Full Review - Richard Lim Tailor – PLUS - Finished Navy Summer Jacket Pics - Page 4

Thanks for the compliments Fred. I'm glad you appreciate the experimental process of trying something new.


Great to hear that Richard is now on your radar Thanks again for the comments.


The time and effort was completely worth it with a response like this. I'm truly glad you guys appreciate the documentation.


Thanks for the comments Despos. The tension across the blades is the next issue I hope to iron out with Richard Lim. I'll mention adding a bit of extra length at the center back.

As for fusing, I know for sure that this jacket has none, and is fully canvassed to the quarters. However, I also know that Richard Lim does use fusing when requested.


When it comes to the buttonholes on the jacket, i'm nearly 100% sure that they are all done by hand. The button holes on the pants are all done by machine, but they were rather explicit in stating that visible stitching on a jacket is by default all hand work.

Ahh, okay. Thank you for the clarification. Your expert perspective means a lot.

I'll email Richard's assistant the photos from this post and schedule a time to assess and rectify it.

As I stated earlier, I believe that high armholes are not de rigueur, especially not with the summer jacket. I've got high armholes on the first two jackets and while it's certainly more "snug", it's also warmer with less circulation of air.

I'm not a journalist or a professional reviewer, I'm a biased and happy customer. I did my best to demonstrate the pitfalls of a bespoke process that is mostly unguided. If all you see is a "marketing campaign" that's your loss and / or gain.

The bow tied fabric was delivered that way from Lovat Mill in Scotland. I was simply documenting the process. Had you read my other posts, you'd know that I've been posting as the commissions have progressed. This is merely a cumulative review based on those experiences.

Your pessimistic outlook seems to be more than capable of balancing the praise of a happy customer. Let's leave it at that.



Freddy V really is wonderful! Such a hidden gem in LA. I get a smile on my face every time he says he's busy. I hope it stays that way. His prices and quality are profoundly hard to beat.

In looking over pics, the criticisms and how the jacket feels. I was very curious what variable posture played. Both at the time of photographing and while trying out the basted and final jacket. I've noticed that I have two distinct postures and I change between them almost unconsciously:

 

A) This is my "at attention" pose. It's what I typically find myself using in front of a mirror and consequently the same pose I use at the tailor.

 

B) This is the byproduct of poor posture from endless hours in front of my computer. My shoulders pull forward and down, while my whole body hunches over a tad. This is the pose I typically adopt in front of the camera when there is no mirror.

 

I remember reading, on the forums, that some tailors say they cut a jacket for how their client stands normally, others cut for how their client should stand. The latter is an anecdote I read in regards to a Savile Row tailor (not sure who). Posture "A" is how I should stand, while posture "B" is how I find myself standing when I'm not paying attention to posture. In the context of the jacket, I wouldn't call one "right" or "wrong". That said, I think it's obvious that each pose creates a completely different look. "A" is more stout and has more of a chest depending how "at attention" I am. "B" falls off the shoulders and drapes down across my chest. A lot airier, but also cooler to wear.

 

Both are comfortable poses to keep while wearing the jacket. However, I thought it'd be interesting to share the implications of posture, picking the "right" one and keeping it consistent.

 

Edited by coolal - 12/7/11 at 6:44pm

One can always hope -- It's surprising how much posture plays into fit (even though it feels obvious in retrospect).


It's very interesting to see how much postures affects what's possible, especially with regard to details like drape and lapel roll.

My issue is trying to decide which posture is "normal". Whenever I catch myself stooping, I immediately straighten out. As you can imagine, however, I spend a fair amount of time not catching myself.

My guess is that everyone has different priorities. Finding the middle ground, between a fit that brings out the best posture and one that conforms when lazy, will be the hard part. Personally, I like a wardrobe the rewards good posture with a stout appearance, but has the ability to remain clean when my posture changes. I believe this jacket is a pretty good example. But I've still got to play around with more construction styles and silhouettes.