A couple years ago, iammatt started an interesting thread called, Why do most companies make rotten pants? It's a good question and there are many thoughts on that subject in that thread.
When it comes to ready-to-wear pants, the brands that I have come across that are made very well are Oxxford, Kiton, Borrelli, and Valentini's Sartoriale line. The Oxxford is the odd brand out in this group, since it is constructed similarly to a well made bespoke trouser. Kiton and Borrelli are also well made, with a fair amount of decorative hand finishing. Valentini are also well made in my opinion, with a degree of hand assembly that is geared toward structural objectives rather than the decorative objectives of Kiton and Borrelli. All four makers seem to use nice fabrics, and of course, their cuts are all over the map. Oxxford and Kiton tend to be full; Valentini moderate; and Borrelli, especially for its Euro versions, very slim. I would say that in general, retail for these makers ranges from $500 to north of $1000.
Last summer, Ed Morel mentioned to me that he wanted to see if pants could be produced using really good fabrics, finished to a high standard, made locally (to him) in New York, and providing a slim cut that is difficult to find at least in the U.S. So, over the intervening months, he made this a project. A few times, he ran some ideas by me (as I'm sure that he did with others, but I don't know.) The result?
Panta.
[note: most images clickable for larger version]
I got first crack at these new pants (I think.) I bought them at a discounted price of $199 (one pair, in 100% cashmere flannel, is more, $249.) My understanding from Ed is that this same discounted price will be the introductory price for SF knuckleheads. (I am, by the way, not involved in any part of Ed's enterprise nor did he see any part of this review before posting.)
So, what do we have here? There are four choices initially:
Left to right: a light gray in 97% super 120s/3% cashmere blend; a dark gray herringbone in simple merino wool; a brown in a super 160s; and a large format flannel birdseye in 100% cashmere. All fabric from English mills...very tasty.
Construction for Panta is really top notch, comparable overall to Kiton, Borrelli and Valentini Sartoriale. Examples:
Horn button fly, double button internal close (like the type of thing you might see in Ambrosi trousers, but with the opposite anchoring), curtained, pleated, hand-felled shirting waistband and matching pocketing:
Pic stitched lap seams and pockets, hidden watch/coin pocket:
And as I mentioned before, tasty fabrics from English mills, like this 100% cashmere number:
The cut is slim. The legs taper to a narrow opening. The most similar pants to Panta in terms of cut are the Euro Borrelli, Barba, or the Dalton line that Corneliani makes (made?) for RL Polo. Ed tells me that depending on how the venture goes, he might offer a second model that has a fuller fit.
Sorry for the fit pic, but it was rather windy this morning:
This pair is the super soft, 100% cashmere pair.
Panta are terrific pants if you like the cut and if $200 is a price point that works for you. They give up nothing, in my opinion, to RTW pants costing three times or more than their price at retail in the US...and I'm not sure that any retail maker offers fabric at this level of quality. Moreover, if you're an American, there's the fact that it's made in NYC. (If you're not American, there's the potential novelty of wearing American-made trousers.)
Construction comparision with Borrelli and Valentini Sartoriale:
So, I like them a lot and plan to buy more if Ed is able to keep things going.
- B
When it comes to ready-to-wear pants, the brands that I have come across that are made very well are Oxxford, Kiton, Borrelli, and Valentini's Sartoriale line. The Oxxford is the odd brand out in this group, since it is constructed similarly to a well made bespoke trouser. Kiton and Borrelli are also well made, with a fair amount of decorative hand finishing. Valentini are also well made in my opinion, with a degree of hand assembly that is geared toward structural objectives rather than the decorative objectives of Kiton and Borrelli. All four makers seem to use nice fabrics, and of course, their cuts are all over the map. Oxxford and Kiton tend to be full; Valentini moderate; and Borrelli, especially for its Euro versions, very slim. I would say that in general, retail for these makers ranges from $500 to north of $1000.
Last summer, Ed Morel mentioned to me that he wanted to see if pants could be produced using really good fabrics, finished to a high standard, made locally (to him) in New York, and providing a slim cut that is difficult to find at least in the U.S. So, over the intervening months, he made this a project. A few times, he ran some ideas by me (as I'm sure that he did with others, but I don't know.) The result?
Panta.
[note: most images clickable for larger version]
I got first crack at these new pants (I think.) I bought them at a discounted price of $199 (one pair, in 100% cashmere flannel, is more, $249.) My understanding from Ed is that this same discounted price will be the introductory price for SF knuckleheads. (I am, by the way, not involved in any part of Ed's enterprise nor did he see any part of this review before posting.)
So, what do we have here? There are four choices initially:
Left to right: a light gray in 97% super 120s/3% cashmere blend; a dark gray herringbone in simple merino wool; a brown in a super 160s; and a large format flannel birdseye in 100% cashmere. All fabric from English mills...very tasty.
Construction for Panta is really top notch, comparable overall to Kiton, Borrelli and Valentini Sartoriale. Examples:
Horn button fly, double button internal close (like the type of thing you might see in Ambrosi trousers, but with the opposite anchoring), curtained, pleated, hand-felled shirting waistband and matching pocketing:
Pic stitched lap seams and pockets, hidden watch/coin pocket:
And as I mentioned before, tasty fabrics from English mills, like this 100% cashmere number:
The cut is slim. The legs taper to a narrow opening. The most similar pants to Panta in terms of cut are the Euro Borrelli, Barba, or the Dalton line that Corneliani makes (made?) for RL Polo. Ed tells me that depending on how the venture goes, he might offer a second model that has a fuller fit.
Sorry for the fit pic, but it was rather windy this morning:
This pair is the super soft, 100% cashmere pair.
Panta are terrific pants if you like the cut and if $200 is a price point that works for you. They give up nothing, in my opinion, to RTW pants costing three times or more than their price at retail in the US...and I'm not sure that any retail maker offers fabric at this level of quality. Moreover, if you're an American, there's the fact that it's made in NYC. (If you're not American, there's the potential novelty of wearing American-made trousers.)
Construction comparision with Borrelli and Valentini Sartoriale:
So, I like them a lot and plan to buy more if Ed is able to keep things going.
- B
* * * For me, I must await a fuller fit I suspect.
