Are Valentino suits any good?

Hi, I'm graduating soon and therefore currently in the hunt for a suit which I'd wear to my graduation, interviews, work..etc

I live in the UK, and I went to my local TKMAXX yesterday and tried on a light grey suit by Valentino. To be honest, I'm quite clueless in determining whether a suit's quality is good or not. Having read a little bit about fused/canvassed suits on SF. I attempted to perform the 'pinch test' on some of the suits there to see if they were fused, canvassed..etc, but I'm not sure if I'm 'feeling' the garment correctly as all the suits I felt are thicker at the front (above the lapel) and none of the suits felt as thin at the front as it is at the back of the jackets. Does this mean those suits are all fused? The brands I 'tested' included YSL, Calvin Klein, Remus, Daks, Valentino, William Hunt, D&G...and some other brands (that I can remember)... although the Valentino suit (130pounds.. about US$270) felt thinner (above the lapel) than most of the other suits I tested. Does that mean it is canvassed? Is Valentino suits any good in terms of quality?

To my understanding, the fit of the suit is most important especially the shoulder fit because it cannot be altered. Apart from fit and fused/canvass, is there anything I should pay attention to when buying a suit?


Thanks in advance,

I just came across this in another thread, I thinkI might have pinched the wrong bit! Damn!

Pinch test: Pinch the cloth beneath the jacket's bottom buttonhole on both the inside and out. Gently pull apart. If you can feel a third layer inside, then the jacket's fully canvassed.

I've found Valentino to be of ok quality but pricey at full retail. The quality seems to be about that of Ralph Lauren Polo.

The shoulder fit can pretty easily be altered (within reason) by a competent tailor.

Originally Posted by lotmoon_uk

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Does this mean those suits are all fused? The brands I 'tested' included YSL, Calvin Klein, Remus, Daks, Valentino, William Hunt, D&G...and some other brands (that I can remember)... although the Valentino suit (130pounds.. about US$270) felt thinner (above the lapel) than most of the other suits I tested. Does that mean it is canvassed? Is Valentino suits any good in terms of quality?

To my understanding, the fit of the suit is most important especially the shoulder fit because it cannot be altered. Apart from fit and fused/canvass, is there anything I should pay attention to when buying a suit?


Thanks in advance,

all of those suits are fused - they are not high-level construction

You probably will not find a suit that is not fused for less than $1000USD

Originally Posted by gnatty8

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The shoulder fit can pretty easily be altered (within reason) by a competent tailor.
If a jacket does not fit your shoulders, put it down and walk away. It's a can of worms that's best left closed.

Originally Posted by AvariceBespoke

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all of those suits are fused - they are not high-level construction

You probably will not find a suit that is not fused for less than $1000USD
Unless it is made by forum member GetSmart.

The Dolce and Gabbana suits that I saw at TK Maxx looked to be better value.

I agree with most of what has been said above. At full retail, Valentino (like most any other fashion brand) is absurdly overpriced.

For 130 pounds, it's probably worth it. Though of course fit should be prime (don't get into the aforementioned "can of worms" buying a suit that doesn't fit right just because it is a good deal; I did that once in college with a Gucci suit and it just isn't the way to go) , overall quality wise they're fairly close.

They're all fused (that I've seen), but generally with decent fabrics and cuts. I'm with Tor that given a choice, I like Dolce&Gabbana, but for some colors... a solid light grey or navy... Valentino does a nice suit with a great cut that can be flattering for some body shapes. Keep in mind also that there are several different lines and quality levels within Valentino; the mainline will just say "Valentino," but there is also a lower price/quality diffusion called "Valentino Roma." It is still probably worth it at 130 pounds, but I wouldn't pay any more than that.

Originally Posted by Tomasso

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If a jacket does not fit your shoulders, put it down and walk away. It's a can of worms that's best left closed.

Disagree. Any competent tailor can fix it. I have very "square" shoulders so very few suits or sportcoats ever fit my shoulders off the rack. If I took your advice, I would never be able to wear many of what have become my favorite suits, since the shoulders fit horribly, but my very competent tailor made the fit perfect.

Originally Posted by rach2jlc

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I agree with most of what has been said above. At full retail, Valentino (like most any other fashion brand) is absurdly overpriced.

For 130 pounds, it's probably worth it. Though of course fit should be prime (don't get into the aforementioned "can of worms" buying a suit that doesn't fit right just because it is a good deal; I did that once in college with a Gucci suit and it just isn't the way to go) , overall quality wise they're fairly close.

They're all fused (that I've seen), but generally with decent fabrics and cuts. I'm with Tor that given a choice, I like Dolce&Gabbana, but for some colors... a solid light grey or navy... Valentino does a nice suit with a great cut that can be flattering for some body shapes. Keep in mind also that there are several different lines and quality levels within Valentino; the mainline will just say "Valentino," but there is also a lower price/quality diffusion called "Valentino Roma." It is still probably worth it at 130 pounds, but I wouldn't pay any more than that.

First of all, thanks to everyone who replied.

umm.. So I learned that its probably quite impossible to buy a canvassed suit for less than US$1000. As I'm only a student my budget is very limited... maximum I'll probably pay for a suit would be 200 pounds. So it seems like my only option is to go with a fused suit then find a good tailor to alter the fit.

Oh and indeed, the Valentino suit was from its "Roma" line. I really like the solid light grey, but I'll have a look at other options first before I make any decision. The Dolce and Gabbana suit looks nice too, but its priced at 300 pounds! Can't really justify myself spending 300 quid on a suit in TKs!

Anybody have advice on places to go for nice quality stylish suit that I can afford within my budget would be great! Thks again

Originally Posted by tiger02

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Unless it is made by forum member GetSmart.

Just looked up for GetSmart's website (http://www.thickasthievesla.com/home.html), I really dig their one button suit looks really slim fitting and the inclined pockets looks cool too! Can anyone comment on the quality and fit of their suit? Defintely considerable.

If you get lucky you can find a fully canvassed "Giorgio Andreani" suit at Burlington for $189. I think it was a one shot relabel of some other brand a few months ago since they are getting harder to find. I have two and I love them. Their new Fumagalli suits do not compare in any respect.

Originally Posted by lotmoon_uk

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Just looked up for GetSmart's website (http://www.thickasthievesla.com/home.html), I really dig their one button suit looks really slim fitting and the inclined pockets looks cool too! Can anyone comment on the quality and fit of their suit? Defintely considerable.

There's a thread in the streetwear forum with a ton of reviews. They range from "great for the money" to simply "great." Customer service, as with most board affiliated sellers, is incredible. Mine is on its way. Re: shoulders, what your (gnatty's) tailor was doing was actually taking up fabric from under the collar. When Tommasso says stay away from suits that don't fit in the shoulders, he means width and possibly armhole diameter, which are not worth the cost of alterations.

The reason the Dolce and Gabbana suits are more expensive are because they're much nicer - they're canvassed, I checked I was tempted but the cloth looked too much like something I already have ('Super Worsted' Oxxford) though the cut is obviously very different. If the Dolce fits you well, it'd be a better buy than the 200 pound suit with alterations.