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Articles of Style suit review

Brandon O

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2020
Messages
7
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1
Hi all,

I bought a suit from Articles of Style last year, and thought a full, candid review might be of interest to everyone. Their coverage across the web and social media has been decent, but I have not seen too many full reviews, so hopefully this is worthwhile.

TL;DR version: The product is good, but the service was something of a disappointment.

Introduction

I’ve been following Dan Trepanier’s writing for a while -- the actual Style Blogger days were before my time, but I was a devoted after-the-fact fan -- and what he’s doing with AoS has been of interest to me for the past several years. Made-to-measure tailoring, in general, is right in my wheelhouse as a value alternative to either off-the-rack or full bespoke, and I like their slightly bespoke touch (giving remote overview and customizations based on fit pictures). I also like their aesthetic and the faintly American spin on tailoring overall. Finally, I just like Dan and his style, at least from this distant perspective.


The swatch adventure

I was engaged to be married in August of 2019, so early last year I started to think about my wedding suit, and decided to buy from AoS. Having heard good things about their customer service, I started by emailing them and asking for a fabric recommendation. I was interested in a navy three-piece suit, something elegant but a bit unique, and hopefully something that I could break into separates for re-use later, as I don’t have any navy tailoring now. I also tend to find typical navy worsted to be flat and almost tacky in appearance, so I wanted something with a little texture.

What followed was a rather challenging email chain, which I'll summarize here.

February 27: They recommend their Performance Hopsack. I ask if it will look too casual, and they immediately reply giving more details. I ask how it differs from their Travel Hopsack, which seems very similar; they say it has a bit more texture. I ask if they can send me some swatches, and they say sure. This all happens the same day, which I think is great service.

March 10: I haven’t received any swatches. I send a reply to check in.

March 13: No reply. I send another message. They answer that the swatches were sent out a while ago, but they’ll put in a request for another set of swatches. “Sorry for the trouble here,” they say, “this happens occasionally.”

March 21: Swatches arrive. They are unlabelled, so I ask which is what. The same day, they reply asking for a photo, which I provide, and they identify the swatches as the Travel Hopsack in two colors plus the Fresco (which I’d also requested). I ask if they sent the Performance Hopsack as I’d requested; they say it comes from a different mill and is sent separately, but they’ll check on it.

March 23: Another couple swatches arrive. I again email for identification as neither looks like a hopsack.

March 26: They reply that their fabric provider seems to have sent the wrong samples. I ask if they can send the correct ones, and they say sure.

April 10: I haven’t received anything else, so I check back in. No reply.

April 17: Still no swatches or reply, so I email again. In the interim, to save time, I have already undertaken the fitting process (see below), so I’m ready to place an order -- just hoping to see my fabric before I do. Dan himself replies, noting that the swatches come directly from the mills and the process is “somewhat out of [their] control.” He says they’ll get tracking and reorder if necessary. Later that day they email to say they’ll just cut the swatches themselves and overnight them to me.

April 24: Nothing yet. I check back.

April 25: They reply that they were sent and I should have received them, and they’ll double check.

April 26: No reply yet. I check back and hear nothing.

April 29: Still no reply. I email again, expressing my frustration and wondering sincerely if this is a harbinger of the service I can expect in the future. Dan replies, expressing his apologies and telling me that the person who handles these swatches has actually recently died, so they cannot be sent at at time. That being said, he says, the two hopsacks are very similar, and he would recommend the performance hopsack.

April 30: Having finally reached some sort of end to this limbo, I order my suit in Light Navy Performance Hopsack. Most of the options you’d expect are available, and I select peak lapels, cuffs and side adjusters on the trousers, and a 3-roll-2 button configuration. I check in to make sure they think this will make a decent look, and to remind them that I need the cost of the try-ons reimbursed. They agree with both.


The basted fitting

In the midst of the above, I was undergoing the fitting process. They differ from other MTM providers in that they don’t ask for body measurements, but rather for your height, weight, jacket and trouser size, shirt collar size, and some qualitative descriptors such as your chest size (medium), stomach (slight belly), and so forth. They then send you a basted fitting garment, using a throw-away black worsted fabric. This all generally occurs after you buy your suit, but it can also be done separately if you want to save time; they’ll deduct its cost from your next suit purchase.

