Are the days of tailored clothing numbered?

[old henry]

Yes, Lenny, What young person today will take the years to learn the trade like you and I did and as your son is doing.
It should absolutely be noted , with all my talk about disappearing tailors, that Len Logsdail does still tailor authentic, true , Benchmade suits at his shop in NYC. He is an old school tailor-cutter. He will teach the trade to his son very well.

[alden]

It should absolutely be noted , with all my talk about disappearing tailors, that Len Logsdail does still tailor authentic, true , Benchmade suits at his shop in NYC. He is an old school tailor-cutter. He will teach the trade to his son very well.

I absolutely agree. And I am delighted to know Len is passing on his vast knowledge and experience of real tailoring to his son.That is such great news for all of us, and especially you guys in NY.

A visit with Len Logsdail or Mr. Old Henry should be mandatory for all new clients interested in true benchmade clothing. Seeing the real thing made is an eye opener. And wearing it even more so!

You two guys may be the only resources for the "real thing" left on the East Coast or in the States along with Chris Despos in Chicago.

I have been saying it for over 12 years, get started now my friends, get a classic wardrobe while you still can.

Jeans and boots and T-shirts will always be around.

Cheers

PS. Old Henry was always on the famous LL Certified Artisans Program and Len Logsdail was admitted on April 14, 2005, a few months after the start of the LL, and he was admitted with another NY tailor.....Vincente Nicolosi. Nice memories for me. Thanks guys.

[couch]

Sobering observations, but there seems to be some hope in the new generation of tailors being trained in London. It is, apparently, still hard to make it as a new bespoke tailor in the States. I never had a chance to meet Rory Duffy or see his work, but he seems determined to find a way to pass on what he learned at Poole, now in Ireland. I presume in his own bespoke work, he does his own sewing, so thus it's bench made?

I wonder whether any of the other young tailors coming up in the Savile Row training schemes might eventually strike out on their own in the U.S.? I believe a substantial portion of many Savile Row houses' book still consist of U.S. clients, so perhaps there might be some room for the right newcomer.

[davidhuh]

Sobering observations, but there seems to be some hope in the new generation of tailors being trained in London. It is, apparently, still hard to make it as a new bespoke tailor in the States.

Dear Couch,

there are the positive signs you mention - young people interested in the craft and seeking a different satisfaction than spending their day in front of a computer screen. And I also know that some businesses on the Row are doing very well. However, it is hard to make it as a new bespoke tailor even in London, and regardless if you have a "name" - I'm aware of several brave and excellent tailors who just didn't make it. Therefore, I wonder what all the young trainee tailors will end up doing one day.

I have the impression that today's clients prefer going to a known "house" rather than to an independent tailor. Exposing yourself as a client to a craftsman probably requires a type of client that is disappearing. It would be helpful to have some more role models like Luca Rubinacci out there. If tailoring wants to survive, it has to adapt to a changing world. "Fast fashion" might die even earlier though.

Cheers, David

[couch]

Good points, David.

My thought was that with the right marketing, new, well-trained tailors might find it easier to find clients in the U.S. with the passing of the old guard like Centofanti, Raphael, etc. since they would not have the Row down the street to compete with as London tailors would. Some clients don't want to wait months between visits from traveling tailors.

Your observation about Luca is relevant. I suspect that the positive exposure, first on StyleForum, here, and then on his own blog and Instagram feed, by Vox has been a not insignificant factor in the U.S. success of Steed. Not that Edwin and now Matthew have not earned every bit of their fine reputation, but that lots of folks have been able to watch the development of a client-tailor relationship and see numerous high-quality photos of beautiful work at rest and in action. I'm sure Napoli Su Misura has likewise benefitted from the exposure.

I suspect part of the challenge for newcomers is the capital needed to acquire and support a shop location if they choose a base in a city like New York or San Francisco. Luca doesn't have that problem. Steed has managed it well, but only via a heavy travel schedule both in the UK and abroad. And then getting the value proposition out online also takes resources to do well, or unusually generous "word of mouth" (viz Vox above). And that is now really necessary, given how buying habits have evolved.

I've never used them, and they're not bespoke, but the MTM shirtmakers Proper Cloth have an instructive story and seem to have reached a stable and prosperous equilibrium in New York. Their claim of tens of thousands of clients suggests that there are still many young men out there willing to pay more than discount-store prices for well-made, if commercially produced, shirts that fit decently.

