a full-bespoke fit, but more pleasure at the moment than I've been getting from Brooks.
They'll also, for guys who prefer open collars and don't want the shirt to move around too much, add a button to the front placket and hike the second one up a decent notch. So for the long body, I have 9 buttons. Not a full-bespoke fit, but more pleasure at the moment than I've been getting from Brooks.
I have used Mr Lachter and was left a little short changed to find out that he does not actually cut the shirt patterns himself and this is done by someone else? An artisan? Ask your shirt cutter if it is he that will actually take the measures, cut the pattern and finally fit the garment. If he answers no to any of these questions leave. I now use Sean O' Flynn.
Not necessarily. Lachter does at least 2 of those 3 (and I have no inside info on what happens in his shop). His shirts are slightly different from Sean's but not intrinsically better or worse as far as I can tell.smudger wrote:Ask your shirt cutter if it is he that will actually take the measures, cut the pattern and finally fit the garment. If he answers no to any of these questions leave.
Well i'm sure 2 out of 3 isn't bad but what is lacking in a Lachter shirt is the technical aspect of pattern cutting that one would expect from someone who sells himself as a "Bespoke shirt cutter" Its like having a suit cutter that cannot cut? I found that after having shirts from Sean and a few from Stephen, there are differences and because of those differences I did not to return to Stephen.Concordia wrote:Not necessarily. Lachter does at least 2 of those 3 (and I have no inside info on what happens in his shop). His shirts are slightly different from Sean's but not intrinsically better or worse as far as I can tell.smudger wrote:Ask your shirt cutter if it is he that will actually take the measures, cut the pattern and finally fit the garment. If he answers no to any of these questions leave.
I think this mantra should be repeated when looking for a tailor, ask if he actually does what he is selling himself as.
SmudgerAsk your shirt cutter if it is he that will actually take the measures, cut the pattern and finally fit the garment. If he answers no to any of these questions leave.
I agree with you and raise you one...ask if the maker makes your shirt as well.
But let's return to (UK) reality a minute, who makes shirts the way they should be made in the UK anymore? It's a lost art.
Michael
Smudger, that's quite interesting. Do you know who cuts shirts for Mr Lachter? There are only so many shirt cutters left in London.smudger wrote:I have used Mr Lachter and was left a little short changed to find out that he does not actually cut the shirt patterns himself and this is done by someone else?
Andrey
Who really cares? As long as the shirts fit well, and you are happy with the final product and service, does it really make any difference if Lachter doesn't wield the knife himself?
Badden wrote:Who really cares? As long as the shirts fit well, and you are happy with the final product and service, does it really make any difference if Lachter doesn't wield the knife himself?
That is a good point. Although I can understand that many forumites are admirers of the craft. With that said I have been using Huntsman's bespoke shirt service and I have been very very happy. I know Sean makes the Huntsman shirt and I think his work has been stellar. Whether he cuts it himself, I am not sure. But when I have seen him in person, he has suggested minor changes that have improved the shirts and I am happy.
In my case, out of sheer curiosity.Badden wrote:Who really cares? As long as the shirts fit well, and you are happy with the final product and service, does it really make any difference if Lachter doesn't wield the knife himself?
BTW, through the years I used four shirtmakers -- in addition to Lachter, also Budd (Mr Butcher was my cutter), Bugelli and Bourbaki (a Russian bespoke shirtmaking house). I'm pretty sure that in latter three cases the man/lady who measured me also drew my pattern. Moreover, in latter two cases a fitting was made.
However -- believe it or not -- Lachter's shirt fits and feels better than the rest.
Andrey
Last edited by andreyb on Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
How should they be made?alden wrote:SmudgerAsk your shirt cutter if it is he that will actually take the measures, cut the pattern and finally fit the garment. If he answers no to any of these questions leave.
I agree with you and raise you one...ask if the maker makes your shirt as well.
But let's return to (UK) reality a minute, who makes shirts the way they should be made in the UK anymore? It's a lost art.
Michael
By the maker making your shirt, do you mean does the cutter sit down with needle and thread or sewing machine and put together the pieces of fabric?
I have used two London shirtmakers. At both the cutter measures, produces the paper pattern, fits the shirts and adjusts the pattern as required. The shirts are made by dedicated seamstresses on the premises or nearby. The process would seem to be analogous to that used by most tailors, so how should it differ in the lost art of shirt making? I am just curious as I wonder whether the best French or Italian makers do it differently and to what effect. Having only the limited experience described above I am no position to compare but have been more than happy with the results I have obtained.
Badden wrote:Who really cares? As long as the shirts fit well, and you are happy with the final product and service, does it really make any difference if Lachter doesn't wield the knife himself?
I care, and i believe it does matter that a bespoke shirt cutter is not able to cut a pattern? The reason why I care who carries out the work involved is the same reason why I do not chose to become a patron of Lewin's or Hawes & Curtis. I believe why we care to read, contribute and return to this forum is because we care about differences in the quality of the clothing we wear and how it is made and by whom! I suppose it comes down to personal choice but in the same breath I wouldn't want to hire a photographer for my company to find out he didn't actually take the photographs but he did pack the camera in the bag?
Lets chalk it up to a difference in opinion then. Personally, I place far more emphasis on making sure I'm happy with the end product rather than worrying too much on whether something is truly bespoke, hand-sewn, etc. etc.
As an aside, Lachter can cut shirts and has done so for many many years. The fact that he doesn't do so anymore himself doesn't detract from his ability to gauge proper fit and ensure the customer is happy when he walks out the door.
Your analogy is grossly unfair (I suspect you know this already). Lachter's role is far larger than simply folding your shirts neatly into a carrying bag.
As an aside, Lachter can cut shirts and has done so for many many years. The fact that he doesn't do so anymore himself doesn't detract from his ability to gauge proper fit and ensure the customer is happy when he walks out the door.
Your analogy is grossly unfair (I suspect you know this already). Lachter's role is far larger than simply folding your shirts neatly into a carrying bag.
This is the process used often in Italy as well. The shirts are made on or near premises by dedicated, supervised craftspeople as opposed to being sent to a factory someplace to be made. The closer you can keep the process to the client the better.I have used two London shirtmakers. At both the cutter measures, produces the paper pattern, fits the shirts and adjusts the pattern as required. The shirts are made by dedicated seamstresses on the premises or nearby. The process would seem to be analogous to that used by most tailors, so how should it differ in the lost art of shirt making?
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