Rory Duffy Bespoke - A Savile Row master tailor in NYC

[Grammaton Cleric]



In that case, the bluster is all yours, and derogative by definition.

The OP stumbled at the gate in not disclosing his promotional relationship to the tailor. This has no reflection on the tailor's work, and the tailor himself was wise to stay out of this thread. Why the OP has not posted further I have no idea, but it is reasonable to infer he was burned by the experience.

The more recent poster/tailor client has ordered three suits for starters. Would I, or many of us, do this? Perhaps not, but he has, and all he has stated is that his initial encounters with the tailor have been positive.

The proof is in the pudding. Sooner or later, someone will post pictures of himself wearing the tailor's finished product, and it will look good or bad.

Until then, I think it wisest to withhold judgment.

This + 10.

agjiffy - chill, brosef.

 

[Montauk]



Why the OP has not posted further I have no idea, but it is reasonable to infer he was burned by the experience.

Not burned--just a bit bemused, and very busy.

The videos have obviously taken a bit longer to finish than we’d hoped--this is handcraft filmmaking as well as tailoring, if you will--but we have about a dozen completed at this point, and will be premiering them later this month on A Suitable Wardrobe as soon as Will returns from his Mediterranean holiday.

In the meantime, because of all the patient interest this project has generated here, we’ll be giving Styleforum a sneak preview of a couple episodes in a new thread. The dung will surely fly from certain quarters, but we’re sure the the majority of forumites will find something fresh and interesting in these videos, and we welcome their feedback.

With regard to the questions raised in this thread about Rory’s former business associates here in NYC, he asked me to forward on to you all the following statement:

After arriving in New York in late 2010 I met with Martin Greenfield at his Brooklyn factory. Martin generously offer me a workroom in his sales floor. It was there that I met David Reeves, who at the time was using Greenfields to produce his main bespoke line. He offered to represent my work and sell it into the market, but was unsuccessful in doing so. We parted ways after a few months, and our working relationship has been greatly exaggerated.

Shortly afterward, I was approached by Ovadia & Sons, who wanted me to fit their MTM clients. We worked together for many months before I decided to leave and take a full time position with Michael Andrews.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Michael and his team but decided not to stay as I didn't wish to spend several months of the year travelling to China to train his tailors. I wish Michael all the best with his business and recommend his MTM suits as the finest I've seen in New York.

When I was given the opportunity to work with Alan Flusser, I felt that this was a positive step forward with a reputable company. After only a few months there was a death in my family I was recalled to Ireland to deal with family matters. While I was away I was offer a job lecturing at Parsons. Having such a great passion for teaching tailoring, I felt this was a better fit for me. Having secured that position, I felt confident in launching my own bespoke company, Rory Duffy Handcraft Tailor.

The first videos in the series that I have been working on with Andrew Yamato are ready to be released. Since beginning my training at Henry Poole in 2005, I have always wanted to film the making of a bespoke coat for the benefit of tailors, students, and enthusiasts everywhere. I feel that Andrew has done it justice and thank him for giving his time and talents to make this vision possible.
​

 

[BAO1]

Well, I had my first fitting with Rory yesterday and I'm very happy with my decision to go with him. Of course there were adjustments that needed to be made and decisions made on styles but as promised, Rory let me have a high degree of freedom to ask for things. What I was most nervous about to be honest was the trousers. Here Rory has a bias towards what I would call traditional styles and it probably reflects his training as a classic tailor rather than a cutter-***-tailor etc who perhaps would be more laissez-faire towards style. Rory has a strong sense of house style and his style for coats is nearly a perfect match of what I wanted from the get go but the trousers...

The trousers are made for braces, no loops or internal fasteners. I'd never worn braces and had always thought them to be dead or the vestige of old men but given that Rory always wears his own clothes and he had braces on every time I saw him I figured the way he does it was pretty good and I'd give it a go with a promise he'd compromise the high backed style down a bit. I barely felt they were there. They draped wonderfully and aside from a needed lengthening and a taking in of the waste (I had lost weight, I'd told Rory this would happen and would need to be factored in) they looked wonderful. Here's a funny detail. I had to literally debate with him to let me see my self in the mirror. He didn't want me to see it until the final fitting or when it was all done. Wasn't going to happen..!

