Bugelli's shirt arrived!

[tteplitzmd]

I second RichardCharles on Tip Top. The place is worth 4 or 5 star.s in the woolen merchant's Michelin. The cost savings can be substantial and so when combined with the superb (but seasonal) inventory, it is a very important resource. I will be there lunchtime May 27. I thank RichardCharles for the referral. Tip Top does eclipse Textile King (not Czar) in London, atlhough I have bought things at Textile King not seen elsewhere (Scottish fancy linen tweed jacketing, 14 ounce, Solaro, non branded, defaulted commissions for Gulf shieks, etc.).

Our more cosmopolitan US members with overseas tailors should note that Tip Top posts clloth internationally by UPS with ease.

Terry A. Teplitz

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me the status of the fresco Cloth Club order? I mailed Michael but have had no reply.

[Mark Seitelman]

Could you tell us a little more about Tip Top, such as

1. Does it have name brands, e.g., Lessers, Smiths, etc.

2. Are the cloths first quality? In other words, if there are cloths with flaws, are such flaw indicated?

3. Does it basically send end bolts or can one order from the books?

4. What is the average price range of let's say a 14 oz flannel?

5. Ed Hayes mentioned that they will make pants? How is the pantsmaker?

6. Perhaps we can have a Lounge expedition to Brooklyn?

7. Do they take credit cards?

Thanks.

[richardcharles]

answers are as follows, #1 no,as they do not purchase from merchants,#2 yes, always first quality. George has two aspects to his business the first he serves as a merchant/dist. for Charles Clayton a fine english mill seondly he buys overstoocked goods from such people as Kiton/st andrews/zegna etc.He does not have a pantmaker in house but a gentleman from Staten Island ( Dario ) visits the store regularly. Dario makes a nice pant at a reasonable priceI forgot the other points and I can't go back without loosing what I have written sorry

[tteplitzmd]

Yes, on the credit cards, no on sending swatches, most of the fine worsteds I have purchased seem priced at $39.95/yard, which is very reasonable for the quality.

There is a mix of English and Italian goods, all very fine quality. Not much linen, not a lot of blends for jacketing in my two visits. Some very unusual cottons for suiting and jacketing, a bit of shirting cloth very reasonable in price as well.

The goods are moved quickly I think, and it may take several visits over time to find what you want. Some things were there in January, gone in March, and now I will visit next Friday for the spring/summer inventory.

Anyone in the neighborhood (Greenpoint, brooklyn) welcome to join me around noon. I will then take a car service into Manhatten (about 15 minutes transit time). I am an enthusiast for getting my own cloth, and I would like to see a populist movement in this direction by bespoke clients. I believe it is good to break the cartel of the oligarch big name Woolen Mercers.

Can anyone advise how Mr. Weiss on the lower east side compares (Singer)?

Terry Teplitz

[dopey]

Can anyone advise how Mr. Weiss on the lower east side compares (Singer)?

Terry Teplitz

I live on the Lower East Side and either I have become disoriented and lost track of wear Singer is located, or it is gone. I am not sure which I prefer. I believe there are still some cloth merchants on Orchard Street and I will be glad to check on that. WIth Beckenstein gone, though, that trade is likely to slowly disappear from the area.

[richardcharles]

though he does not advertise it George from Tip Top sells most of the merchants in NYC, including the one who refers to himself as the fabric czar. I don't know Tubby Weiss but I would bet that he is a client. It is always wise to ask George when a shipment is arriving. The merchants make it a point to visit quickly and do take a lot of what comes in.It is a nice low pressure operation. By the way if anybody wants Dario's info let me know. He is a good pantmaker and is reasonably priced.

[tteplitzmd]

I spoke with Mr. Weiss today and will plan to visit his shop on Memorial Day (no Holidays in the rag trade), and will try to remember to post a report of my site visits. I only buy corduroy and seersucker from the self annointed Fabric Czar, and I have to say, they are very fine quality and very low priced ($10 or less per yard). Tip Top disdains these cloths, and true to their name, corduroy and seersucker are not "fine woolens."

I will be in London in early June and will report back on Textile King (it is strange how the rag trade is filled with nobility). When I first went to Textile King I asked the owner if the "King" was in, and he replied without missing a beat: "He's off today."

Terry A. Teplitz

[bry2000]

David,

Who is your remote pants maket? What prices does he charge? Thanks.

[RWS]

. . . . 500 per pant.

Hmmm . . . a thousand dollars a pair?

[Guest]

I was wrong, actually he charges per pocket.

[tteplitzmd]

I posted a discourse on my field trip last weekend to Tip Top and Singer (Tibby Weiss).
I filed it under the cloth distriibutors address postings, for some reason.

I will report as well on Textile King when I am in London, June 8-12.

I had an interesting discussion with Mr. Weiss about counterfeit cloths now entering the market from China. Selvedges are falsely labelled. There is a trick in the oriental rug trade, to demonstrate wool/silk from other less valued fibers. I was pleased to see Mr. Weiss was familiar with the method---synthetics burn/smoke differently from natural fibers.

[Alias]

I posted a discourse on my field trip last weekend to Tip Top and Singer (Tibby Weiss).
I was pleased to see Mr. Weiss was familiar with the method---synthetics burn/smoke differently from natural fibers.

That's correct. Synthetics melt into goo.