On March 19 I purchased the try-on garment. It was sent on April 5 and arrived on April 8. It was nicely packed and included a jacket, vest, and trousers. You put them on and take a series of photos from different angles for them to see.
BO Try On Front.jpeg

BO Try On Back.jpeg
BO Try On Left.jpeg
IMG_3248.jpeg
IMG_3265.jpeg


At this point, the fit was not great. The trousers were too large overall, as was the jacket. The vest was not bad. Perhaps I complicated things by offering too much description in the fit info, as I tend to fit off-the-rack reasonably well, but I think this does demonstrate the challenges of going “numberless.” Home measurements are imprecise, but at least they’re a place to start. I was a little worried about how close they’d be able to get to my fit on the final garment, since this was the only “fitting.”


Getting the suit

May 8: I receive an email telling me my suit is in production. However, it also noted that the factory will be closing for 2 weeks in May so the tailors can take a vacation, resulting in a 3 week delay for all orders: “if you have a deadline for your garments, please contact us to confirm.” I email them to confirm, as their website states their vacation is usually in August; they confirm their vacation was moved to May this year. Since I’m relocating from DC to Connecticut in June, I give them my new address and the cut-off date when they should use it. They agree.

July 3: I have still not received my try-on reimbursement. I email again.

July 10: They reply that they’ve processed the refund, and it shows up soon.

[Not sure the date]: I receive my suit. Since it ships right around the time when I’m moving, I need to have it delivered to a FedEx dropoff (a Walgreens in Connecticut), and I scoop it up the day after I arrive in town, just before the deadline. See below for the final product. I take another set of fit pics for them.

July 22: They send back their impressions of my final fit (after I send a reminder). Mostly it’s good, but they agree with me that my vest is a little short, and suggest I wear the trousers higher, something which generally does not work for me (high-rise pants don’t stay in place on me, unless I go all the way to the natural waist). They say they don’t think they’ll have time to remake it before the wedding on August 24. I express some dismay, and they say they’ll do what they can, but their factory is closed for a 2-week vacation (wasn’t that in May?). I bring the vest to a local tailor who says there’s no chance of letting it out.

August 9: I receive an email that the factory is on summer vacation for “most of August,” as are the fabric mills in Italy, and the vest will ship in mid-late September. I will not have it for the wedding, in other words. They recommend wearing braces to help me wear my trousers higher, which I end up doing. I offer to save time by picking up the garment from the factory in Haverhill, MA, which is not an option.

August 24: The wedding. It was lovely.

October 8: I receive notification from FedEx that a package has been sent to my OLD address in DC. It seems they shipped the remade vest to my incorrect address. They suggest I try to re-route it north, which I am eventually able to do. (They offer to cover any extra shipping fees, which in the end I am actually not charged.)

October 14: I finally receive the new vest, which fits well.


The final product

My impressions of the final suit?

BO Final Front.jpeg BO Final Back.jpeg BO Final Right.jpeg IMG_3677.jpeg IMG_3680.jpeg IMG_3690.jpeg IMG_3695.jpeg


The fit ended up surprisingly good, particularly with how far off we were with the basted garment. This is the first suit I’ve owned that had no collar gap, and the trouser waist fits extremely well. Overall the fit is somewhat snug, but the fabric has a slight stretch that makes it generally comfortable.

The rather deconstructed style is distinctive. I have broad shoulders, so they stand up all right, but I think those with less shoulder may find the jacket diminutive-looking. Even on me, it looks a bit like I’m wearing a shirt. Not bad, but a little relaxed in appearance.

It was not as successful as I hoped as separates. The light navy is too light and distinctive; the jacket is “okay” as a separate, but (with the light hopsack and peak lapels) stands out a little, and the pants don’t really work on their own.

For fans of robust lapel rolls, these are a little weak, perhaps because of the light, flexible fabric. More importantly, there is an odd crease near the top buttonhole. AoS said it just needed a press, which was not right as it has persisted even through dry cleaning. (The wedding got a little out of hand...) My local tailor thought it had been cut wrong, making the rolled buttonhole into a sort of hinge point. They slightly adjusted the button, which helped, although it still looks odd with the jacket buttoned, and doesn’t roll smoothly.

The final trousers were also a little tight. I was able to have them let out, and they ended up okay. It was a near thing, though, as the allowance on the seams is not substantial, so we had to use every millimeter of it. This was a surprise, as they advertise as including an ample allowance for future alterations.