I had read a lot - here and elsewhere - about the london drape in the chest and the various styles of shoulders. I had assumed that because I'm broad shouldered and above average in musculature in the back/traps that I wouldn't go for the classic English shoulder but perhaps an Italian or American shoulder. When I saw how Rory had done the padding (layered cloth and hand made) I knew his decision was the right one. Although there was too much tightness in the back of the shoulder and across the front, the line from my neck was perfect. Or at least it was until Rory ripped off the sleeves to do them again... The coats had a very nice swell in the chest to my eyes but Rory fussed about some extra fold that he didn't like and so it was marked with his chalk.

I guess I'm gushing, of course I am. This is a whole new experience for me and I'm finding it exciting. It was pleasure to notice how Rory went about marking points of attention with his chalk, putting in pins and looking at me like a doctor would a patient. I can't wait for the second fitting. I only saw two of my three suits as there was a delay in getting the third cloth - a dark POW with a faint blue window for the DB - but the two cloths from Charles Clayton Superflannel were stunning. They caught the light just right to give the suit a faint sheen but remaining professional and conservative - another suggestion from the Master Tailor.

I've promised Rory a new commission to make my wife a tweed coat for the winter and another two suits in the spring of '14. I think my mid-life crisis is going to see me very well dressed if not in a Porsche or on the back of a Harley...

 

[lordsuperb]

http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2013/10/the-making-of-coat.html?m=0

 

[blackbowtie]

Any updates on this?

 

[Montauk]

Here's what's gone live so far of the "Making of a Coat" series on A Suitable Wardobe:

Episode #1: Introduction
http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2013/10/the-making-of-coat.html

Epsiode #2: Dratfting the Pattern
(In production)

Epsiode #3: Striking the Pattern
http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2013/10/striking-pattern.html

Epsiode #4: Cutting the Canvas & Lining
http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/2013/10/the-elements-of-structure.html

New episodes are posted every Friday on ASW.

AY

 

[gegarrenton]

It might seem odd all things being equal but they're not. I need at least three top tier suits given changes in my career and the caliber of clients I'm going to be dealing with.

HA!

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

I wish this thread had more (any) pictures. I know there are links, but in thread is better. Links have any finished work, on people?

 

[taxgenius]



I wish this thread had more (any) pictures. I know there are links, but in thread is better. Links have any finished work, on people?

I have yet to see a finished product on a human being.

 

[BAO1]

I have yet to see a finished product on a human being.

So?

 

[taxgenius]



So?

The suspense is killing me.

 

[BAO1]

The suspense is killing me.

Perhaps you'll pass before your wit does us in first.

 

[taxgenius]



Perhaps you'll pass before your wit does us in first.

No, I will wait until you post your pics. I doubt you will though.

 

[BAO1]

No, I will wait until you post your pics. I doubt you will though.

And this doubt is based on what?

What will you do or say when pictures are posted and the suits are of good quality? Offer an apology to those you felt entitled to slight with no basis or provocation? I'll extend to you the benefit of the doubt that you will. We will see.

While we are waiting - please explain to those of us not gifted with genius exactly why you are so critical of something you admit to having no evidence on which to make any judgement. Does such behavior even make sense? No-one has complained of the tailor failing to produce. None of his previous partners have said he never produced or wasn't who and what he says he is. No-one has complained of him producing anything of bad quality and yet you think you have just cause to doubt him and in my case, his clients? Why? What do you know that the rest of us, and again in my case, those of us who have actually met him and retained him, don't?

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

^ Woah. You are overreacting. We are interested and curious. Skepticism is prob based on the fact that MontaukGuy talked forever and has yet to post any pics.