Sartorial editorial: A suggestion for etailors

[erasmus]

But as in comparing anything else--wine, show dogs, preamplifiers--a few samples under reasonably consistent "standard" conditions would help illuminate small differences. I would imagine 3-4 basic shots would suffice, along with unlimited "poster's choice" shots.

Yes, I have been thinking about this issue as well. What is the best way to compare not only silhouette but the quality of tailored product?

Showing different suits and jackets from different tailors across different wearers of different sizes would be a nice starting point. Per Alden, this would be most useful for highly experienced customers who can intuitively control for extraneous information and pick out the subtle differences. But for broadest utility I think the "ideal" case would be a single wearer wearing the same garment made by several different tailors because that eliminates potentially confusing intervening variables and simplifies the basis of comparison.

Perhaps the most controlled environment for valid comparisons would be the same customer (controlling for size) wearing several of the same garments (e.g. 3 piece suit with similar or same cloth) ordered in roughly the same time period from different tailors. The resulting pictures would be shot under roughly similar shooting conditions.

Unfortunately, I assume there are not very many customers who have done this or are willing to undertake this rather expensive experiment.

[alden]

But for broadest utility I think the "ideal" case would be a single wearer wearing the same garment made by several different tailors because that eliminates potentially confusing intervening variables and simplifies the basis of comparison.

A delighful idea considering that among the members of the LL we have a few gentlemen who have acquired the services of a variety of tailors. If one sartorial collector agreed to model the works of a sampling of tailors, it would be a very instructive enterprise. Discussion to be continued.

[massimo]

I think tailors and computers are two different worlds. Most tailors I know dont have a computer and don't rarely use the telefon. They are busy sewing all the time. I am suspiscious of tailors on the internet. They are large businesses and we prefer the small artisans. Just an idea.

[Chris Rimby]

I think tailors and computers are two different worlds. Most tailors I know dont have a computer and don't rarely use the telefon. They are busy sewing all the time. I am suspiscious of tailors on the internet. They are large businesses and we prefer the small artisans. Just an idea.

To be fair, two well-regarded tailors I know of that have blogs only post on them once a week or so. So most of the time they ARE sewing/cutting....they just connect to the www when they have time. I don't personally find it suspicious.

[Mulberrywood]

Gentlemen,

What stuns me is that etailors are paying loads of money for sites that do not present their products well. I can’t say that I ever spent time looking at tailor’s web sites other than englishcut (which is a model unto its own and a source of great information on custom clothes and tailoring.) After a brief survey of the sites I was flabbergasted by the lack of value in their presentations. The blah blah to substance ratio is entirely blah blah. I suppose these ads are destined for the uninitiated and those who frequent the more superficial web sites about clothes and fashion, but there is a serious consequence.

SR and other etailors are doing little to defend their trade from the real threat to their future, bogus rag merchants posing as bespoke craftsmen. Everyone claims to do custom clothes and yet, as we know, there are only a very few genuine craftsmen making truly individual, hand sewn garments any more.......

Alden,

I agree with you completely. Of course many old style artisans are not comfortable with computers, but as you point out they are paying money to webdevelopers who are providing guidance.


Hopefully, you will include bespoke tiemakers as well as suitmakers.

I say this with a personal interest as there are so many "handcrafted tiemakers" who are usually contracting out their work, and at best are MTM. For us bespoke means listening, adjusting & designing with the individual client in mind. Which includes not just bespoke tailoring, but custom weaving a silk if need be.