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Kai, how would characterize the fit of your Chan suits versus Raphael? Â You mentioned that the vest is a best more fitted on the Chan than on the Raphael. Â Does the suit made by Chan also feel a bit closer to the body with 'less room to grow'? Â I'm considering getting Chan to make me a suit but want to make certain I know what requests to make while ordering. Â I'm a big guy (6'3, 230) who boxes, trains in jiu jitsu and I run/lift weights almost every day. Â As such, I've got big thighs, big shoulders and a wide chest (of course I could stand to lose a few pounds and be less wide). Â I like to have a bit of room while moving around but I still like some suppression of the waist and some shape to the suit. Â I want to make certain I am explicit in my instructions to Chan so that we start off on the right foot.
The fit is similar on the suits. The Chan vest is more fitted because I wanted it made without the feature of an adjustable, belted back. Therefore, the vest needs to be very form fitting in order to look right. It's a feature of how the vest was designed. Most vests are not built this way, but it was something I specifically asked them to do. The Chan vest doesn't allow for much growth, but that was how I wanted it. The Raphael vest is designed to be a bit more flexible, as are most vests. I am certain that the Chan folks could make you a vest in the traditional style with a belted back. My guess is that almost all the vests they make have belted backs. You sound like you have a similar body shape to my own, and I have found that the fit of my Chan suits has accomodated my normal fluxuations in body measurements due to exercise/training or the lack thereof. My body shape changes quite a bit depending on how hard I am training, and so far, I've always been able to fit into my Chan suits. If you're worried, let them know. I'm sure they can build in an extra 1/2 inch in the appropriate places to accomodate you.
