Classic Menswear Lounge

Cox your answer seems simple but it's complicated. Based on the examples you posted above it shows the Milanese silhouette looks good on you ( Canali and Pal Zileri Sartorial are roughly based on milanese cuts with structured shoulders and slightly defined chest that is not closely fitted to the body, but that translates to many cuts as well....). The best bespoke examples you will find are in this thread:

http://www.styleforum.net/t/306802/...lor-in-milano-italy-official-affiliate-thread

The problem is, you just can't walk into any tailor and tell them you want a milanese cut. My best advice is to go with what you have available i.e. BNtailor and ask them how they can help alleviate your issues. You don't want them making your issues a feature like Rubinacci. Had to stick that in

Coxsackie said:

To summarise: curved back, forward stoop, barrel chest, narrow shoulders, protruberant tummy. Basically resistant to correction - I have to live with these little first-world problems.

Any recommendations as to what style of jacket I should be asking for? English vs. Italian? Milanese vs. Florentine vs. Neapolitan? Drape cut vs. flat cut? Shoulder construction?

Thanks in advance, and once again, apologies for inflicting on you so many shots of my dubious mug.

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Most of these issues shouldn't influence the style of jacket you choose. Any good tailor will be able to account for them.

With a barrel chest and narrow shoulders, I'd opt for extended shoulders and either a lean or slightly swelled chest. I'd echo what kulata said and choose B&Tailor - based solely on pictures of their work. I have not ordered anything from them. I also haven't seen pictures of the other Australian tailors, but they should be able to produce something similar. It doesn't sound like you are looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Do you like the P Johnson stuff? The only person I've consistently seen with their stuff is PG, but it certainly looks good on him, and he doesn't have classic proportions.

Panta. Do it.



Coxsackie said:

Sure, this is a given. I was actually soliciting opinions about what types of cut might best suit my frame and my posture issues.

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This gets the question wrong though. The tailor's job is to make something that fits you - regardless of the influences on their house cut. There are plenty of examples of people with different posture and frame issues in different styles of suit. I'm sure Rubinacci does not only service people of a certain proportion. I'm certain that Despos does not.

Pick the tailor based upon how much you like what they do - which includes how they cut and shape cloth. This isn't to say that you don't have options about what sort of things you like, but trust the tailor and don't try to micromanage it. If you go in to a tailor and tell them that you want something they don't do, then it's possible they will politely decline or you may end up with something you don't like. You don't go in to Richard Anderson asking for Formosa.

If you don't know what you like, that's just fine (I didn't really when I first went to see Chris) and the house should be able to help you with that. Chances are though that you like what the tailor you're heading in to does, and that makes things easier. I was asked to bring in my best fitting jacket. I put it on, and was then asked what I liked and didn't like about it. My entire approach to the process so far has been to describe what I liked or didn't like without being prescriptive. This has served me well.

this

mktitsworth said:

This gets the question wrong though.

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I am grateful for your advice and the time you've taken, but with the greatest of respect for the information you've given, I actually do already realise all of that.

I would submit that for a certain type of body, one particular style of cut might be more suitable than another. It's possible that I could take the same length of cloth to both (say) a superb Neapolitan tailor and a superb Milanese tailor, and just say "make me a nice suit with notch lapels, two buttons and flap pockets". Both garments would come back fitting me perfectly, taking account of and correcting for my bodily idiosyncrasies, and with top-notch craftsmanship. But one might still look a lot better on me than the other.

I'm just trying to find out which of the various broad styles of tailoring might be best suited to my physique. I like Kulata's suggestion to stick with Milanese. I had a look at the Musella Dembech thread and yep, those jackets remind me of the Canalis which flatter my frame.

I could try B&Tailor - I've already been measured up by their fitter. Their style is to some extent influenced by the head tailor's training at Liverano, i.e. a Florentine cut. From what I've seen both on their tumblr and in the flesh, the shoulder is a little more structured than the very soft spalla camicia of Rubinacci or Cucinelli, but not as structured as the Milanese cut of Canali or Musella. It might work for me and certainly I'm considering it carefully, but I'm in no rush.

