The London Lounge

It's only just come to my attention that Rubinacci says it makes bespoke shirts. I'm yet to find a London shirtmaker that I'm entirely happy with, and am contemplating trying Rubinacci. Has anyone tried their shirts? They're probably very expensive but I don't have time to get to Naples (or anywhere else in Italy) to visit a less well known shirtmaker. Any thoughts would be welcome.

Have you tried Sean O'Flynn in Sackville Street? He's the bespoke maker for Huntsman now. He has an excellent reputation based upon reports that I have seen on various fora.

Other options would include Frank Foster, Stephen Lachter at Norton & Sons/John Kent and Robert Whittaker at Dege & Skinner.

Sean O'Flynn also makes for New & Lingwood, where he was in charge of bespoke shirts for many years. I believe he is universally respected.

Frog in Suit

Flynn's prices seem reasonable and I would expect that Rubinacci would charge significantly more, especially as the Pound/Euro exchange rate has plummeted recently.

If you're tired of all the old familiar places, Emma Willis is another possibility.
NJS

storeynicholas wrote:If you're tired of all the old familiar places, Emma Willis is another possibility.
NJS

Rayner & Sturges make Emma Willis's shirts. Alexander Boyd, under the same ownership as R&S, offers a bespoke service that is cheaper than Emma Willis.

Bishop of Briggs wrote:

storeynicholas wrote:If you're tired of all the old familiar places, Emma Willis is another possibility.
NJS

Rayner & Sturges make Emma Willis's shirts. Alexander Boyd, under the same ownership as R&S, offers a bespoke service that is cheaper than Emma Willis.

Having finally acquired an Emma Willis shirt I can't say its construction blows me away. It's OK but unless Rayner & Sturges are making the MTM to a higher standard than the RTW it's no better than Budd or H&H/N&L RTW.

Is Alexander Boyd still in business? Their website appears to be down.

I would imagine that the Rubinacci bespoke would be a different animal than the British bespoke.

I've heard good things about David Gale at Dunhill, but I have no personal experience.

rjman wrote:

Bishop of Briggs wrote:

storeynicholas wrote:If you're tired of all the old familiar places, Emma Willis is another possibility.
NJS

Rayner & Sturges make Emma Willis's shirts. Alexander Boyd, under the same ownership as R&S, offers a bespoke service that is cheaper than Emma Willis.

Having finally acquired an Emma Willis shirt I can't say its construction blows me away. It's OK but unless Rayner & Sturges are making the MTM to a higher standard than the RTW it's no better than Budd or H&H/N&L RTW.

Is Alexander Boyd still in business? Their website appears to be down.

I would imagine that the Rubinacci bespoke would be a different animal than the British bespoke.

I've heard good things about David Gale at Dunhill, but I have no personal experience.

Some of the former Sulka makers went to Dunhill - but I don't know which.
NJS

Do Stephen Lachter or his services travel to the US with Norton?

Likewise, has anyone recently tried to get access to Sean O'Flynn's shirts via N&L or Huntsman? For those of us who don't get to London really often, that may be the most practical way to buy.

Concordia wrote:Do Stephen Lachter or his services travel to the US with Norton?

Likewise, has anyone recently tried to get access to Sean O'Flynn's shirts via N&L or Huntsman? For those of us who don't get to London really often, that may be the most practical way to buy.

I believe that O'Flynn travels to the US. He shares premises with Fallan & Harvey in Sackville Street and may travel with Peter Harvey. I would go to Flynn direct rather than via N&L or Huntsman. I have no information about Lachter's travelling habits.

[quote="rjman"] Is Alexander Boyd still in business? Their website appears to be down.
[quote]

It was okay a few minutes ago.

Concordia wrote: Likewise, has anyone recently tried to get access to Sean O'Flynn's shirts via N&L or Huntsman? For those of us who don't get to London really often, that may be the most practical way to buy.

I just picked up two shirts from N & L. I am perfectly happy with them.

I had shirts made by Sean O'Flynn when he was still at N & L in person (ten to fifteen years ago??). When I went back in 2007, my old pattern had been discarded, so Mr. Blackwell, who now runs the bespoke operation at N & L, borrowed one of my original shirts from that time and took new measurements. He passed both the shirt and the figures to Mr. O'Flynn. New shirts then duly emerged, which I wore and washed once or twice then brought back for a check.

I have been getting new shirts, two at a time, when I find mysef in London and in a mood of self-indulgence .

Frog in Suit

Frog in Suit wrote:

Concordia wrote: Likewise, has anyone recently tried to get access to Sean O'Flynn's shirts via N&L or Huntsman? For those of us who don't get to London really often, that may be the most practical way to buy.

I just picked up two shirts from N & L. I am perfectly happy with them.

I had shirts made by Sean O'Flynn when he was still at N & L in person (ten to fifteen years ago??). When I went back in 2007, my old pattern had been discarded, so Mr. Blackwell, who now runs the bespoke operation at N & L, borrowed one of my original shirts from that time and took new measurements. He passed both the shirt and the figures to Mr. O'Flynn. New shirts then duly emerged, which I wore and washed once or twice then brought back for a check.

I have been getting new shirts, two at a time, when I find mysef in London and in a mood of self-indulgence .

Frog in Suit

IIRC, your tailor is in Sackville Street. So why go to N&L when you can visit Sean down the street at Fallan & Harvey?

I can highly recommend Stephen Lachter. He has several different commissions going for me. Yes, he does travel to New York, generally in the fall and spring for a week at a time. The fall visit dates have not been set. He does NOT travel with the Norton roadshow.

It is very important, that if you want to speak with him or walk into his SR workshop (on the premises of Norton and Sons), that you identify yourself as wanting to see/speak with Mr. Lachter. The owner of Norton operates rather as a bouncer/proprietor all in one, and will intrude upon any contact you may want to have with Mr. Lachter. Mr. Lachter maintains his own cllients. If you go thru Norton to get to him, you will pay dearly for the superfluous inconvenience, and will pay prices that readily exceed Rubinacci. Then again, some people like to talk with salesmen. Mr. Lachter's cloths are the same ranges I have seen at Dege, et al. No Bonfanti regrettably.

Stephen Lachter is a gentleman, seasoned, and wise. You can contact him via his own email at: stephenlachter@aol.com

Terry Teplitz

Thanks, all , for the feedback.