New English Bespoke Shirtmaker: Wil Whiting

[andreyb]

Gentlemen,

There is a fresh face in the usual deck of English bespoke shirtmakers: Wil Whiting.

http://wilwhiting.com/

Yes, you saw it right -- a hand-made buttonhole on an English-made shirt! Repeat: a hand-made buttonhole on an English-made shirt!!

I'm very intrigued -- he follows British school of shirtmaking (which is still -- perhaps foolishly, I admit this -- has great importance for me), but his standard of fitting and making is a step above other UK guys. I wonder what his price point might be, though -- given 14 - 30 hours of time investment for a single shirt?

Andrey

[Scot]

his standard of fitting and making is a step above other UK guys

You have used them all?

[Richard3]

I was very impressed by his creation of a shacket (a shirt and jacket hybrid) I discovered on his instagram account and had it copied by my shirtmaker.

[Concordia]

His lack of a storefront may keep prices down. As may his obvious preference for really slim torsos.

[rjman]

Dear Andrey: You may be forgiven (given your history with its editors) for not knowing that Whiting was nicely profiled in Teh Rake some months ago, where he mentioned he had learned from David Gale, who had been the shirtmaker at Sulka London, then Dunhill London, followed by stints at T&A and Hilditch & Key London. Apparently Gale impressed on him some of the old ways that aren't practiced any more.

In any event, do report back!

[uppercase]

Whatever happened to David Gale. ??
One of the best shirtmakers I’ve come across.
Was into organic farming with his wife as I recall.
Wonder if he retired....??

[andreyb]

You have used them all?

(taking this as a honest and good-natured question...)

I used four (which is three too many... ) and observed work of a few others -- not to mention numerous reports here and on other forums.

When I said on "his standard of fitting" I referred to this:

He also refuses to cut corners with the trial shirt: while many shirtmakers include the trial in the final number of shirts ordered, Wil strongly opposes the idea — even with a minimum order of four shirts, the trial is not one of them, so the customer never goes home feeling short-changed.

Is there anyone else in the UK who makes a trial shirt separately, not counting it in the first order? Frank Foster supposedly worked this way, but he passed away.

Is this necessary / required for a proper fit? Is this guarantees better results than what one can get from other UK guys? We had a lot of discussions on this very forum already... but obviously the standard Wil Whiting adheres to is a step above compared with other UK guys. Again -- the end result might be the same or even inferior (after all, experience matters, and Mr Whiting is quite young), but nevertheless.

When I said on "his standard of making" I mainly referred hand-work. I lose my battle to convince my shirtmaker (Stephen Lachter) to attach buttons by hand -- every time he had an excuse for not doing so. The only hand-made thing I have is my monogram (quite nicely done, I have to add); everything else is made by machine.

Are you aware of any alive UK shirtmakers who do buttonholes by hand?

Dear Andrey: You may be forgiven (given your history with its editors) for not knowing that Whiting was nicely profiled in Teh Rake some months ago

Are you a regular reader of Teh Rake?! Oh, le scandale!

I actually found (and read) Rake's article when I googled Wil Whiting's name.

Well, Mr Gale is a legendary cutter, so he is obviously a worthy tutor. His standards of fitting and making are mostly dictated by a specific commercial enterprise he works for at the moment, though -- no? Is he still with H&K?

In any event, do report back!

No specific plans yet -- just curious (and intrigued).

But never say never.

Andrey

[hectorm]

He also refuses to cut corners with the trial shirt: while many shirtmakers include the trial in the final number of shirts ordered, Wil strongly opposes the idea — even with a minimum order of four shirts, the trial is not one of them, so the customer never goes home feeling short-changed.

Is there anyone else in the UK who makes a trial shirt separately, not counting it in the first order?

What is Whiting trial shirt made of? Muselin? I doubt it. A good quality cotton that would react to wash, press and wear the same way the fabrics you have chosen would? In the latter case, are you getting five shirts for the price of four?
It shouldn't really be a big deal whether the trial shirt is counted as one in the first order. It's pretty standard and nobody feels short-changed. A reputable shirtmaker will not send you home with a trial shirt that is 2 inches shorter on one sleeve or one that you cannot button up. He will make these bigger adjustments (his mistakes) on the trial one if needed, give it to you for wearing after washing it, and later make only minor adjustments, and cut the rest delivering a full order of perfectly well finished and fitting shirts. Maybe the trial shirt is not the most perfect of all, but you have to see it as -hopefully- only one of dozens and dozens of great ones to come.

[bond_and_beyond]

He also refuses to cut corners with the trial shirt: while many shirtmakers include the trial in the final number of shirts ordered, Wil strongly opposes the idea — even with a minimum order of four shirts, the trial is not one of them, so the customer never goes home feeling short-changed.

