Spier and Mackay vs. Hart Shaffner and Marx

[dpatton75]

I know that this is another boring versus thread but I am seriously looking for some feedback on this question.

I have been a loyal Brooks Brothers guy for 15 years but I recently decided that while their quality has went downhill, their prices have not. I have begun looking for alternatives. I recently started purchasing suits and dress clothes from Spier and Mackay. I find the look, fit, and construction quality of these to be top notch for the price. Their dress trousers are my favorite to wear. Head and shoulders above Brooks Brothers in every way, in my opinion. I love to pair Spier and Mackay trousers and/or suits with Tie Bar or Twillory shirts. That said, it kind of bugs me a bit that their stuff is largely made in China. I mean the look and quality is there and so maybe it really doesn't ultimately matter that much. After all from my understanding some of Suit Supply stuff is also made in China (no experience with their stuff) and people jack off over them.

I have decided to pick one good brand of suit and stick with it. One brand that I keep reading and hearing about is Hart Shaffner and Marx. It is a classic American brand, made in the USA. When you factor in sale prices (Saks off 5th, Nordstrom Rack, etc.), their run of the mill suit prices, can be had for less than $100 more than Spier and Mackay.

My question is, how do these brands really compare? Is one higher quality in terms of fit, construction, durability, appearance, than the other?

Yes I know everyone will say, have it tailored, it is all how it fits etc. and that is true but I am looking beyond that at the finer details.

I snagged a great deal on brand new Hickey Freeman suit and had my tailor alter it for me. The suit is simply AWESOME look and feel but this is a $1500 suit. I can't afford a wardrobe full of these right now, if ever. So an alternative, more reasonably priced, yet quality brand is what I am looking for.

I would love to get some feedback.

Thanks!

 

[dieworkwear]

I don't think it's possible to talk about quality in the way you're describing it because it stretches too many product categories. Quality is also dependent on the designer's intention and the consumer's preferences. However, you're correct in thinking that quality mostly manifests itself in how the garment looks on you. Hard to discuss this without seeing photos of you in the clothes so people can give feedback.

Chinese manufacturing can be quite good nowadays, so if you buy things based on country of origin label, it will be for reasons other than quality.

I once interviewed the technical designer at Hart Shaffner Marx about why it's hard to judge quality in a garment. You may find it interesting.

Why It’s Hard to Determine Quality

There are probably no fewer than a hundred books about classic men’s clothing, and the majority of them will have...

putthison.com

 

[dpatton75]

"Chinese manufacturing can be quite good nowadays, so if you buy things based on country of origin label, it will be for reasons other than quality."

I think that is probably true. I know in the firearms industry Vortex optics are made in China and they are now close to being the standard by which all others are judged at half the price of equivalent U.S. made scopes. Vortex optics is the USA based company that outsources their work in the same way that Spier and Mackay and Suit Supply are Canadian and European owned respectively but outsource to China.

I am not going to lie though, maybe there are biased considerations also (e.g. the pandemic, Taiwan, etc.).

 

[dieworkwear]

"Chinese manufacturing can be quite good nowadays, so if you buy things based on country of origin label, it will be for reasons other than quality."

I think that is probably true. I know in the firearms industry Vortex optics are made in China and they are now close to being the standard by which all others are judged at half the price of equivalent U.S. made scopes. Vortex optics is the USA based company that outsources their work in the same way that Spier and Mackay and Suit Supply are Canadian and European owned respectively but outsource to China.

I am not going to lie though, maybe there are biased considerations also (e.g. the pandemic, Taiwan, etc.).

I think it's nice that you are switching from buying Chinese goods to wearing Marxist suits.

 

[dpatton75]

 

[dpatton75]

Anyone else care to chime in?

 

[TheShetlandSweater]

Anyone else care to chime in?

There is a very active Spier and Mackay thread on this forum. There is no Hart Shaffner and Marx thread on this forum (AFAIK). Hart Shaffner and Marx is bigger than Spier and Mackay. I think this should give you a very good idea of what people on here think.

 

[Leiker]

I've purchased Hart Shaffner and Marx wool trousers for years. The fabric quality and construction are very good. I can't compare to Spier and Mackay, but I can recommend Hart Shaffner and Marx.

 

[double00]

iirc obama wore hsm

 

[dieworkwear]

iirc obama wore hsm

This is correct. Obama wore Hart Schaffner Marx while campaigning and during his presidency. The company has also dressed Xi Jinping, Justin Trudeau, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Don Lemon, Elizabeth Warren, and Ilhan Omar. The company's name comes from Jackson Schaffner, a devout Marxist, hence the name Hart (Love) Schaffner Marx.

 

[dpatton75]

dieworkwear: