SR houses: more or less, all the same?

[alden]

Edwin

I have had the pleasure to watch Tom Mahon take a sheet of measurements and begin to trace the pattern. The experience is impressive to see.

Many tailors in Italy still cut in this manner and my tailors in Sicily are no exception. When I was designing the collar on the recent Raglan coat, I did three versions until I hit the one that worked the best. As I gave instructions, the tailor made the changes on paper. Working with a tailor in this case was a bit of sartorial CAD/CAM. Fascinating stuff, and it was really the only way to translate my ideas into cloth. If the collar of that coat looks easy, relaxed, with not a care in the world, its because hours were spent to make it look that way. That is one of the most delicate pleasures of bespoke..

Cheers

Michael

[The Doctor]

Michael,

Absolutely and the pleasure is ours as well, when you see your creations worn by happy customers.

Best,
Edwin

[andreyb]

So, it seems that when a cutter come to a new SR house, he/she has a new set of blocks at his/her disposal.

And this is the reason of different "house styles". Correct?

Andrey

[The Doctor]

I wouldn't say they would have to use the house block if they have a system or blocks that they're used to working from but as I've said before they would be encouraged to adhere to the house style upon which the company has built its reputation.

Maybe that's not the case with Poole's?

Edwin,

without going into details, there were significant differences between all of the cutters at Poole's, and whilst there were some house details, the cutting method varied to a wide degree.

Joshua

[HappyStroller]

Sir, may I have the pleasure of knowing what the name of the esteemed establishment is at No. 12 on the Row?

[The Doctor]

Sir, may I have the pleasure of knowing what the name of the esteemed establishment is at No. 12 on the Row?

Steed,

www.steed.co.uk

Regards,

Edwin DeBoise

[Symons]

As a new member, I have been following the above discussion with interest.

There are two questions that I would appeciate members' help with:

Scabal, the cloth merchant, is registered at number 12 Savile Row. Is it right that many tailors without premises on Savile Row use the fitting rooms at Scabal (usually reserved for Scabal ready to wear) to see clients?

How long was Thomas Mahon of English Cut actually at Anderson & Sheppard and what did he do there?

I would be grateful for answers.

[Andre Yew]

How long was Thomas Mahon of English Cut actually at Anderson & Sheppard and what did he do there?

Tom explains his history here:

http://www.englishcut.com/archives/000003.html

--Andre

[The Doctor]

As a new member, I have been following the above discussion with interest.

There are two questions that I would appeciate members' help with:

Scabal, the cloth merchant, is registered at number 12 Savile Row. Is it right that many tailors without premises on Savile Row use the fitting rooms at Scabal (usually reserved for Scabal ready to wear) to see clients?

How long was Thomas Mahon of English Cut actually at Anderson & Sheppard and what did he do there?

I would be grateful for answers.

Scabal do indeed let tailors use their premises to fit, I rent premises at Chittleborough & Morgan who are below at 12 Savile row.

[The Doctor]

Edwin

You have become a great resource for the LL members and its a pleasure to read your posts and see your work.

Would you be able to discuss "cutting on the bias" a bit? It is another technique used by AS trained cutters.

Michael

Michael,

I've never known any of the cutters at A&S to cut on the bias. Mr. Halberry may have done when cutting ladies but he hadn't cut for women for many years.
Best,

Edwin

[Concordia]

Perhaps this refers to the canvas, not the exterior fabric?

[uppercase]

I still don't understand the difference between a 'bespoke' block and a MTM block; to me, they appear the same in that they take a standard house silhouette and adjust it to the individual's measurements.

This note by Tom Mahon does not particularly clarify the matter either; http://www.englishcut.com/archives/000030.html

[RWS]

I'd the impression that in MTM no real adjustments were made: instead, the most appropriate parts of different blocks were assembled (e.g., a left sleeve from this block, a right from that, a collar or a front from yet another). If that's correct (and it's difficult to believe that it is), then, perhaps, "bespoke" blocks are really just a starting point, from which the cutter does make the small adjustments needed for the individual customer.

If, indeed, that's correct -- I'm disappointed.

[alden]

I still don't understand the difference between a 'bespoke' block and a MTM block

In pattern manipulation, the starting point in MTM and bespoke is the house's block in a determined size (38, 40, 42 etc.) In an MTM application little "manipulation" is done to the standard pattern other than to prepare the garment for a fitting with the customer requested details ie patch pockets, length of sleeve, etc This does not take too much time for the tailor so the price is low. In the bespoke manipulation more operations are undertaken to reach a bespoke level of fit..details of the client's physique are accounted for in preparing the fitting.

I saw this technique used once by a well known Neapolitan "bespoke" tailoring house. The tailor took down a stock pattern and looked at the measures of the client. As he chalked the cloth he made adjustments ie he added a bit here and took away a bit there on the cloth with the chalk. If he needed to he would lift up the block and draw underneath it or if he needed to add length or depth somewhere he would go outside the bounds of the block. Based on this estimation, the fitting is prepared and placed on the client. If the fitting is spot on, it goes back onto a fresh piece of paper and is traced. Voila a bespoke pattern is born.

[andreyb]

Mr. Halberry may have done when cutting ladies

Mamma mia! The mystery of Jack the Ripper finally solved...

Andrey