The StyleForum Working Hierarchical Suit Quality List (SFWHSQL!)

[Klobber]

I am starting to think a hierarchical suit list is an exercise in futility because we all have our favored brands.

According to my own biased personal opinion:

Oxxford missing from the list and should be in the top section. Battistoni another brand that should be up there.

Tom Ford and Zegna Couture should be right at the top section. I personally would not hesitate to put either in the illustrious company of the top group.

Z Zegna is fused how it outranks half canvassed suits I will never know unless going by fabric.

List lacking brand whore brands:

Gucci deserves a place somewhere in the better sections of that list, Prada (certainly the Belvest made stuff) is pretty dang good, Bottega Venetia, Lanvin, Dior, Mcqueen and a few other fashion brands deserve a mention. Most, if not all have at least a few fully canvassed models in their collections. Not sure about the omission of Hermes either, suits I have seen have been Belvest made judging by tags and they aint half bad - at least in Very Good category or actually in the top list.

Armani Black Label is too low, should be in Very Good category. Something is wrong in a world where Corneliani or Canali rate better than Armani Black Label. Armani may be brand whore fodder but they dont make **** (at least in the case of Black Label or "Blue Label Classico" stuff). Armani black label is fully canvassed and some suits I have seen had most, if not all the bells and whistles one expects from a high end suit.

 

[JensenH]

Partenopea has really gone down-market with their recent collections. No edge stitching so I don't think they are even hand finished. I would place them below Zegna and Corneliani. FWIW, their prices have also gone down.

I would also place Cesare Attolini above Kiton which should be above Brioni. C. A.'s trousers are works of art --button flies with hand-made button holes; pattern matching at both inside and outside leg seams.

With the recent purchase of Brioni by LVMH, I expect their quality to suffer, prices to increase, and hype going into overdrive.

 

[jrd617]



Oxxford missing from the list and should be in the top section. Battistoni another brand that should be up there.
Tom Ford and Zegna Couture should be right at the top section. I personally would not hesitate to put either in the illustrious company of the top group. .

Just edited my post to add Oxxford. Not sure why someone else chose to omit it.

I think we need better criteria for distinguishing between "Excellent" and "Very Good." Determine how handwork there is on each brand. That should narrow down the "Excellent" category. (Too big right now)

 

[SirGrotius]

I'd love to see fashion brands, such as Dior (fully canvassed, handwork) on this list. I smell "value" permeating this list, when it should be about one thing, quality.

I love the additional caveats around how to define each category (e.g., machine made vs. hand working or lots of hand working, etc.)

 

[jrd617]



I'd love to see fashion brands, such as Dior (fully canvassed, handwork) on this list. I smell "value" permeating this list, when it should be about one thing, quality.

More about "aesthetics" than "value." I wouldn't say a Brioni suit is a great value when compared to Samuelsohn or Corneliani, but Brioni is still included on the list. I will quote JefferyD:

Compared to a fused garment, whose hem is usually only tacked in place along the seams and will definitely sag when steamed or cleaned, or just with wearing in humid climate, there is a definite difference in quality between that and a felled hem like the two above. So between the fused garment and a Samuelsohn there is a huge, measurable difference in quality and the extra money is definitely worth the investment; between the Samuelsohn and the Brioni, however, there is a nuanced level of superior craftsmanship- what you are paying for in the Brioni is no longer necessarily a longer-lasting or more comfortable garment than the Samuelsohn, but a level of craftsmanship which the Samuelsohn does not have. If you area an oil sheikh for whom money is no object, the Brioni is the clear choice because of the skill and craftsmanship required to make it; if you are on a budget and are just looking for reliability (a Chevrolet, perhaps) then in your case it may not be worth the extra money to go up from Sammy to Brioni. Nuance.

http://tuttofattoamano.blogspot.com/search/label/Samuelsohn​

The MC forum doesn't favor "fashion" brands like Dior or Dolce because those brands rarely have conservative designs. We have a lot of white collar professionals around here. A tight suit with skinny lapels isn't going to fly in a law office.

The forum is probably ambivalent about Prada and Gucci, even though the designs are conservative more often than not.

Then again, RLBL isn't "conservative." It's inclusion on the list if probably a function of the worship for all things RL around here.

I love the additional caveats around how to define each category (e.g., machine made vs. hand working or lots of hand working, etc.)

Thanks. I'd appreciate if some knowledgeable members could add input on the amount of handwork, etc.

 

[Ianiceman]

J Crew are half/fully canvassed and seem to have fallen off the list but probably deserve a place in the entry level group.

Suitsupply is listed as half canvas which is true of the Napoli (anothe rentry level suit superior to J crew IMO) but the Jort is full canvassed with a lot of hand stitching and thus probably deserves a place at least one notch higher.

 

[silvercitynyc]

J Crew are half/fully canvassed and seem to have fallen off the list but probably deserve a place in the entry level group.
Suitsupply is listed as half canvas which is true of the Napoli (anothe rentry level suit superior to J crew IMO) but the Jort is full canvassed with a lot of hand stitching and thus probably deserves a place at least one notch higher.

I don't think we could ever credibly place suitsupply higher than average/mediocre. It just doesn't have the fit/finish of higher quality suits.

 

[silvercitynyc]

Also, I think Hugo Boss gets unfairly beaten to hell on this forum. Although fused, they do make a very good styled suit and the fusing is very well done (if that can be stomached by SF members). That is worth something vs. the fellow "lesser brands"

 

[JTA]

Just my two cents.

- This list is subjective.
- Cesare Attolini should be placed on the top of the echelon.
- My understanding with J Crew they are fused and on the same level as RL Rugby (prior to Made in Italy).
- Boglioli should be placed higher, quality and handwork are very good and I think the Boglioli Sartoria is fully canvassed.
- Etro (made by Boglioli) is half canvassed.
- My view on Paul Stuart (and Phineas Cole) by Samuelsohn is at least "good" on the verge to "very good", the Stuart Choice by Isaia is "very good".
- Placing BB Golden Fleece (Made in USA era) in the "good" category is an underestimation.

 

[jrd617]



- Placing BB Golden Fleece (Made in USA era) in the "good" category is an underestimation.

I think they are in the right spot. They're machine made.

 

[jbernard]

Quote:
BB is overpriced all machine made. It is fine or too high.

 

[silvercitynyc]

So what do we have as the current quality list?

 

[Liquidus]



So what do we have as the current quality list?

All you had to do was look a few posts up...

 

[jrd617]



All you had to do was look a few posts up...

+1

 

[ryoneo]

Oxxford belongs at the top. The one that Jeffery D deconstructed on his blog was a very old jacket. Oxxford's Highest Quality garments are incredible.

Also, I've never handled one in person, but I heard the HF Presidential Collection is excellent as well.