As mentioned, I did end up wearing suspenders at the wedding. This successfully kept my waistband high enough that my shirt didn’t show under the vest. However, for whatever reason, the vest is cut such that the braces are easily visible underneath it at the shoulders. I had the suspender buttons moved in slightly to try and help this, but they still peeked out often; perhaps the vest fabric is too narrow at the shoulders. (The new vest avoids this, since I don’t need braces.)

The quality overall seems quite good, and I do enjoy the styling.

Final impressions

In the end, I enjoy the garment, and it largely does what I want it to. I hoped it would be a little more versatile after the event, but this is largely a product of the fabric color, for which I can hardly blame anyone else.

However, as you can surmise from the timeline, the process was a challenge at best and a nightmare at worst. I started trying to buy a suit from them in February and in the end had still not received everything by the time of my wedding in August. There were various reasons and explanations (a cynic would say excuses), and of course I can’t offer insight behind the scenes, but...

My impression is that they are a small operation that has been expanding aggressively, and may have gotten ahead of their capacity. The inconsistent customer service and various errors and omissions paint the picture of an outfit that is a little bit overwhelmed. (The alternative is one that is incompetent or doesn’t care, but I don’t believe that.) They have, of course, continued to expand since then, and perhaps these issues have improved -- so long as they haven’t grown in scope more than in reach, so to speak. For instance, older reviews note that you can call their store to get in-person assistance, an option no longer available as of last year; support was email only, and as you can see, that was hit or miss.

I’ve never purchased a bespoke suit from a small Italian tailor, but from what I hear, the experience is a little like the one I had. If you’re willing to wait a long time for the product and not hear back consistently, the end result may be good. But really -- this is a commercial outfit located only a few hours away in the US, so accepting that much artisanal leeway strikes me as being a bit tolerant.

Would I buy from them again? At the moment, I’m forced to say no. Part of the goal of these MTM services is that once you’ve invested time and effort in your fitting, it’s much easier to purchase additional garments. But their price is substantially higher than you might pay at other MTM services, and in my mind, that money is going towards service -- prompt, personal, reliable service -- and that wasn’t what I received. Overall, I’m bummed to have to say this, as I came in wanting to like them, and I suppose am coming out the same way, but my hopes were not fully met.

With any luck, they can continue to hone their business until they’re able to fulfill their potential.

Please feel free to share any questions or thoughts. Here are some more pics from the wedding.

pics.png pics2.png pics3.png pics4.png pics5.png pics6.png
 

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Brandon O

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2020
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
In the interest of fairness, I sent this review to AoS for their feedback before posting it. Dan Trepanier was responsive and offered the following comments, which he asked me to include.

Also, since he asked, and in case others are interested, here are a couple pictures I snapped of the odd wrinkling in the left lapel. (Sorry, it's hard to capture.) Note that this is after the button stance was slightly adjusted by a local tailor, which has made it less noticeable (it used to crease directly at the top buttonhole). It is only noticeable when buttoned.

IMG_3863.JPG IMG_3861.JPG IMG_3862.JPG


********************************************

Hey Brandon, thanks for your email and honesty.

Please see my responses below and include them in your review. I appreciate you giving us a heads up and allowing us to include our responses. To preface, your order was a challenging one, as it came at a time when we experienced rapid growth and our operations were not properly prepared for the influx of new customers. I can totally understand why your experience was frustrating, and for that I apologize. We actually used your order as a “case study” to revisit some of our operations and make important changes, especially around timeline, communication and swatch delivery.

I also attached your fitting pictures - both try-on and final. I think it will make it a stronger review with real visuals.

Responses below in bold All the best,

Dan





Hi all,

I bought a suit from Articles of Style last year, and thought a full, candid review might be of in- terest to everyone. Their coverage across the web and social media has been decent, but I have not seen too many full reviews, so hopefully this is worthwhile.

First, thanks for following, and giving us a shot!



TL;DR version: The product is good, but the service was something of a disappointment. Introduction



I’ve been following Dan Trepanier’s writing for a while -- the actual Style Blogger days were be- fore my time, but I was a devoted after-the-fact fan -- and what he’s doing with AoS has interest- ed me for the past several years. Made-to-measure tailoring, in general, is right in my wheel- house as a value alternative to either off-the-rack or full bespoke, and I like their slightly bespoke touch (giving remote overview and customizations based on fit pictures). I also like their aesthet-ic and the faintly American spin on tailoring overall. Finally, I just like Dan and his style, at least from this distant perspective.



