Shirt & collar Laundry Recommendations?

[loungelizard]

Seeking NYC suggestions for (1) a good shirt laundry and (2) a first rate laundry who understands how detatchable collars are laundered, starched/sized, polished and waxed.

For the latter, have tried Hallack, Jeeves, Caress, MIlton's, Meurice's, etc. etc., all to no avail despite showing an example of precisely what was desired.

Thank you.

[Mark Seitelman]

You've named the cream of NYC laundries. One that is missing is Madame Paulette.

Two possibilities:

1. I believe that Alex Kabbaz offers hand laundry service. We discussed the separate collar and how to acheive the desired stiffness.

2. Bruce Cameron Clark. Although he sub-contracts out laundering, he used to sell separate collars at Cole's, and he should be able to direct his people to acheive the desired result.

Please note that I have used neither gentleman, and I cannot comment on their laundry services.

Good luck.

[TVD]

In London, I have used both Jeeves and Blossom & Brown's Sycamore. In both cases the miss rate is about 30 to 50% if one seeks perfection. Then the faults I see may be invisible to the absolute majority of the population.

The correct approach would be to select the best of those you have tried, arrange a visit, and by enthusiasm and appreciation motivate whoever is in charge to give you a better product. They should understand that one is a connoisseur rather than a problem.

The splendour of the sight of a well starched and polished stiff collar should go quite a long way to achieve this effect.

[loungelizard]

[quote="Mark Seitelman"]

Possibilities:

Bruce Cameron Clark. Although he sub-contracts out laundering, he used to sell separate collars at Cole's, and he should be able to direct his people to acheive the desired result.

[/quote]

Thanks Mark. Cole's is located in NYC?

[Mark Seitelman]

Cole's is a London shirtmaker which specialized in separate collared shirts. It is still in business, but I believe that it has gotten away from separate collars. Bruce used to work out of its Savile Row shop, and he was the shirt manager at Tommy Nutter.

You can mention me to either Alex or Bruce.

Good luck.

[BirdofSydney]

Forgive, as ever, my ignorance, but what does "polishing" a collar entail? It sounds rather enticing...

Cheers,

Eden

[TVD]

I have never seen the actual laundry operations, but I understand that the shirt collar is soaked in the starch solution, and then pressed into shape on hot metal forms. It is pressed in its folded state rather than lying flat on a board.

When done well, the surface will be covered by a thin layer of dry starch which gives it a "shine". The starch ties the layers of rather coarse and fluffy cloth (to allow it to absorb the starch better) together into a laminate. The amount of starch applied permits to regulate the stiffness of the resulting collar, as well as the smoothness of the surface.

I am certain that one of our resident shirtmakers can give a far better and more technical explanation.

[Trilby]

You might consider mailing your collars to London to be laundered, if you cannot find someone you are happy with in NY. They are small and light enought that it's a practical option.

I use Jeeves in London for my collars, and have been happy with the results. As TVD indicates, Blossom & Brown's is the other alternative here. However, beware -- it costs almost as much to have one laundered as to buy a new collar.

[TVD]

About six pounds per collar at Jeeves (who say they have their own laundry) and threee pounds at Blossom & Browne. Most other dry cleaners accepting collars will outsource the job.

Ede & Ravenscroft who have one of the largest selections of stiff collars (due to their legal business) charge something like eight or nine pounds per new collar. Hackett is similar, but availability sometimes limited.

I recently saw that Richard James Weldon, the trimmings merchants, have included an impressive looking range of stiff collars in their catalogue. I have not seen them "in the flesh" and did not enquire about pricing. I suppose that the source will be the same as all the other merchants, given the model names are the same.

Budd's is another source, but their cutaway model is less tall than the Cameron collar I prefer, but then I did not ask them about stiff collars for years, so this may have changed.

I would not advise to purchase stiff collars by mail. A surprisingly large number appears to be shop soiled or badly starched / pressed. Having said that, I never had any trouble with E&R or Budd's in this respect.