Australian Members

Originally Posted by __PG__

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I went to the Luisa outlet on the weekend.

They had some (rubber soled) Testonis in the $400-500 range, various shoes from Antonio Maurizi, a few Truckers and a pair of Churches at $1300.

Going at the wrong time; they have just brought in their new season stock. Shop there at the sales when they often have up to 60% off.

Originally Posted by Tarlee

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I had a jacket altered at Katrina's and the work was fine. I read here somewhere that the female owner has taken a maternity break. The chap I dealt with didn't have great English. I've since used the alterations tailor under Narau House (sorry don't recall the name). Recommended.

That's M&E Tailors. I went to them a bit in the past and they were very good, but they absolutely butchered some sleeve shortening work a couple of times. Twice they reattached the sleeve so that the placket was totally misaligned, about 90 degrees from where it should have been. I gave up on them after that.

Originally Posted by California Dreamer

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That's M&E Tailors. ... I gave up on them after that.


That's understandable. Once would be a misfortune but twice looks like carelessness.

Did you eventually get it resolved both times? Or was it butchery beyond redemption?

Originally Posted by ricotta

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jesbro: i've got 3 of those, and 4 of the plastic heeled ones. they're not bad i think since the cedar is still there in volumes, and iirc the point of the cedar is to neutralize the moisture/odor.

does anyone know where to get decent shoe cream in melbourne? all the brands i hear about on SF (e.g. Saphir) don't seem to be around.

wow.. i just realized i own 7 pairs of shoe trees.
SF does corrupt absolutely.

The RM Williams stuff I've been using since I arrived in Canberra must be available in Melbourne? I get it from the guy who resoles my numerous pairs of Loakes.

Originally Posted by CHECKstar

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Can anybody please recommend a good place to get alterations made in Melbourne; preferably conservative business dress or eastern suburbs?

Steve Giannopoulos The Gentleman's Tailor

253 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VIC 3124

p: (03) 9882 7990

He is a proper tailor.

He can and does make bespoke.

He also does simple (and complex) alterations for a reasonable price.

He has some of his suits and jackets in the window if you want to sneak a look sometime. Last I saw he had a one button suit jacket displayed in the window with some other stuff. He has some nice well known books of materials.

He is a man of few words and you won't get a long chat about fashion from him but he will give you an opinion on fit - such as nipping in jacket etc. Not perhaps a SF reader by any means but professional workmanship.

Originally Posted by Oleg

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The RM Williams stuff I've been using since I arrived in Canberra must be available in Melbourne? I get it from the guy who resoles my numerous pairs of Loakes.

+1. As I said in this thread just a day or so ago:

Originally Posted by Journeyman

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I use some Saphir cream that I bought in Tokyo and it is excellent.
However, I've also had good results with RM Williams conditioner - it keeps leather supple and gives it a bit of a shine. A large tub is not too expensive.

Originally Posted by JohnsNotHere

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While we're on the subject of shoes, where do you guys source your shoe trees? I'm assuming offshore as I've found nothing worthy in Sydney.

Get those wooden German Schuh Spanner at Sullivans on Wynyard ramp or Combes in the Strand. They give you better control over the back force inside the heel than the Florsheims due to the screw turning mechanism. Too much pressure at the back can distort the shoe's shape.

Originally Posted by fxh

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I found these at the back of the cupboard. As far as I can recall they are around 35 years old.

The last time the brown ones were worn was around 1981 or so.

I bring the chisel toes out every blue moon for a country music gig.

The real point about those is that they would be twice the manufacturing quality of today's RMs what with bevelled waists etc.

Originally Posted by Tarlee

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That's understandable. Once would be a misfortune but twice looks like carelessness.

Did you eventually get it resolved both times? Or was it butchery beyond redemption?

I took them to Katrina's and paid to get them fixed. I wasn't planning on getting burned again.

The shirts they wrecked were an Isaia, a Borrelli and a T&A, which is why I was so pissed off.

Originally Posted by meister

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The real point about those is that they would be twice the manufacturing quality of today's RMs what with bevelled waists etc.

It's a pity they are cuban heels otherwise I'd wear them.

The trouble is I don't really know what to do with them other than squirrel them away with other memories.

I'm not sure that technically these are cuban heels. Possible best described as Cowboy heels. I think true cuban heels are lower max say around 2" and more tapered and dainty all round. A bit like my old pair of suede cuban heeled beatle boots from the 60's gathering dust in the cupboard.

When I think of all the old clothes and shoes I've thrown out - if only we'd had eBay years ago I could have made a fortune. I've still got around 2,500 vinyl LPs plus 300 singles I never use though.