It may be a bit like serious journalism today. The value of the product is acknowledged by many, but finding a business model for it that works in the "new" economy is challenging when lots of junk has conditioned online readers to expect it for free. I'm confident this is a challenge that will eventually be overcome, and I'm hopeful that with the right business models, bespoke tailoring can likewise find a stable, if niche, place again in the U.S. I suspect some experimenting and failures will be needed to arrive at ways of supporting exposure and promotion of the bespoke experience to a new generation of potential clients. The geographically concentrated pools of clients that could once support a New York tailor with virtually no advertising are now dispersed. And making the online experience compelling enough to draw clients from a larger pool takes its own expertise and partnerships.

[Mark Seitelman]

Although "it ain't what it was", there are still signs of hope. There are some young people entering the business.

E.g.,

1. There is a young Savile Row and Singapore trained tailor who recently opened shop in Brooklyn. He is Yossel Tiefenbrun, and he has been profiled as both a rabbi and tailor. See http://rabbitailor.tumblr.com/

2. The Dieworkwear blog wrote about a new bespoke tailor in Nashville. See http://dieworkwear.com/post/16530924554 ... rn-comfort. Another young person.

[Concordia]

He is Yossel Tiefenbrun, and he has been profiled as both a rabbi and tailor.

Truly an expert with scissors.

[alden]

We've heard the chimes at midnight, Master Shallow

and heard "The last trumpet.."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL68GF03_lU

(Bud Spencer, one of my faves, what a Falstaff he would have played.)

Guys, get it now...!

Cheers

[couch]

Although "it ain't what it was", there are still signs of hope. There are some young people entering the business.

E.g.,

1. There is a young Savile Row and Singapore trained tailor who recently opened shop in Brooklyn. He is Yossel Tiefenbrun, and he has been profiled as both a rabbi and tailor. See http://rabbitailor.tumblr.com/

2. The Dieworkwear blog wrote about a new bespoke tailor in Nashville. See http://dieworkwear.com/post/16530924554 ... rn-comfort. Another young person.

Thanks for these, Mark. They both look very interesting. Two new places to get it now!

[old henry]

?

[andreyb]

Reporting from Graz, a small town in the south of Austria.

Not a lot of tailored clothing worn by younger guys -- as expected. But older people *do* dress -- even (or perhaps especially?) on weekends. Ties and bowties are quite common. What is surprising is how often traditional "tracht" clothing is worn -- even among youngsters. Yes, I'm speaking on "lederhosen" (leather shorts) and green collar-less jackets for men and rustic dresses for women. A lot of shops selling this stuff -- and guys, it doesn't come cheap, yet apparently there is still enough customers! One of my young colleagues paid 700 euros to have custom-made lederhosen made for him -- I doubt he owns even a single "English style" jacket.

Anglophilia is present, though -- and there is an obligatory "English style" shop -- named "Brühl". Apparently, it was quite successful and famous back in the day ("House of Gentleman" on Vienna's Kohlmarkt is actually Brühl's filial!), but now tries to find its place in the changing world -- they sell low- to mid- tier brands, like Hilfiger, Daks, Hackett and Boss.

There is a bespoke shirt atelier ("Sommer", still making shirts in Graz) and I even saw a few tailors' shops. Not sure on quality of their offerings, though.

Andrey

P.S.: Oh yes -- and Austria is probably the safest country on Earth. Even when you are wearing a suit...

[hectorm]

A secondary reason is cost. As you know, the good stuff is mighty expensive.

Very secondary reason. You know, the money for tailored clothes is out there, Mark. Although apparently it's not going to bespoke.
A brief round of the usual suspects in NY two weekends ago showed a 3 pc. suit at the RL mansion on Madison for $9500; a few blocks south, Brioni had very mediocre off the peg suits for $6k and just plain normal RTW trousers for a cool grand each. Loro Piana and Armani had similar prices.
It beats me how people can spend on a skimpy-flimsy RTW suit the same amount -and even more- for which they can get a wonderful hand-made suit cut exclusively for themselves. Such a lack of appreciation.

[old henry]

Hectorm, you are so so so right. Great Great Great post.
$9500 off the rack machine suit ? I'm a sap.

[hectorm]

$9500 off the rack machine suit ?

Well, it's that expensive precisely because it's sewn by machine. If it were put together by that new stretchy glue that simulates stitches (you seen it?) and with heat-fused interlinings, it would be only $8999.

[HristoStefanov]

Fact is that many bespoke tailors increased their prices between 20% and 100% in the last 5 years.
This speaks for increased demand.
I am just 28 years old and wear bespoke clothes and I know a number of guys about my age who are also bespoke enthusiasts.
So I think it is a little bit early to count the days of tailored clothing.

But if one speaks about the majority of men, well, sure bespoke tailoring is nothing for the masses. I have the feeling that the middle class is shrinking a bit driven by outsourcing and automation which makes bespoke tailoring too expensive for many men.