Jermyn St the peking order of shirtmakers

[doccol91]

If you are talking about public pereption of long-gone image, perhaps. If you seek good shirts you might rather speak with Dege or Udeshi or, even better, hop over to Paris and visit Charvet.

Alex, I am surprised you like Udeshi. Isn't he a banker turned designer and outsources his tailoring? I have never seen his stuff, but I take strongly your recommendation. I am curious why you like him.

Regards,


Steven

[AlexanderKabbaz]

Alex, I am surprised you like Udeshi. Isn't he a banker turned designer and outsources his tailoring? I have never seen his stuff, but I take strongly your recommendation. I am curious why you like him.

- He is knowledgeable on the subject.
- He is trying to improve.
- He is willing to share information and willing to take heat for his answers.
- He is not afraid or unwilling to respond to criticism.

Inappropriate reasons, I know. But as a maker who actively trys to answer questions on the three clothing fora and all-too-often (not here, thank God) gets summarily roasted for my willingness to share knowledge ... I eagerly welcome a fellow traveller. By all accounts, Oscar is constantly working very hard to improve his products. This is the opposite of most of the others mentioned who are working solely to improve their bottom lines.

Other than that - and an expected viewing of his work in the not too distant future - I have no defense to your correct theory.

[le.gentleman]

Alex, would you please reveal which avatar Mr. Udeshi uses at those fora?

Thank you

[countdemoney]

Alex, would you please reveal which avatar Mr. Udeshi uses at those fora?

Thank you

He posts as udeshi on AAAC. He is sometimes absent from the fora when he needs to tend to his business.

[Cantabrigian]

That's interesting, I had never heard that Oscar was a City boy in a past life. Wonder what turned him to menswear of all things after that.

At any rate, from the - limited - conversations I have had with Oscar via e-mail and on AAAC, he seems to have an excellent attention to detail and a willingness to ensure a great fit. Can't comment on the quality of the construction other than that he claims that all buttons are hand-sewn. (I don't think that feature is sufficient to make a shirt a good shirt but it indicates an attention to detail that I imagine is manifest elsewhere as well.)

[doccol91]

Alex:

Thanks for the response.

I am moving to London and going to be in the market for a great shirtmaker. So Udeshi has me intrigued--beautiful designs on the website.

I am a little leary, however. I was using a very knowledgeable and charismatic fitter for some clothes in NYC. While the fabrics are excellent and the construction okay, the fit on both shirts and suits has left something to be desired versus the stuff I have had made by tailors. I would not mind as much, if the price were not extremely high-end (not kabbaz-like mind you , but substantial and for which one would expect damn close to perfection). I guess my reluctance with Udeshi is a once bitten twice shy feeling--his prices are very high, so I would expect close to perfection in fit, something I am not sure a guy without an in-house tailor shop can pull off, no matter how clever.

You know a ton more than I do Alex, and I don't want to pester you with this, but any further thoughts.

Steven

[AlexanderKabbaz]

You know a ton more than I do Alex, and I don't want to pester you with this, but any further thoughts.

Thank you but I know no more except that if he is able to stay in business at roughly 2/3 my price without a historic Jermyn Street name to trade upon, he must either be doing something right or be one of the better snake-oil salesmen.

[Gruto]

"I have not run into the question of pattern matching yet. That is something which I consider to be very important and will be interested to see how well they execute that."

When I ordered first time from Harvie & Hudson, I didn't ask for pattern matching. Result: no pattern matching. Second time I specifically asked for pattern matching. "No, problem", said Richard Harvie. Result: fairly good pattern matching, but not perfect all over (5 shirts).

I am looking for to here from your experience, Cantabrigian.

[Vettriano man]

do loungers agree with this ranking order (best first)
Turnbull and Asser
Budd (OK so its in the arcade)
New and Lingwood
Hilditch and Key
Harvie and Hudson
Charles Tyrwhitt
Pinks
Lewins

charles - Most of my shirts now come from Harvie and Hudson and Lewins and from experience would put them at third and fourth in your list respectively after Turnbull and Asser and Budd. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even include Tyrwhitts or Pinks in such an eminent list as they are too commercially mainstream in my view.

[doccol91]

Of the shirtmakers listed, do they all use fabrics from Alumo or SIC? I am very partial to their clothes.

[AlexanderKabbaz]

Of the shirtmakers listed, do they all use fabrics from Alumo or SIC? I am very partial to their clothes.

You are missing out on some wonderful fabrics if you do not add Bonfanti and Albini to your list.

[doccol91]

You are missing out on some wonderful fabrics if you do not add Bonfanti and Albini to your list.

Done. Of the list above does anyone which makers use alumo, sic, Bonfanti and Albini?

[Concordia]

Dege uses Alumo, as does EnglishCut. Neither of those uses Bonfanti, as best I can tell. Don't know about the other two-- I'm really terrible about names of shirting makers.

[TVD]

The top range Albini cloth which is sold under the D & J Anderson label is all but unobtainable in Jermyn Street. Alumo is a bit better served, but I am not sure I saw any of their S200s around.

Turnbull & Asser have a bit of a reputation for using luxury fabrics, but I have no experience with their bespoke shirts.

[AlexanderKabbaz]

From Alumo, the cloths you seek are called "Soyella" (2x2 170s) and "Soyella Deuxieme" (2x2 200s). Take great care in selecting your maker for the 2x2 200s, a difficult and slippery rapscallion to say the least.