The London Lounge

I would like to ask you experienced gentlemen about cloth for summer suits.
What I have as summer suits are very light wool and light Italian linen suits MTM from Armani and Zegna.

Last year I became a client of Anderson and Sheppard. They have made me a few suits and I have a fitting in two weeks for a further two. I have therefore experienced the better fit of bespoke and am thinking about commissioning two summer suits one in Irish linen and one possibly in fresco. With no experience of either cloth and a little concern about Irish linen in 14 oz. which A&S recommended. What is your experience with such a heavy linen and what is your thought about fresco?

An other concern that I have is that A&S suits are not light as one could say about Italian suits. I have for an example a tweed jacket made by Rubinacci which has a totally different feel than my A&S tweed jacket. I like what A&S have made for me specially in DB, but I wonder if their summer suits would feel light enough for very warm climate. Any thoughts based on your experience?

Respectfully
MEK

Depends on what you mean by "very warm."

I do have a suit from very heavy linen (maybe not quite 14oz, but very close). It's surprisingly comfortable, as the linen absorbs moisture and humidity better than wool, and is porous enough to let some breeze through. I'd consider a DB in it from A&S. Get an unlined back. It will be heavy enough to shed many wrinkles, although the trousers will definitely be rumpled between waist and knee by the end of the day.

A&S do a nice job with fresco. I have 3 DB suits from them in one or another. The nicest are the 11.5oz Smiths, and a 10oz Super 120s Smiths that was unique to them and no longer made. Minnis 9/10oz is coarser than both and extremely low-stretch. It's not bad, but if you have alternatives I'd use them. Except for the Super 120s, I got unlined backs and they do help. If you really want to go light, there are 8/9oz fabrics in the Minnis book that I've used for trousers with some success. Should be OK for a suit.

Minnis 8oz is very different from Minnis 10oz fresco. The former gives more, and is my go to cloth for real summer suitings. When I say summer, I mean 28C up.

I find 14oz Irish linen too warm to wear in summer. I wear 14oz linen jackets down to about 18C with no issues. 12oz is much better for summer. I use 12oz ones from John Hardy with much success.

It is also depends if you are a "cool" guy or a "hot" guy