The London Lounge

What are people's views on the relative merits of N&L and T&A?

I must say I don't like the "gathered" style T&A use where their sleeve joins the cuff, but I guess on a bespoke garment you could request a pleated sleave instead?

Any other suggestions for quality bespoke shirtings in London?

I am unable to comment on "bespoke" at N&L but would steer you away from T&A. The final quality can be good but it takes a hell of a lot of badgering and remakes before they get there.

Emma Willis can make a great shirt but insist that you deal personally with Emma.

My preference at the moment is for Robert Whittaker at Dege but please don't use him. It already takes far too long to get shirts made there.

whittaker wrote:Emma Willis can make a great shirt but insist that you deal personally with Emma.

My understanding is that Emma Willis bespoke shirts are made MTM by Rayner and Sturges. I imagine that dealing with Tom Mahon, who also uses Rayner & Sturges, you could get the same shirts at a keener price with more reliable measurements and service than Emma and her "salesbirds".

Sean O'Flynn was the cutter at N&L, and is very highly regarded. But he has moved on, to a shop in Sackville Street, as I recall.

I took a couple of years education in Cambridge when N&L had a shop across from Kings and I've always had an affection for N&L shirts. They often have wonderfully old-fashioned patterns.

Michael Blackwell is their travelling man at the moment and brings the standard acorn line with him. He is charming and easy to deal with. I have'nt been able to really nail a pattern yet but I think that is really a function of dealing with a maker at extreme distance. Best bet would be to be able to visit the shop.

I've walked by Sean O'Flynn's shop last year and it looks "just right" to me. Does anyone know his price point? N&L is GBP125 for us Yanks.

DDM

will check out Sean O'Flynn. has anyone used Harvey & Hudson on Jermyn St?

I have used Sean O'Flynn, and I can recommend him.

He makes a very well fitted shirt without subsequent adjustments. (At least that's my experience on shirt # 1.)

I also like Turnbull & Asser, and I have never had a problem with them. I think that they produce an excellent product. I always found it curious that people on the fora sometimes "pile-on" Turnbull, but I guess that goes with being # 1.

Getting back to O'Flynn, one plus to working with him versus Turnbull is that you're working directly with the shirt cutter. Also, he recently started-up his independent business, therefore, he seeks to please.




Good luck.

Has anyone checked out Udeshi? From what I've read of his technical practices from his posts, his shirts sound like they're worth investigating.

--Andre

sartorius wrote:will check out Sean O'Flynn. has anyone used Harvey & Hudson on Jermyn St?

I have some MTM/bespoke shirts from them. I like the style and their service but they don't use single needle stiching on all parts of the shirt, and they only match patterns, if you ask them to do so. Concerning fit they are willing to make more than one trial shirt - unlike Hilditch & Key!

rjman wrote:My understanding is that Emma Willis bespoke shirts are made MTM by Rayner and Sturges

They are from R&S, but I will not call them MTM. Afterall they make a trial shirt, and they make any adjustments that you find necessary.

If I lived in London and was looking for a new bespoke shirtmaker, I would hop on the train and go to Charvet for the afternoon. From what I have heard and seen the quality of British shirts is by and large lower than the quality that you will find in France, Italy, and the US. Charvet is probably the easiest and safest (ie not many mistakes) for a Londoner.

That being said, N&L is probably a better bet from the little that I have seen.

Mark Seitelman wrote:I also like Turnbull & Asser, and I have never had a problem with them. I think that they produce an excellent product. I always found it curious that people on the fora sometimes "pile-on" Turnbull, but I guess that goes with being # 1.

Some would say instead that it goes with experience.

But they also have many satisfied customers and there's no reason that Sartorius shouldn't be one of them.

Andre Yew wrote:Has anyone checked out Udeshi? From what I've read of his technical practices from his posts, his shirts sound like they're worth investigating.

Udeshi is good. Oscar has an eye for detail and makes a great shirt.

DD MacDonald wrote:Michael Blackwell is their travelling man at the moment and brings the standard acorn line with him.

It is amusing how popular Acorn with English bespoke shirtmakers. All of them have Acorn book; some (say, Budd) have only Acorn.. At the same time, Acorn is much, much less popular with non-English shirtmakers. Why is this?

Andrey

Andrey, I have pretty limited experience with shirting but I don't mean to be dismissive about "the standard acorn line" - it's very comprehensive with all of the usual suspects. I'm sure that they have some "luxury" lines, pima, sea islands and the like. I'm too much of a newbie in this field to have gone there. My MO is to get the fit sorted out in the basics and then to expand. At a minimum, misfires are less expensive.

When I'm in England in March I'm going to see if I can persuade Michael to show me the workshop or at least the treasure trove of older/vintage shirtings that the probably have.

If I get the chance, I'll report back.

DDM