Questions on Mohair

[Mark Seitelman]

I spoke to an old hand at Brooks Bros., and he told me that he found that mohair was fragile. He said that after a few pressings the cloth can develop a run and break apart. Brooks used to carry mohair, but it no longer does.

Have any of you gentlemen heard of this? If indeed this fragility exists, is it lessened by the use of kid mohair mixed with wool? I have a couple of pieces of kid mohair and wool blends (60% mohair and 40% wool).

Thanks.

[RWS]

Your informant's largely accurate, Mark. In my experience, mohair can break unexpectedly (because of inherent brittleness resulting from the tight corkscrew filaments, I think, rather than because of a "run") and it becomes shiny easily. Both drawbacks are reduced by the use of kid mohair and by blending with sheep's wool (though the latter also reduces the finer qualities of mohair, of course).

[fabrics]

Hi,
I have a suit made of Loro Piana's fabric: Karoo's Summer collection 90% Super 110's and 10% Karoo Mohair.

This is a summer weight fabric. It feels soft yet it holds up. But it is wrinkles easily.

[Concordia]

Reviving an old topic, I see that moving beyond the summer weights offered by Smiths, H&S, et al., there are a few 10/11oz mohair blends in the Fresco II and Crispaire books, as well as a small handful of 3-ply mohair blends in the back of one of the Lessers books. Urban office-wear kinds of colors, not for formal evening use.

Has anyone tried these, and had any unexpected discoveries on proper use (e.g., compatibility with different styles of cut, temperature, formality, travel convenience, etc.)?

[alden]

Concordia

Long before I had the chance to make an RAF Brisa, I made the RAF blue in the Crispaire book. It is good cloth, tailors pretty well, but it is shiny. It might make an evening suit in a darker color but it is bright for day.

Cheers

[JCH]

Concordia: Allow me an unsolicated comment about the Fresco II book. I have not tried the mohairs, so whether they are a different animal I do not know. I did try a couple of the 9/10 ounce Fresco II. In my view, allowing that I could be just plain wrong and suffering from imaginations, it is not quite the same as the earlier Fresco in that weight. The body or stiffness of the II cloth seems a bit softer. In short, I think the trousers, for example, do not drape as well--they seem to bag a little in comparison.

Best regards,

[Concordia]

Thanks, both.

IMO, a slightly softer finish wouldn't be a tragedy for the Fresco 9/10s. But we'll see how it behaves.

[JCH]

Agreed. It is no tragedy. The new colors and patterns are well taken. The "sand," one of my choices, is a fine summer color more pleasing than the old "wheat," with a variegated mix in the weave of what seems a blued-gray. I would like a tan Brisa though.