Thank you for following us, it sounds like you get what we’re trying to accomplish with AOS



The swatch adventure



I was engaged to be married in August of 2019, so early last year I started to think about my wedding suit, and decided to buy from AoS. Having heard good things about their customer ser- vice, I started by emailing them and asking for a fabric recommendation. I was interested in a navy three-piece suit, something elegant but a bit unique, and hopefully something that I could break into separates for re-use, as I don’t have any navy tailoring now. I also tend to find typical navy worsted to be flat and almost tacky in appearance, so I wanted something with a little Texture.



Good thinking, we specialize in textured fabrics, which have become more popular vs. flat worsteds



What followed was a rather challenging email chain, which I’ll summarize here.

February 27: They recommend their Performance Hopsack. I ask if it will look too casual, and they immediately reply giving more details. I ask how it differs from their Travel Hopsack, which seems very similar; they say it has a bit more texture. I ask if they can send me some swatches, and they say sure. This all happens the same day, which I think is great service.



Great choice - the performance hopsack is one of our best sellers



March 10: I haven’t received any swatches. I send a reply to check in.



Swatches have been difficult for us, especially at the time you placed your order. In order to offer the wide selection of different fabrics that we offer, we do not take inventory on the fabrics. Unfortunately this means that the swatches are sent directly from the mills in England and Italy. The timing and consistently is challenging. We have worked to improve the communication to mills on this.



March 13: No reply. I send another message. They answer that the swatches were sent out a while ago, but they’ll put in a request for another set of swatches. “Sorry for the trouble here,” they say, “this happens occasionally.”



English Mill was slow to ship. Apologies again.



March 21: Swatches arrive. They are unlabelled, so I ask which is what. The same day, they re- ply asking for a photo, which I provide, and they identify the swatches as the Travel Hopsack in two colors plus the Fresco (which I’d also requested). I ask if they sent the Performance Hopsack as I’d requested; they say it comes from a different mill and is sent separately, but they’ll check on it.



Italian mill was even slower to ship. Apologies again. The mills do not know which “brand name” we give the fabric, so this is a challenge. We could potentially share the fabric number, which would make this more clear.



March 23: Another couple swatches arrive. I again email for identification as neither looks like a hopsack.



March 26: They reply that their fabric provider seems to have sent the wrong samples. I ask if they can send the correct ones, and they say sure.



Another fabric mill slip. Geez.



April 10: I haven’t received anything else, so I check back in. No reply.



April 17: Still no swatches or reply, so I email again. In the interim, to save time, I have already undertaken the fitting process (see below), so I’m ready to place an order -- just hoping to see my fabric before I do. Dan himself replies, noting that the swatches come directly from the mills and the process is “somewhat out of [their] control.” He says they’ll get tracking and reorder if nec- essary. Later that day they email to say they’ll just cut the swatches themselves and overnight them to me.



Not sure what happened here. We cut our books for you - which I hate doing, but this was an unusually long wait time for swatches.



Great call on starting with the try-ons. It was very difficult for us to offer try-ons without an order, but this is exactly the reason we offer this service - to start with the fitting process as you wait for the swatches. We should have recommended this from the beginning, but I undersrand if customers want to see/feel the swatch before they decide to purchase at all.




April 24: Nothing yet. I check back.



April 25: They reply that they were sent and I should have received them, and they’ll double check.



April 26: No reply yet. I check back and hear nothing.



April 29: Still no reply. I email again, expressing my frustration and wondering sincerely if this is a harbinger of the service I can expect in the future. Dan replies, expressing his apologies and telling me that the person who handles these swatches has actually recently died, so they cannot be sent at at time. That being said, he says, the two hopsacks are very similar, and he would recommend the performance hopsack.



This is a true story. Rest in peace Gordon Goldstein of Piuma. He was such a gentleman. Thankfully his business was taken over, albeit with quite a bit of rough road in the interim (as you experienced).



April 30: Having finally reached some sort of end to this limbo, I order my suit in Light Navy Performance Hopsack. Most of the options you’d expect are available, and I select peak lapels, cuffs and side adjusters on the trousers, and a 3-roll-2 button configuration. I check in to make

sure they think this will make a decent look, and to remind them that I need the cost of the try- ons reimbursed. They agree with both.



