The London Lounge

The images displayed show(roughly though) what happens after the customer has chosen :
1. the tailor/ cutter
2. cloth
3. style
of his coat. It is not shown how the pattern is drafted or the cloth is cut, but what happens next, when the cutter has handed the whole package of cut cloth and canvas on to the tailor to make the first fitting. Actually, all the time consuming details of the making, like padding of the canvas are not shown in detail.
The tailors doing all the work by themselves(like Martin Stall or Des Merrion) have to go through the whole procedure. So there is noone else to blame for mistakes!
The explanation is in german, but what matters are the pictures.

Step 1: Shaping the front part with an iron:





Step 2: shoulders:



Step 3: sidepart and back:




Step 4: The canvas:





Step 5: Bringing frontpart and canvas together:( I don't know the exact term in english, if anyone reading this does, please let me know!)




Step 6: the finished first fitting:



This image shows how to sew the edges. Here you can see all the necessary tiny little stitches for shaping the lapels and applying the linen tape.


I hope this gives a vague idea, why it takes so many hours to make a coat. And why it can be so expensive.

I would really appreciate any comments from the tailors here at the LL. Just to see how they do it!



SG

SG,

Welcome.

Nice pictures!

I understood a little of the text, I am ( trying ) to teach myself German on the journey to and from work.

The way I make my suits are explained in detail on my website, I am a believer in passing on as much information as possible, a question for you:-

I have for many years now been trying to collect as many tailoring publications as possible, in all languages, do you have, could you get, a copy of the book you have taken these pictures from for me to add to my collection?

I look forward to your reply.

www.desmerrionbespoketailor.com

thank you for the interesting pictures. is that from a students text book?
may i also ask. is it customary in germany only, to sew through the edge of the tape when sewing the facing on the edge? or is this customary in all of europe.

thank you again.

The dialogue of “the tailor” with “a tailor” on the wonderful images of a “god-tailor” ("schneidergott") is always quite instructive, something one is not likely to encounter anywhere but in the LL…

I wouldn't call it a textbook for students, more an instruction book for those apprentices/ tailors who want to learn more and become a master one day. Apprenticeship in Germany has always been 3 years, with making complete garments starting only in the 3rd year. All the preparations seen in the pics like the shaping was usually done by the master tailor, who then handed the different components on to the tailor(Geselle) or the apprentice(Lehrling).
Sadly, those instruction books are hard to find nowadays.
About the stay tape on/in the edges: For Germany it would be a "Yes!" but I can't tell about other european countries. Materials of the stay tape may differ, though, to achieve a flat edge.

SG