Dear Michael,alden wrote:But I have to add that my easiest and most creative collaboration is with one of the bigger tailoring houses in Western Europe.
Your “bigger tailoring house” started off as a small independent tailor who refused to give in to mediocrity. Back in 2003, on the old Yahoo groups London Lounge, we were already posting pictures of suits made by Edwin Deboise and Tom Mahon, two renegades who ditched London because of its suffocating costs structure and went up to Cumbria so they could continue to take the time to make bench made clothing in “the old A&S way.”
Both of these guys became LL members and contributed greatly to our knowledge back then. And smart LL members rewarded both tailors with their custom and their operations grew because these two stuck to their guns and refused to betray their craft.
Now that Edwin has taken over English Cut his business is even bigger, but he is and will continue to deliver according to the canons of his craft. True quality is not a fetich, its a winning business model. Edwin and Matthew are the proof point.
thank you for your good reply. I was concerned that the discussion in this thread was taking an unfortunate direction towards sentimental tailoring orthodoxy. And I wanted to share my experience with very different tailors (different in character, style and approach to the craft), which somehow all worked very well for me. Not that I'm particularly fond of trying out 30 tailors, in the contrary. I like to stick to my craftsmen if things go well, and they always did go well so far - touch wood
I was talking of a different tailoring house, more South of Rome actually . What they delivered without long discussions or explanations is sublime and effortless in every aspect. Some might ask why I didn't stop with the others - simply because I'm loyal to them, and I get something different which I also like and appreciate. Working with them takes more effort on my side, but that's also part of the fun.alden wrote:So David, unless you are talking about some other “bigger tailoring house in Western Europe”, you have added your testimony (and fetish ) to the others who militate in support of traditional benchmade tailoring.
It is too early for me to comment on Steed. But I'm confident and look forward to a long lasting collaboration. And I always praised Mr Mahon's work for me - it is sad indeed what happened with English Cut.
What may be missing in many men today is understanding craft and craftsmen. We live in an industrialised world transforming itself to digital quickly - craft is a far older "crime" . I just had a reminder today, visiting the arms and armour section at the Wallace collection after a meeting in the neighbourhood. A part from the exceptional ottoman and Mughal swords, they have a more humble display of personal table knives made for noble men in the 15th, 16th century. Simple, plain knives without decoration, but beautifully crafted, full of charm and character. Watching these knives reminded me that it requires a very different mindset to appreciate such objects, and when most spend their day behind a computer screen or playing with a smart phone, they may forget to switch their mind when seeing their tailor.alden wrote:I do absolutely agree with the importance of interviewing tailors to know if there is a right fit and then to build a good working relationship. I am probably a bit over a million times repeating this seemingly incomprehensible wisdom.
In your reply to Frans, you mention the big SR houses. I have no experience with them. But who am I to blame them? More than half of their business is coming from overseas and mainly the US. They adapt to their clientele, it would be suicidal not to do so. You see the same type of customers when you walk into the Ritz in Paris or the Palace in St. Moritz or Gstaad. Among other things, they also want a suit from Savile Row, and they want a known label inside...
Cheers, David