Good choices.



The basted fitting



In the midst of the above, I was undergoing the fitting process. They differ from other MTM providers in that they don’t ask for body measurements, but rather for your height, weight, jacket and trouser size, shirt collar size, and some qualitative descriptors such as your chest size (medium), stomach (slight belly), and so forth. They then send you a basted fitting garment, using a throw-away black worsted fabric. This all generally occurs after you buy your suit, but it can alsobe done separately if you want to save time; they’ll deduct its cost from your next suit purchase.



We use data about the human body, and past clients, to inform the try-on measurements. This is an algorithm that gets better with every order. The fabric is actually not “throw away”, it’s a 9oz worsted wool and the trousers and vest are completed jackets - that most of our clients end up adding to their wardrobe. This is a “freebie” only offered by AOS.



On March 19 I purchased the try-on garment. It was sent on April 5 and arrived on April 8. It was nicely packed and included a jacket, vest, and trousers. You put them on and take a series of photos from different angles for them to see.



You did a good job with your fitting. Pictures attached for transparency.



At this point, the fit was not great. The trousers were too large overall, as was the jacket. The vest was not bad. Perhaps I complicated things by offering too much description in the fit info, as I tend to fit off-the-rack reasonably well, but I think this does demonstrate the challenges of go-ing “numberless.” Home measurements are imprecise, but at least they’re a place to start. I was a little worried about how close they’d be able to get to my fit on the final garment, since this was the only “fitting.”



Home measurements actually make the process worse. From our experience, people are better at knowing their height, weight and general OTR sizing info, than measuring themselves. If you measure in the “wrong place”, for example, it causes more problems than it solves. In your case, your profile was fairly accurate, you’re actually better in a 41/35 (you put 42/36), but this doesn’t really matter as we used data on your height/weight, and we have a whole second bite at the apple.



Getting the suit



May 8: I receive an email telling me my suit is in production. However, it also noted that the fac- tory will be closing for 2 weeks in May so the tailors can take a vacation, resulting in a 3 week delay for all orders: “if you have a deadline for your garments, please contact us to confirm.” I email them to confirm, as their website states their vacation is usually in August; they confirm their vacation was moved to May this year. Since I’m relocating from DC to Connecticut in June, I give them my new address and the cut-off date when they should use it. They agree.



Unexpected change of factory schedule. Due to problems I cannot exaplain here, the factory was going through their own re-structuring struggles. This sucks, for all of us.



July 3: I have still not received my try-on reimbursement. I email again.



We have started doing discount codes along with the try-on, so this is instant (rather than reimbursement, which had to be done manually).



July 10: They reply that they’ve processed the refund, and it shows up soon.



[Not sure the date]: I receive my suit. Since it ships right around the time when I’m moving, I need to have it delivered to a FedEx dropoff (a Walgreens in Connecticut), and I scoop it up the day after I arrive in town, just before the deadline. See below for the final product. I take another set of fit pics for them.



Pics also attached, for reference and transparency. For a first fitting, pretty good. Minor alterations. Pics are taken before final alterations (which are reimbursed, then added to your pattern on file for future orders).



July 22: They send back their impressions of my final fit (after I send a reminder). Mostly it’s good, but they agree with me that my vest is a little short, and suggest I wear the trousers higher,something which generally does not work for me (high-rise pants don’t stay in place on me, un-less I go all the way to the natural waist). They say they don’t think they’ll have time to remake it before the wedding on August 24. I express some dismay, and they say they’ll do what they can,but their factory is closed for a 2-week vacation (wasn’t that in May?). I bring the vest to a local tailor who says there’s no chance of letting it out.



Vest was a little short, we should have made it longer since you wear your pants so low on the hips. This is something we have to watch closely for and have begun a new process for double-checking.



August 9: I receive an email that the factory is on summer vacation for “most of August,” as are the fabric mills in Italy, and the vest will ship in mid-late September. I will not have it for the wedding, in other words. They recommend wearing braces to help me wear my trousers higher, which I end up doing. I offer to save time by picking up the garment from the factory in Haver- hill, MA, which is not an option.



Braces are a great solution to holding pants on the waist. I would suggest sticking with this for you! Factory pick-up is strictly forbidden, not our policy.



August 24: The wedding. It was lovely.



