The London Lounge

This is my first post on London Lounge. I'm not familiar with the specifics of each of house cuts of the firms on Savile Row. I have a particular style of suit in mind. I am hoping I can get a recommendation for a tailor that has a house cut that could be modified to fit these criteria:

• -Structured (no "drape")
  -Moderate shoulder padding
  -Lower button stance
  -Slim (not "skinny") lapels
  -High gorge

Ralph Lauren Black Label suits fit most of these criteria, but the shoulder padding and skinny lapels tend to be too extreme.

I've gathered that a "drape" tailor like Anderson and Sheppard should be removed from consideration. Which houses are more capable of producing a "modern", structured suit? Perhaps Huntsman, Kilgour, or even Ozwald Boateng?

JRD

With specs like those you have all of SR to choose from less A&S. Visit Richard Anderson, Huntsman, Edward Sexton, Malcolm Plews, Henry Poole (to name a few) and take your pick.

Cheers

Michael

JRD617 wrote:This is my first post on London Lounge. I'm not familiar with the specifics of each of house cuts of the firms on Savile Row. I have a particular style of suit in mind. I am hoping I can get a recommendation for a tailor that has a house cut that could be modified to fit these criteria:

• -Structured (no "drape")
  -Moderate shoulder padding
  -Lower button stance
  -Slim (not "skinny") lapels
  -High gorge

Ralph Lauren Black Label suits fit most of these criteria, but the shoulder padding and skinny lapels tend to be too extreme.

I've gathered that a "drape" tailor like Anderson and Sheppard should be removed from consideration. Which houses are more capable of producing a "modern", structured suit? Perhaps Huntsman, Kilgour, or even Ozwald Boateng?

Not Ozwald Boateng - he is a fashion designer and has little pretence at SR quality if that is what you are seeking.

alden wrote:JRD

With specs like those you have all of SR to choose from less A&S. Visit Richard Anderson, Huntsman, Edward Sexton, Malcolm Plews, Henry Poole (to name a few) and take your pick.

Thanks for the response. That makes sense. I had thought that certain tailors might not have a lot of experience cutting trimmer suits, but that seems to not be the case. Do any other firms that cut structured suits come to mind?

Are Gieves & Hawkes, Kilgour, and Norton & Sons well-regarded on these boards despite their RTW focus? (I've read the Norton & Sons thread and have hesitations)

If you are in London or have easy access to SR, then pay a visit to each of those on the list.
If you are in NY you would be better off with a local tailor the likes of Frank Shattuck for what you have described.

Michael

Any skilled tailor should be able to make you a trim coat even if it were not his default cut. I suggest you look at or ask about the cut of the suggested SR houses such as chest swell (to the side or front?), shoulders (extended?, roped?), sleeves (piped or full?). If you were to choose a striped pattern, I find that stripes running straight up and down (as viewed from the front) help to emphasise the lean line rather than if the stripes barrelled acutely around the chest and shoulders.

Other SR tailors that I would add to your shortlist include Chittleborough & Morgan and Maurice Sedwell.

- C

Most tailors on the Row make pretty traditional garments. If you ask any of them to make something slick and modern for you, bear in mind that this is not what most would do if left to their own devices. It might be a recipe for disappointment.

These people are professionals; and it is possible that what they have in mind might suit you better than what you think you want. At some point you'll have to trust them. Their clothes are made to last, and if you have something made that's a bit too fashion forward, you'll end up retiring it long before its time (A tragedy for me, since my Richard Anderson suits run $4,000.00 a copy. Although I'm still in my 40s, I fully expect to be buried in one of them).

If you're in London, you might go to the Row and environs and do a little window-shopping. If not, a little internet surfing might be in order. Look at the firm whose house style is closest to what you want. Bespoke is very much like a partnership, and it's at its best when you and the tailor are in lockstep.

Your choice of cloth will also have a huge bearing on whether your suits look modern or anachronistic. Stay away from woollen flannels, tweeds, and chalkstripes and stick with dark, solid hard-worsteds or even shiny mohairs and doppioni silks in blue and grey. You can also pare things down a bit by having the coat made with besom pockets (without flaps) and possibly unvented (a bit of an apostasy) also trim, flat front trousers with no turn-ups, secured by a belt (also not favored, but fairly common).

Also keep in mind that some "modern" features are just bad tailoring. Low-rise trousers tend to display an ugly triangle of shirt below the closure point of the coat. A low button stance usually accompanies a low gorge and low armholes--very Giorgio Armani, and absolute sacrelidge to the SR fellows. A complete absence of drape and you'll appear upholstered, rather than dressed, and miserably uncomfortable. Only women can can be simultaneously stylish and uncomfortable; it's genetic--comes with the second "X" chromosome, so don't try it.

But most importantly, go to SR because you are attracted to the SR aesthetic. Not everybody is.

C

A stroll up and down the Row should answer many of your questions-- even A&S now have mannequins in the window, so you can see what most shops like to think is their best work. Those who don't have window displays might also have websites, so you can gauge tastes from that.

I'd think that Kilgour would be one of the first to check out, but the right chemistry with another shop could meet your needs completely.

Another name to consider (I have no experience, but their work is well spoken of) is Maurice Sedwell. http://www.savilerowtailor.com/gallery.html

Allow me to suggest that you consider a few off-row tailors as well?

I can personally recommend Chris Kerr, and I've heard very good things about John Pearse and Timothy Everest.

Ideally, any bespoke tailor should be capable of creating any style of suit you want (or at least anything, "within the bounds of what suits you", as Chris Kerr told me). In practice though, some tailors do prefer to hew quite closely to the house style for a first suit. Your best bet is to spend a bit of time talking to various tailors about what you're looking for. Ask them to explain their process, to recommend some fabrics, and try to generally get a feel for whether they're someone you'd like to work with. Bespeaking a garment is a process, rather than a purchase, and through the fittings you'll be having a lot of conversations with your cutter, so it's worth spending a bit of extra time talking to tailors before placing a deposit. If you see a fabric you like, make a note of it. Most tailors use the same fabric suppliers, so you should be able to find it again easily enough.

Most of all, enjoy the experience!

Sedwell is the most impressive and fastidious SR tailor that I ever used. In some ways, I'm tempted to say that you should go to three or four more well-known SR tailors beforehand and try Sedwell at the end to realise (like me) what the real deal is. Fighting words, I know!

- C