Originally Posted by CHECKstar

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Can anybody please recommend a good place to get alterations made in Melbourne; preferably conservative business dress or eastern suburbs?
When I recently bought my first suits, they sent me to a tailor in Chambers St South Yarra (near the train station) for the alterations. He's an old Greek guy who makes bespoke as well as doing alterations. I needed both sets of pants let out (by about 1-2 inches around the waist and around my thighs), as well as the buttons and button holes for the sleeves of one of my jackets. When I tried on one of the pair the trousers after the alterations...he looked at me ...and said "Leave them with me for another week...I can make them better." Which he did (I think he let more out along the inside leg seam) and they are so comfortable I'm considering getting bespoke trousers more often. As I'm very new to the sartorial game I don't have an expert eye. All I can say is that the stitching around the button holes looks good compared to what I've seen on the internet e.g. http://www.tuttofattoamano.blogspot.com. He showed me all the hand-stitched canvassing for some suits he was working on, and some Dormeuil wool/silk fabric that he was using. He came across as a gentle old guy who cared about what he did and didn't like to be rushed! Some people on this forum and AskAndy have said "stay away from the Turkish butcher in the Toorak Village" but I doubt this is the same guy. In any case, if you live around that area I suppose he's something to consider. BTW speaking of Toorak Village - has anyone ever been to Marino and Scott on Toorak Rd who stock Zegna and Brioni?

Originally Posted by Charlie's Wardrobe

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In the last month I've gone a bit overboard buying a black pair of loake almost-wholecuts, brown loake suede wingtips, grenson suede chukka's and am eyeing off a pair of brown suede grenson rose collection monks, so needless to say no more shoes, but I will check em out while suit shopping on Thursday down at Maquarie Place.

How did the suit shopping go mate?

I'm back in Melbourne for a week in the middle of May, which I'm really looking forward to. Desperately need a new suit so will be checking out Herringbone.

Any good sales on at the moment? (In general, not specifically suits or H'bone)

Originally Posted by California Dreamer

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That's M&E Tailors. I went to them a bit in the past and they were very good, but they absolutely butchered some sleeve shortening work a couple of times. Twice they reattached the sleeve so that the placket was totally misaligned, about 90 degrees from where it should have been. I gave up on them after that.
sorry to hear this. have you been able to find a better place for shirt alterations? the Herringbone i last had taken in wasn't quite up to their usual standard.

Originally Posted by Oleg

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The RM Williams stuff I've been using since I arrived in Canberra must be available in Melbourne? I get it from the guy who resoles my numerous pairs of Loakes.
thanks - completely forgot about the RM Williams store on Collins. might pay them a visit over the weekend.

Originally Posted by __PG__

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Some people on this forum and AskAndy have said "stay away from the Turkish butcher in the Toorak Village" but I doubt this is the same guy. In any case, if you live around that area I suppose he's something to consider. BTW speaking of Toorak Village - has anyone ever been to Marino and Scott on Toorak Rd who stock Zegna and Brioni?
who is this turkish butcher anyway? and yeah, i've paid Marino and Scott a visit. impression i got was that lately he just tailors OTR suits for the clients. iirc his bespoke goes from $5000 up, which was a bit steep (cf. the conservative business dress tailors - Maimone, Nicolini, etc).

Originally Posted by JohnsNotHere

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How did the suit shopping go mate?

It went rather well, suits and some other goodies. Started at the H/Bone outlet and they still have plenty of suits at $500, lots of 40-44 but not many 38 (my size). I saw a couple I liked but still wanted to go down to Maquarie Pl to see what they had. They were closed for stocktake!!!! Just my luck hey.

Anyway, I saved myself some cash and got a beautiful grey POW check osaka 2/3 from the outlet. Sorry for the crappy pictures, all from my phone. $500 down from $1295 is rather good I think.



I also got this shirt from the outlet, down to $80 from $189. The slim fit seems to have changed to a true slim fit. Normally a medium means I still need to get the waist taken in a little, but this is perfect off the rack.

Some pantherella OTC socks and a very nive navy Grenadine tie from Herringbone QVB (paid full price for this one though).



And finally some APC standards from Incu in the Galleries Victoria. The basic raw selvedge untreated version. I'm very much looking forward to wearing the hell out of these and making them my own. They are stiff as buggery at the moment.



Oh and I almost forgot, these turned up at the post while I was away! I've been a bit spoilt lately.



Only some grey grenson suede chukka's to come now next week....

Good haul. I have that very same suit, and a very similar blue gingham from Yensen

I need more shoes