CONGRATS!! Can you share some wedding pics?? Would love to see the garment in action.



October 8: I receive notification from FedEx that a package has been sent to my OLD address in DC. It seems they shipped the remade vest to my incorrect address. They suggest I try to re-route it north, which I am eventually able to do. (They offer to cover any extra shipping fees, which in the end I am actually not charged.)



October 14: I finally receive the new vest, which fits well.



Nice. Our remake rate is less than <1%, so this was quite rare. Unfortunately a vest cannot be made longer, and as mentioned above, we have to account for clients who wear their trousers low on the hips (and don’t use braces regularly).



The final product



My impressions of the final suit?



The fit ended up surprisingly good, particularly with how far off we were with the basted gar- ment. This is the first suit I’ve owned that had no collar gap, and the trouser waist fits extremely well. Overall the fit is somewhat snug, but the fabric has a slight stretch that makes it generally Comfortable.



Pics attached. Looks great!



The rather deconstructed style is distinctive. I have broad shoulders, so they stand up all right, but I think those with less shoulder may find the jacket diminutive-looking. Even on me, it looks a bit like I’m wearing a shirt. Not bad, but a little relaxed in appearance.



This is subjective. In our opinion a soft shoulder is a more comfortable, and versatile garment - for everyone.



It was not as successful as I hoped as separates. The light navy is too light and distinctive; the jacket is “okay” as a separate, but (with the light hopsack and peak lapels) stands out a little, and the pants don’t really work on their own.



We can help you style this! This is a service we offer, free of charge. I would recommend the jacket with cotton or linen trousers in sand/khaki/cream, or a very light heather grey, to start. The trousers you can wear with just about any shirt, or sweaters in heather grey, cream, or true navy. There are hundreds of ways to style navy hopsack trousers. We will do a blog post featuring the light navy hopsack to help you get more out of it.



For fans of robust lapel rolls, these are a little weak, perhaps because of the light, flexible fabric. More importantly, there is an odd crease near the top buttonhole. AoS said it just needed a press, which was not right as it has persisted even through dry cleaning. (The wedding got a little out of hand...) My local tailor thought it had been cut wrong, making the rolled buttonhole into a sort of hinge point. They slightly adjusted the button, which helped, although it still looks odd with the jacket buttoned, and doesn’t roll smoothly.



Hmm. Can you provide a photo of this for our reference?



The final trousers were also a little tight. I was able to have them let out, and they ended up okay.



It was a near thing, though, as the allowance on the seams is not substantial, so we had to use every millimeter of it. This was a surprise, as they advertise as including an ample allowance for future alterations.



As mentioned, I did end up wearing suspenders at the wedding. This successfully kept my waist- band high enough that my shirt didn’t show under the vest. However, for whatever reason, the vest is cut such that the braces are easily visible underneath it at the shoulders. I had the suspender buttons moved in slightly to try and help this, but they still peeked out often; perhaps the vest fabric is too narrow at the shoulders. (The new vest avoids this, since I don’t need braces.)



Love a little brace peeking under a vest!



The quality overall seems quite good, and I do enjoy the styling.



Glad you are enjoying it.



Final impressions



In the end, I enjoy the garment, and it largely does what I want it to. I hoped it would be a little more versatile after the event, but this is largely a product of the fabric color, for which I can hardly blame anyone else.



Glad you are enjoying it.



However, as you can surmise from the timeline, the process was a challenge at best and a night-mare at worst. I started trying to buy a suit from them in February and in the end had still not re-ceived everything by the time of my wedding in August. There were various reasons and expla-nations (a cynic would say excuses), and of course I can’t offer insight behind the scenes, but...



My impression is that they are a small operation that has been expanding aggressively, and may have gotten ahead of their capacity. The inconsistent customer service and various errors and omissions paint the picture of an outfit that is a little bit overwhelmed. (The alternative is one that is incompetent or doesn’t care, but I don’t believe that.) They have, of course, continued to expand since then, and perhaps these issues have improved -- so long as they haven’t grown in scope more than in reach, so to speak. For instance, older reviews note that you can call their store to get in-person assistance, an option no longer available as of last year; support was email only, and as you can see, that was hit or miss.



Yes, as mentioned above, your order came at a time of rapid expansion. We have since (and continue) to invest in operations as we continue to grow.



