Why Lesser has some hegemony on Savile row ?

[George]

Originally Posted by Manton

Oh, that's right I do think Premier Cru is crap. I have one suit from it and I think it is bad cloth. What you call backpeddaling I call intellectual honesty, or at least the willingness to heed the proferred experience of others. I don't deny that they think it is good and I don't insist that they adopt my opinion. Such a response can be so rare on the forum that I can see how it confused you. I like pretty much all of the the other Harrison books, except Moonbeam, which I think is ugly but I don't have any reason to suspect the quality. I have suits from Harrison and am getting an overcoat from them. I don't really have anything to add to the Reeves debate except to say that I don't agree with him. He is certainly wrong that Lesser is low priced; I know for a fact that both wholesale and retail (though it is almost never sold retail) prices are high. Since he is wrong about that it makes me wonder how much he really knows about the subject.
Well, I have a coat made from Moonbeam and it made up well. You think it's ugly? I have no issue with that tastes are different. Well, regarding Reeves, even though he isn't a tailor in the sense that I think we would use the term he will certainly know how much it costs wholesale (which is what is relevant in this discussion) as he orders it for his tailoring establishment and he'll know how it performs as he works in the biz as it were. It's a shame he no longer contributes on here.

 

[imageWIS]

http://www.filmnoirbuff.com/article/h-lessers-and-sons

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by George

Well, regarding Reeves, even though he isn't a tailor in the sense that I think we would use the term he will certainly know how much it costs wholesale (which is what is relevant in this discussion) as he orders it for his tailoring establishment and he'll know how it performs as he works in the biz as it were.
Please see my above comment. Would you automatically believe a Mercedes dealer that BMWs are cheaper to make than Mercedes merely because he is in the car business? In actuality, a consumer with a healthy sense of skepticism would take him to task for such a statement. I have no idea why we exceptionalize those in the tailoring and clothing business on the forums. As many have taken advantage of an over-trusting membership to sell often sub-par goods and services as those who have improved our knowledge base. The best in-the-business contributors are the ones who have something to say that is valuable regardless of what they're selling, not those who merely throw their weight around to defeat debate.

 

[taxgenius]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Keep in mind, he also sells the stuff he is praising: not dispositive evidence of bias, but yet another good reason not to award persuasive points to the fact alone that he is "in the business." However, that's not to single out Reeves. You should apply the same level of skepticism to anyone selling you stuff.

He sells Lesser too.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by taxgenius69

He sells Lesser too.
Of course, but as he points out himself, a tailor will often advertise whatever it is he needs to sell or would make more money on.

 

[George]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Please see my above comment. Would you automatically believe a Mercedes dealer that BMWs are cheaper to make than Mercedes merely because he is in the car business? In actuality, a consumer with a healthy sense of skepticism would take him to task for such a statement.
I hope you aren't suggesting that Mr Reeves is steering his customers to certain merchants are you council?

 

[George]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Of course, but as he points out himself, a tailor will often advertise whatever it is he needs to sell or would make more money on.
Thank you.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by George

I hope you aren't suggesting that Mr Reeves is steering his customers to certain merchants are you council?

I'm suggesting that you cannot dismiss the distinct possibility that any merchant is doing that. That's why it pays to demand more explanation for why one cloth is good or bad than merely whether someone in the business likes it.

 

[Manton]

Again, for the most part SR does not upcharge for Lesser yet they pay more for it than for comparable worsteds. So they are eating that differential. That is inconsistent with pushing Lesser to increase margins.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

http://www.filmnoirbuff.com/article/h-lessers-and-sons

I can't read his essays..My head is hurting too much...

If he could only give us a resume instead of some kind of verbal diarrhoea...

 

[courty]

I believe Mr. Reeves posted that Lesser was cheap cloth that could be had for 20 pounds a meter (or some such). When questioned on it he could not offer details.

If anybody knows where Lesser cloth can be had for anywhere near that cost I would like to know and would like to buy some. (I would also like to know if Lesser still have a range of 15 ounce striped cloths).

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by courty

I believe Mr. Reeves posted that Lesser was cheap cloth that could be had for 20 pounds a meter (or some such). When questioned on it he could not offer details.

If anybody knows where Lesser cloth can be had for anywhere near that cost I would like to know and would like to buy some. (I would also like to know if Lesser still have a range of 15 ounce striped cloths).

There was an old book called "London Stripes" that mostly ran out years ago. There may be end lots here and there but the only way to know would be to have your tailor contact Lesser directly. There are several stripes in the 16 ounce book but none of them have quite the BANG that the London Stripes book did.

 

[courty]

That must be what I was thinking about. I had two suits from it (15 or 14/15 ounce as I recall). There was a great mottled grey-green with off-white stripe that tempted me. I regret not getting it made up.

I will indeed ask the tailor to see what is left of the London Stripes. I would also like to see what Lesser has in its "special collection" or whatever they call their bunch of odds, ends, and old stock.

 

[passingtime]

Originally Posted by courty

That must be what I was thinking about. I had two suits from it (15 or 14/15 ounce as I recall). There was a great mottled grey-green with off-white stripe that tempted me. I regret not getting it made up.

I will indeed ask the tailor to see what is left of the London Stripes. I would also like to see what Lesser has in its "special collection" or whatever they call their bunch of odds, ends, and old stock.
Lessers are fairly unique in never discounting remainders. Their view is that they have the space to store the cloth so they don't need to dump it and if someone wants it they will pay the price. It means they have quite a lot of old cloth.

 

[courty]

The last time I was shown cloths outside of Lesser's current books was three or four years ago. Most of what I saw was supposedly made in the early 70s, all 16-18 ounce range, mostly herringbones, broken herringbones, and a few pindots with subtle stripes. All good quality but nothing "wowed" me.

I would like to get a handle on just what other old cloth Lesser has. I think a lot of the tailors do not even know and, obviously, Lesser is not exactly pushing the old cloth.