As far as I know, nobody at B&T trained under Liverano. The extent of of their relationship is the sons' deep respect for him and friendship. I know they like Liverano more than any other tailor, something very apparent in their cut, especially that of the older son's; tchoy's, incontro's and my own aren't quite as dramatic. Still, it's clearly something they can handle. (And I could be wrong in this, but I'd asked a couple of times about any connection. Changwoo stays with him sometimes when he visits Florence, but I think that's it. )

Regardless, I also suggest you go the B&T route for now given incontro's presence in Australia. I think a British cut would suit you best, but as far as the more relaxed looks, B&T can probably capture the loucheness you like to project

Cox, perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but if I were you I'd be looking for a tailor who's located conveniently nearby, assuming overall style, quality and price level to be acceptable. Given the physical idiosyncracies you describe, it seems likely you'll need multiple fittings and adjustments to get everything just right. I'd even be hesitant to try B&T through Incontro, though I have no doubt he'll be doing the best job he can. But in the end, your suit will be made far away in Korea, by other people than the guy who measures you and actually sees you in the flesh.
And FWIW, judging by the relative 'disasters' that have recently been posted by some old guard SF-ers (see the Gennaro Paone thread), Neapolitan tailors are just as capable of messing up as any other tailor. Seems Naples is no Mecca either. My guess is communication problems are at the root of that, hence my preference for someone nearby. (Funny to what great lengths and with what ridiculous arguments those persons go to defend their ill fitting garments. Well,I guess if you've just spent $6k+ on a suit, you're not eager to admit it looks awful. But, I digress....)

Edit: I see SB mentioned him already, but what do you think about P. Johnson? I always liked PG's stuff and he seems to be good in getting the details right.

Thank you all. Very useful opinions for me to ponder.

Yep, locally I'm quite spoiled for choice (at varying price points). Patrick Johnson gets very high ratings locally - ultimately I believe they are actually still having the garments made offshore (in Italy) - I may be wrong about this, as I was wrong ^^ about B&T's relationship with Liverano.

I have a list of various other recommended tailors in Sydney. I'm sure there are some in Melbourne too. Who knows. Maybe I'll fly to Milan and get something made up by Musella. Do a side trip to Pitti while I'm at it...

Just to kind of touch on the subject of the ideal silhouette for ones body type. This is the same person but wearing different jackets. SB vs. DB sort of apples to oranges comparison but you can still appreciate the difference in regional silhouettes and how flattering the right one can be ones you determine what works for you. Solito (Neapolitan DB) Musella (Milanese DB) Ignoring the numerous fit issues on the solito, I can infer that Musella will make him a better looking DB based on his body type and the Solito isn't flattering his form at all and makes him look like a block.

I didn't know that somebody is following my posts so actively to retrieve posts in different threads...
Keep in mind that i took some weight aftet Solito coat is done.
Personnaly i like much more Solito coat than Musella. Photo is just photo, important thing is how you feel when you wear them.



dfoverdx said:

I didn't know that somebody is following my posts so actively to retrieve posts in different threads...
Keep in mind that i took some weight aftet Solito coat is done.
Personnaly i like much more Solito coat than Musella. Photo is just photo, important thing is how you feel when you wear them.

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Going through the Musella link brought me to your post and I remember comparing it in your Solito thread. Blame my memory or maybe you are such a rock star

The post was only meant to highlight differences in silhouette as it partains to body type no slight was meant and I hope none is taken.

I respect B&T and what they do but I really feel that if you want the Liverano cut you should go to Antonio Liverano himself. I am not so impressed by the B&T and Eidos attempts to re-create his cut.

Yes, there is a major price difference...but I think some underestimate the value. i would rather have one suit from antonio a year than three or four from the aforementioned.

I also think that Sr. Liverano is an aging man and that the opportunity to have a suit cut by him will not last forever. He is a true master and the definition of the Florentine cut.

Coxsackie said:

I am grateful for your advice and the time you've taken, but with the greatest of respect for the information you've given, I actually do already realise all of that.

I would submit that for a certain type of body, one particular style of cut might be more suitable than another. It's possible that I could take the same length of cloth to both (say) a superb Neapolitan tailor and a superb Milanese tailor, and just say "make me a nice suit with notch lapels, two buttons and flap pockets". Both garments would come back fitting me perfectly, taking account of and correcting for my bodily idiosyncrasies, and with top-notch craftsmanship. But one might still look a lot better on me than the other.

I'm just trying to find out which of the various broad styles of tailoring might be best suited to my physique. I like Kulata's suggestion to stick with Milanese. I had a look at the Musella Dembech thread and yep, those jackets remind me of the Canalis which flatter my frame.

I could try B&Tailor - I've already been measured up by their fitter. Their style is to some extent influenced by the head tailor's training at Liverano, i.e. a Florentine cut. From what I've seen both on their tumblr and in the flesh, the shoulder is a little more structured than the very soft spalla camicia of Rubinacci or Cucinelli, but not as structured as the Milanese cut of Canali or Musella. It might work for me and certainly I'm considering it carefully, but I'm in no rush.

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You got measured by B&Tailor and didn't order? Why did you get measured?