I’ve never purchased a bespoke suit from a small Italian tailor, but from what I hear, that’s sort of the impression I had of this process. If you’re willing to wait a long time for the product and not hear back consistently, the end result may be good. But really -- this is a commercial outfit locat- ed only a few hours away in the US, so accepting that much artisanal leeway strikes me as being a bit tolerant.



“Commercial” is a stretch, but we’re growing stronger every day!



Would I buy from them again? At the moment, I’m forced to say no. Part of the goal of these MTM services is that once you’ve invested time and effort in your fitting, it’s much easier to pur- chase additional garments. But their price is substantially higher than you might pay at other MTM services, and in my mind, that money is going towards service -- prompt, personal, reli- able service -- and that wasn’t what I received. Overall, I’m bummed to have to say this, as I came in wanting to like them, and I suppose am coming out the same way, but my hopes were not fully met.



Sorry you had a tough experience. Contact us - we’d like to offer you a 50% discount off your next order to make up for it. We can help you choose something that you can mix-and-match with the light navy hopsack to get more out of it.



With any luck, they can continue to hone their business until they’re able to fulfill their potential.

Please feel free to share any questions or thoughts.



Thanks again for your honesty. As a young growing company (who is dedicated to making in America with an innovative approach) we always have lots of work to do to improve operation, and I can say we’ve come a long way since your order. Onwards and upwards.
 

papado

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Definitely sounds like some growing pains. I agree that I think they are a little overpriced for what they provide especially as it is all factory made, half-canvass garments. Dan has even stated in his blog posts he doesn't do full canvas because it's [something along the lines of] "too heavy", which I think is total BS. Doesn't the factory do the full canvas suits for brooks brothers, shouldn't they be able to offer that option? Obviously 'full canvass' is a red herring here and proclaimed/implied value prop is the ability to spit out the fitting garment and then have a large amount of freedom to alter the patterns of the garments to fit a lot of different body types.
 

othertravel

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@Brandon O

I'm glad the wedding went well! Congratulations!

As for the suit, there's still collar gap, and it looks too tight. For MTM you could do a lot better (and that's without mentioning the aggravating process).

That said, every business has growing pains. I hope the company can improve their processes and thrive.
 

Brandon O

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As for the suit, there's still collar gap, and it looks too tight. For MTM you could do a lot better (and that's without mentioning the aggravating process).

It is more snug than most of my other suits. I wouldn't say it's too tight, although again, that may be because it has some stretch. It's a different fit, but with the soft construction I think it generally works. I wouldn't mind a tiny bit more slack in the arms, I suppose.

I don't think there's still a collar gap; it hugs my neck quite well.

That said, every business has growing pains. I hope the company can improve their processes and thrive.

Same! We all need to be supportive of American styles and artisans when we can.
 

Brandon O

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Definitely sounds like some growing pains. I agree that I think they are a little overpriced for what they provide especially as it is all factory made, half-canvass garments. Dan has even stated in his blog posts he doesn't do full canvas because it's [something along the lines of] "too heavy", which I think is total BS. Doesn't the factory do the full canvas suits for brooks brothers, shouldn't they be able to offer that option? Obviously 'full canvass' is a red herring here and proclaimed/implied value prop is the ability to spit out the fitting garment and then have a large amount of freedom to alter the patterns of the garments to fit a lot of different body types.

I don't know. I realize some people feel full canvass is universally better (other things being equal), and I know Dan and AoS have said they feel half canvass is more appropriate for their style regardless of cost or value. If you're going with the very soft and unlined style of this particular piece, at least, I think it generally suits.
 

Crispyj

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Thanks for sharing, firstly. Some things to consider next time you buy a suit or sport jacket:

1319209

Definitely a collar gap or something off.

1319331

Why is the front much shorter than the rear?
I had to double check if the rear covered your butt after seeing the front sitting way above your crotch. ?

1319333

The proportions look kind of off. And like above, if the jacket covered your butt, how is it not covering your crotch?

Also, I agree with @papado, their excuse for using half canvas is pretty lame. Two reasons below.

Good quality full canvassed jackets (e.g. Ring Jacket) feel just as soft, if not softer, than normal half canvassed jackets. I believe the quality of canvas is a more important factor in determining softness than half or full canvas.

