Poor Fit on Bespoke Coat: A Familiar Story?

[C.Lee]

What started as an order for a bespoke coat five years ago turned into quite the journey. The first and second fittings were as expected; however, at the third and subsequent fittings - a fourth, a fifth for sure, and maybe a sixth too - it was apparent that the collar was not sitting on the neck. Just as the cutter tried to improve the fit of the coat, I tried being comfortable in it; neither of us were particularly successful. The coat had won.

This is where many customers have conceded defeat, by accepting a doubtful garment and not following up with their cutter. In the closet, the garment would languish unworn, and despite the passage of time, the fit would be as poor as the day the garment was received. I wanted it to end differently, so convinced was I that my coat was unacceptable for a bespoke product. And that was my argument: that a bespoke coat should at the very least have a collar which does not jump off the neck at every turn. I was not going to entertain a recut or a remake, and asked instead for a refund. That meeting with the cutter was mentally exhaustive, an exercise in diplomacy, patience and perseverance. The outcome? A refund would be granted.

And granted it was, after much waiting.

I will never have the opportunity to wear my first bespoke coat, but with a happy start and the happy ending, the experience can be counted as a good one. To be clear, if I had not made an issue of fit or asked for a refund, this story would have ended differently.

Regards.

[Tutumulut]

C. Lee

Well written and a valuable lesson.

Thank you for sharing.

T

[andreyb]

C. Lee, you chose right path, indeed.

The problem is most man (myself included) are not brave enough to choose it.

Do you plan to use services of another tailor, or the first pillow is too bitter to continue the journey through bespoke minefield?

Andrey

[C.Lee]

Andrey,

That was five years of patience, focus and tenacity on my part to see it through. It was exhausting to say the least. Over those same years friendships flourished with other tailors and artisans, and the items they have made me I thoroughly enjoy and wish to grow old with.

If it is bespoke you want, then it is bespoke you will chose. And I have made my choice.

Regards.

[davidhuh]

Dear C Lee,

your first tailor simply made a mistake and tried to fix it but it obviously got worse and worse. You reacted well, no way to accept something you cannot wear.

I had such an issue once with a waistcoat. It was my second or third commission with this well respected tailor. He offered to start from scratch again after two attempts to fix the problem failed.

Such mistakes do happen, tailors are human beings and not machines. It is important to stay calm, polite but firm in such situations.

Cheers David

[dempsy444]

The first bespoke really is a journey. You learn as much about yourself as you do the tailor or the craft.
When you see things through like you did, you can look back on the product created and have something you really like along with
a rich story that gives the garment even more humanity. In your case you got a refund and made new friends along the way.
In my case, I learned a little about the bumpy process, my own shortcomings, but eventually got a suit I really like along with
an adventure I can share with others.

Either way, a lot more interesting than going to the department store and buying a Zegna from the rack.

[Costi]

It is often the case that poor fit cannot really be improved after the garment is ready. Poor collar fit is often not a collar issue, and fixing it involves in fact a recut or even remake. I believe it should be the tailor to propose it, at his own expense. The sooner, the better - otherwise, with a (rightly) persevering customer it may take 5 years of useless going back and forth.
That being said, while I agree the customer should not pay for a coat he cannot wear, I am not convinced the refund is the better solution. The effort and time invested by both tailor and customer in 5 years of to and fro have skyrocketed the value of that coat. The price refund has become a small fraction of that value - everything else goes lost for both tailor ad customer. A prompt refund is a different story, of course - but after 5 years, it is perhaps better to seek a remake. This gives the customer a chance to get some use out of his huge investment, and the tailor has a chance to make up for his mistake. Unless you no longer trust the tailor to be capable of delivering a good coat.

[C.Lee]

David, Dempsy, thank you for relating your respective experiences. You both speak with a calm, and calming voice. A lesson for us all.

Costi, we missed you. The coat was a first commission, and the tailor seemed eager in the middle-few fittings to offload the coat. It was not a relationship I wanted to prolong, and asking for a recut would have been a risk. My belief was so strong that the alternative would have been to walk away from the coat. I agree with you that after all that time, no one ended up on top; however, the refund was the best solution for me.

Regards.