Why tailors on the row love so much heavier fabrics?

My last suit was from Cifonelli and it was a 11/12 oz.

When I went to Huntsman with a sample of Fox worsted flannel 330 grm/11 oz , David Ward advised me it was too loght for a great 3 piece suit...

As I also like the Premier Cru book , am I right to insist having lighter fabrics or go for the Smiths Book?

Could be the English are used to wearing heavier fabrics due to their weather conditions and the tailors have grown accustomed to working with heavier fabrics to the point that they feel less comfortable working with lighter fabrics.

Because they are easier to work with.

Personally, I think 11 oz is the sweet spot.

Originally Posted by lasbar

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My last suit was from Cifonelli and it was a 11/12 oz.

When I went to Huntsman with a sample of Fox worsted flannel 330 grm/11 oz , David Ward advised me it was too loght for a great 3 piece suit...

As I also like the Premier Cru book , am I right to insist having lighter fabrics or go for the Smiths Book?

lasbar,

smiths has a 10/11 book - blue riband. i'm going to use it for my order with cifo.

i just looked at it side-by-side with the premier cru book yesterday and the smiths seemed just a touch more robust (the harrisons was slightly lighter and softer in feel), but just a nice. also, at the next weight class i compared the smiths botany to the harrisons fine classics and preferred the smiths there as well.

some photos at the link of a 3 piece suit in smiths blue riband (click to zoom): http://executive.at.webry.info/200811/article_1.html

i don't have any garments from either smiths or harrisons so this is just my noob opinion fwiw...

Originally Posted by lasbar

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My last suit was from Cifonelli and it was a 11/12 oz.

When I went to Huntsman with a sample of Fox worsted flannel 330 grm/11 oz , David Ward advised me it was too loght for a great 3 piece suit...

As I also like the Premier Cru book , am I right to insist having lighter fabrics or go for the Smiths Book?

I think it has more to do with the flannel - English tailors love heavier flannels. I have a suit in progress from the same Fox 11oz., and my English tailored murmured that, while the cloth was good, a 13-14oz. flannel from Fox or Minnis would have been 'spectacular.'

Easier to handle, easier to sew, easier to shape, easier to press, will wrinkle less. Will cover up sloppy work by the weight.
Flannels get worse as they get lighter. They loose stability and body. Over 16 ounce they get blanket like.
Agree with J that. 11 is ideal.

Originally Posted by jefferyd

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Because they are easier to work with.

Personally, I think 11 oz is the sweet spot.
My tailor told me the same when I gave him the JG Hardy linen

Originally Posted by Eustace Tilley

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I think it has more to do with the flannel - English tailors love heavier flannels. I have a suit in progress from the same Fox 11oz., and my English tailored murmured that, while the cloth was good, a 13-14oz. flannel from Fox or Minnis would have been 'spectacular.'

I love the Fox 330 grms worsted flannel in solid navy...

It is just perfect...

The Botany book is ok and I will have a look at the Blue Riband with Lorenzo.

I have seen at Cifonelli a great Schofield&Smith 11 oz...

It is a beautiful fabric but I have never seen one of their fabrics before...

Anyone with experience of that mill?

Have a few Schofield&Smith books but rarely use them. It is decent cloth.

Just delivered 3 from the Premier Cru book. The charcoal and navy irregularly spaced herringbones at the top of the book and a smallish black/white glen plaid with a red/maroon outline on the plaid. It made up/looked fantastic as a suit.

Originally Posted by Despos

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Have a few Schofield&Smith books but rarely use them. It is decent cloth.

Just delivered 3 from the Premier Cru book. The charcoal and navy irregularly spaced herringbones at the top of the book and a smallish black/white glen plaid with a red/maroon outline on the plaid. It made up/looked fantastic as a suit.

I have heard mixed reports from Manton on the Premier cru book.

It is going to be a 3 piece suit and I don't want to finish sweating like a pig everywhere i go...

The Schofield is lovely too.

The Fox looks a bit too fragile but I love the dark blue worsted 11oz.

I'm looking for a dark blue and not a navy...

^ as a counterpoint iammatt posted that he liked premier cru and then, of course, fnb loves the harrisons..

http://www.schofieldandsmith.co.uk/

Originally Posted by Kuro

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http://www.schofieldandsmith.co.uk/

What a pity you are not in Paris, you could have seen it...

The website is not the best around to be fair...

is probably better that i'm not in paris or i'd bankrupt what with cifo, charvet, camps, corthay, delos, gomez...

Originally Posted by lasbar

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My last suit was from Cifonelli and it was a 11/12 oz.

When I went to Huntsman with a sample of Fox worsted flannel 330 grm/11 oz , David Ward advised me it was too loght for a great 3 piece suit...

As I also like the Premier Cru book , am I right to insist having lighter fabrics or go for the Smiths Book?

Remember ... Savile Row is about bespoke.

Certainly listen to your tailor's advice and consider what he is saying ... but ultimately it's about getting what you want.

BTW, go to Richard!

Originally Posted by RSS

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Remember ... Savile Row is about bespoke.

Certainly listen to your tailor's advice and consider what he is saying ... but ultimately it's about getting what you want.

BTW, go to Richard!

I would relish hearing anything about Richard Anderson compared with his former house. Especially as I am considering the former for my return to the Row.

But it's a difficult one isn't it? Bespoke is a negotiation. Tailors all have a comfort zone - whether on cut, or cloth. Sometimes it's venal (lower margins on a particular cloth), or personal (they know what they think is best and how many clueless clients have they had with silly ideas?). I left one a long time ago because he clearly thought he knew better than I did what I wanted, and he was wrong. But how far should you take your tailor towards the edge of his comfort zone without deciding that both you and he would be happier people if you went somewhere else instead?

That said, although I tend to heavier cloths, objecting to 11/12 for a 3-piece is a bit odd in this day and age.