They say their jackets are unlined, but it looks to me, from pictures on their website, that they are quarter lined.
Unlined jackets are not always cooler and more breathable than half lined jackets. Taken from @dieworkwear old posts, "Half- and fully-unlined jackets often have a double layer of cloth inside. This material attaches to the mid-underarm and angles down toward the hem, allowing the fronts to have a bit more structure and giving the interior some pocket space. That extra layer might not be a big deal with certain materials, but on others, you may get better air circulation if you just go with a half-lining. "

I was very interested in Articles of Style two years ago, but that died out a while back, lol.
 

papado

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I don't know. I realize some people feel full canvass is universally better (other things being equal), and I know Dan and AoS have said they feel half canvass is more appropriate for their style regardless of cost or value. If you're going with the very soft and unlined style of this particular piece, at least, I think it generally suits.

I can assure you that the Isaia jackets i have which are quarter lined (what AOS is calling unlined) are indeed incredibly soft and I'll argue softer than anything AOS can make. They have absolutely zero shoulder wadding and the only structure is the full canvas front which you wouldn't know if I didn't tell you about it. Earlier this year I wore one of my jackets in the city on a 90 degree day where i needed to wear a jacket and tie and it performed as it should so I can't complain.
 

Alan Bee

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@Brandon O

Guys,

I know I've been accused on this forum for being rather blunt but why not call a spade by its given name? That suit is atrocious! I wouldn't even know where to begin, the whole thing looks like the scene of an accident ....

I don't know how much you paid for it but I'd just walk away right now even if they offered you a free suit.

This sort of workmanship is inexcusable even for distance MTM.

Alan Bee
 

dieworkwear

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@Brandon O

Guys,

I know I've been accused on this forum for being rather blunt but why not call a spade by its given name? That suit is atrocious! I wouldn't even know where to begin, the whole thing looks like the scene of an accident ....

I don't know how much you paid for it but I'd just walk away right now even if they offered you a free suit.

This sort of workmanship is inexcusable even for distance MTM.

Alan Bee

Seriously, what is wrong with you? I don't think I've ever met anyone who has been so consumed with the internet concept of what it means to be a gentleman, but also so lacking in basic common sense and grace.
 

Alan Bee

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Seriously, what is wrong with you? I don't think I've ever met anyone who has been so consumed with the internet concept of what it means to be a gentleman, but also so lacking in basic common sense and grace.
@dieworkwear

Derek, I am not going to pick a fight over this. I believe we know each other well enough (at least on SF). You're not going to change my style of critique and vice versa. You somehow conveniently ignore my posts where I've praised an outfit where praise is deserved.

If you have something to say about the suit, please do. Let's let aside the ad-hominem attacks and leave the hatchets out of this.

Alan Bee
 

FlyingHorker

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OP the experience sounded like a pain ********** overall. I was shocked to find the prices are north of $1000 as well. Inexcusable on their part.

In the future I'd just give OTR Spier & MacKay a shot, returns are free with paypal(I think).

You seem to have a normal/average body type so I'd be hopeful on it working well for you.
 

dieworkwear

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@dieworkwear

Derek, I am not going to pick a fight over this. I believe we know each other well enough (at least on SF). You're not going to change my style of critique and vice versa. You somehow conveniently ignore my posts where I've praised an outfit where praise is deserved.

If you have something to say about the suit, please do. Let's let aside the ad-hominem attacks and leave the hatchets out of this.

Alan Bee

Do you behave like this to strangers in real life, or only to people online? I don't understand why you think basic manners shouldn't be observed in other social interactions.

Regarding the suit, I think it could be better. But the OP looks terrific at his wedding, and his bride looks beautiful. It looks like he had a wonderful day, and we should all be so lucky.
 

Alan Bee

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Do you behave like this to strangers in real life, or only to people online? I don't understand why you think basic manners shouldn't be observed in other social interactions.

Regarding the suit, I think it could be better. But the OP looks terrific at his wedding, and his bride looks beautiful. It looks like he had a wonderful day, and we should all be so lucky.

Derek, indeed the OP looks terrific at his wedding and we should all be so lucky. However I don't think he came here asking for polite comments on his wedding photos.

I will leave it at that knowing both our histories of derailing threads ...

Alan Bee
 

dieworkwear

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Derek, indeed the OP looks terrific at his wedding and we should all be so lucky. However I don't think he came here asking for polite comments on his wedding photos.

I will leave it at that knowing both our histories of derailing threads ...

Alan Bee

Have fun with your polo coat.
 

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