Well, I had my initial re-measurement today. They had done a suit for me back when China was British, and while it fit gloriously and was basically well made, it had shoulders that made me look like a mobster. Partially my fault -- I had nodded with approval at one of their shop models), and partly the lack of time between measurement and my departure from HK. To avoid any misunderstanding, this time I brought in an old A&S suit that they could copy.
They did measure it within an inch of its life, and then had me try it on to clarify what I liked and also suggest a few updates on cut in the trousers. It IS an old suit, and while the waist is the same size, it's moved around in height a bit.
I was most interested in happened next: Patrick put me into a sleeveless, unconstructed, largely unfinished jacket made from windowpane flannel. Sort of a cross between a waistcoat, a basted fitting of a jacket, and the finished product with lapels. It was something like the sized bodies that some shirtmakers use when they're doing MTM. From there, he re-pinned the shoulder seams and did a little fussing with the shape of the waist, such as it is. A few chalk marks, a few measurements and changes noted by the assistant (including higher arm holes), a pin to reflect the desired length, and that wound things up. I'd never seen this done before, but clearly it can have value if you're trying to witness and document an unfamiliar shape for a fast fitting two days later.
We shall see on Wednesday how it progresses.