Is there anyone else in the UK who makes a trial shirt separately, not counting it in the first order?

What is Witing trial shirt made of? Muselin? I doubt it. A good quality cotton that would react to wash, press and wear the same way the fabrics you have chosen would? In the latter case, are you getting five shirts for the price of four?
It shouldn't really be a big deal whether the trial shirt is counted as one in the first order. It's pretty standard and nobody feels short-changed. A reputable shirtmaker will not send you home with a trial shirt that is 2 inches shorter on one sleeve or on that you cannot button up. He will make these bigger adjustments (his mistakes) on the trial one if needed, give it to you for wearing after washing it, and later make only minor adjustments, and cut the rest delivering a full order of perfectly well finished and fitting shirts. Maybe the trial shirt is not the most perfect of all, but you have to see it as -hopefully- only one of dozens and dozens of great ones to come.

Indeed. I see no issue here. It took T&A five trial shirts to get the fit right when I first started out. It came at no extra cost and gave me ample opportunity to experiment with the collar shape.

BB

[Frans]

Well, I had an Italian shirtmaker who also made a muslin shirt to begin with. Perhaps she had her own reasons for that?
One might get better control over the process. It's an extra stage of work, that's for sure.

The English shirts I possess (only 1 maker) are lovely, but there were a lot of issues with fit and service and no consistency at all. Those shirts are generally wider, with more and bigger tolerances than the Italian shirts, so in a way they must be easier to produce I guess. More comfortable, yes. Could the fit be better? Yes.

I would welcome an English shirt maker with a higher level of quality, consistency and service too. Is Mr. Whiting that person? He presents himself in a rather self-assured way, as far as I can read, which makes me hesitate a bit.

[Rob O]

Regarding the trial shirt, this is from his instagram page:

"Wearing an identical shirt to that which my customers receive as their final trial, sewn using a custom made Alumo poplin."

[alden]

He presents himself in a rather self-assured way, as far as I can read, which makes me hesitate a bit.

Exactly. I much prefer old humble tailors and young cocky clients to the inverse.

Cheers

[alden]

"Wearing an identical shirt to that which my customers receive as their final trial, sewn using a custom made Alumo poplin."

Well I can only imagine wearing that shirt would be a trial. Does he have a final "tribulations" model as well?

It might just be the way he has twisted his body, but the sleeve is not set properly and its too short, the wave under the tie's knot and in the body is North Shore of Oahu, and like all UK shirtmakers since the beginning of time, the collar is an abomination.

Other than that it seems promising.

Could be its just an awful photo, but I frankly cannot understand why any tailor would post such a photo. If the young man does not take the time to set up a proper photo of his work with a good camera and a tripod, will he take the time and will he have the patience to craft a shirt? Guys, making a great shirt is devilishly hard to do.

The shirt's collar is the soul of a great shirt. The very first question out of a new clients mouth when visiting a tailor should be "let me see your collars!" Tiny collars with no tie space should send you out the door in no time flat.

Go to Naples or Rome or Madrid or Paris or Timbuktu or anywhere else for shirts!

Cheers

[bond_and_beyond]

Well, I had an Italian shirtmaker that also made a muslin shirt to begin with. Perhaps she had her own reasons for that?
One might get better control over the process. It's an extra stage of work, that's for sure.

The English shirts I possess (only 1 maker) are lovely, but there were a lot of issues with fit and service and no consistency at all. Those shirts are generally wider, with more and bigger tolerances than the Italian shirts, so in a way they must be easier to produce I guess. More comfortable, yes. Could the fit be better? Yes.

I would welcome an English shirt maker with a higher level of quality, consistency and service too. Is Mr. Whiting that person? He presents himself in a rather self-assured way, as far as I can read, which makes me hesitate a bit.

I've also had an Italian shirtmaker that used a muslin fitting shirt, but honestly I don't think it made that much difference. Shirts are not like jackets, so the alterations done to the muslin did not have much more effect than adjustments to the pattern based on seeing the trial shirt on me as T&A did.

BB

[uppercase]

Alden’s has delivered a stunning blow to English shirtmakers which came unexpectedly and out of left field.
But why?? Is it justified??

England is the home of iconic shirtmakers Turnbull, and Budd and Lachter. Et al.
Shirtmaking here, like bespoke, has a very long tradition, with generations of clients. And it is big business, appreciated by discerning clients around the world.
What of the renowned English spread collar??

We have a whole street, Jermyn, dedicated to the art of bespoke shirtmaking.
Like Savile dedicated to bespoke.

WTF ?? We need an explanation.
Alden has taken on some icons we all know of.

And of all places , has pointed us south, far south, to Napoli and Roma to rather look there for bespoke shirts.

We need to know why, what has happened here!!

We need an explanation as to these developments.
Or who will speak up here to defend shirtmaking in England....