NPR story on bespoke suits

[manton]

I was interviewed for an NPR story on bespoke suits. So was our own Tom Mahon. It is airing this weekend. You can listen here:

http://marketplacemoney.publicradio.org ... f_bespoke/

FYI: My advice to "go local" was not meant to be rip on Mahon or any English tailor. I like my English suits (and shoes). But I also like to be able to walk three blocks to a fitting and peruse swatch books on a whim.

[stbdtack]

Very well done! I concur with you that it is much easier to have your tailoriing shop close at hand -- lucky Londoners and New Yorkers. . .

[maxnharry]

Great piece that was pretty complete even at 5 minutes. I had imagined a more Machievellian sounding fellow (just kidding). Can you reveal who your tailor is and I am also interested if your coworkers notice that your suits are bespoke

[ryan]

Is there a version of this story not using that god aweful "real media"/"real player" system, or perhaps a transcript?

Cheers

[Guest]

I didn't like the report at all, it was the usual dreck. For instance, "bespoke" does not mean "handmade," obviously. Manton's comments were fair and good, however. And I loved that the first thing Mahon latched on to when he was describing bespoke was the quality of material, which I think is the one near-universal difference between RTW and bespoke, and the quality that most determines the garment's longevity and qualities.

[manton]

I didn't think it was "dreck". I thought it was good, and I would say that even if I had not been in it. It was a lot better than the typical, semi-annual New York Times "Aren't custom suits neato?" article.

And I disagree about bespoke and handmade. Of course, strictly speaking, bespoke refers to the drafting of the pattern, not the sewing of the garment. But as a practical matter, most bespoke suits are largely handmade. That's the way bespoke tailors work. Certain seams may be done by machine, but all the cutting is by hand, the canvas is made by hand, the undercollar is made by hand, and the collar, shoulder and sleeves are felled by hand. Given the way the bepoke process works, it would not make a lot of sense to draft indivudual patters only to laser cut them and make the suit on an assembly line.

[Concordia]

So--- all bespoke suits are hand made (more or less), but not all handmade suits are bespoke.

It would be interesting to test David's theory about longevity-- pitting a fused, factory-made garment vs. a bespoke item made from the same material. Then again, that would mean wearing a fused garment until it looked really awful.

[zegnamtl]

Manton wrote:


I didn't think it was "dreck"...........
better than the typical, semi-annual New York Times "Aren't custom suits neato?" article.

~~~~

I would also disagree it was "dreck".

brescd01,

One writes or produces these pieces for the masses, of which we are clearly not a part of when it comes to this subject. If it ventures off course slightly from the mass "dumbed down" appeal, editors will quickly get it back on track, or spike it altogether.
Fortunately, public radio does have a higher target range and longer time allotments that main stream FM stations. Most editors subscribe to the philosophy that those in the know will seek out specialty publications, are "High Maintenance" and are not worth the effort.

Given the parameters, it was a job rather well done.
If it makes a handful of men in each city it is aired think and ask questions about why their jackets are glued and not stitched, it will have been a job very well done.

[AlexanderKabbaz]

I, as well, think the 'dreck' label is misapplied. This was one of the rare, rare opportunities for the pinnacle of the clothing arts to be publicly exposed.

Naturally, both the anchor and the interviewer 'sexed it up' a bit with the emphasis on price and internationality ... but, hey! If you don't attract the attention of the audience, you can be as knowledgeable as Einstein and as seemingly insightful as The Thinker ... but just as The Thinker, doesn't do much good if nobody can hear you. Truth be known, if the tree falling in the abandoned forest does actually make noise ... who's to care?

I think both Messrs. Anton and Mahon acquitted themselves rather well. Concise, to-the-point, and not getting lost in the sea of minutae for which we all read the LL was exactly the way to play it to NPR's public.

Hear, hear! Well done.

[maxnharry]

After re-listening to this piece, I think it was very good. Objective and made good points about bespoke tailoring. It also lacks the previously mentioned NYT quality about it. Too many of their stories are "wow aren't they neat", but at the same time suggesting that anyone who would buy bespoke clothes might be the tiniest bit eccentric.

As one learns more and more about it, bespoke makes a great deal of sense and if you care how your clothes look, it makes even more sense.

[Romualdo]

Way to go!

Trevor

[DD MacDonald]

It would be interesting to test David's theory about longevity-- pitting a fused, factory-made garment vs. a bespoke item made from the same material. Then again, that would mean wearing a fused garment until it looked really awful.

Concordia, I think that life may be too short for such empericisim now that we have jumped the divide from fused indifference to the artisinal.

DDM

[Concordia]

So you understand my point.

[rjman]

Finally got around to clicking on that link. What a pleasure to hear manton in action. Hearing who your employer is did drop another piece into the puzzle that is the manton mystery, though.

I must say that the reason Mahon's business has doubled isn't just the backlash against bizcas -- his informative and entertaining blog must count for quite a bit.

[BenedictSpinola]

The person interviewed is quite clearly an impostor - he claims that side vents are a "little detail"