ASW's discussion of WW Chan

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I have indeed, although I mostly wear RTW. That said, he's correct that I'm not all that interested in discussions of whether pockets should be marked for a 2nd fitting and whether this should be a crushing disappointment.

My interpretation of this is that you would vote for a Seal of Approval logo based on the newspaper photograph of Will caning someone on the street rather than the seal pup.

The main problem with the caning photograph, honestly, is that Will is wearing one of those Inverness capes. (It was made from cotton, so I assume that the make was Chan.)


- B

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by gdl203

I have indeed, although I mostly wear RTW. That said, he's correct that I'm not all that interested in discussions of whether pockets should be marked for a 2nd fitting and whether this should be a crushing disappointment.

Honestly, I think you're reading something that isn't there. I did not interpret Will to be experiencing "crushing disappointment." Speaking from firsthand experience, just because one likes to chat about clothes and clothing-related minutiae online doesn't mean he takes it with a level of seriousness that would render him heartbroken at every flaw or error. In fact, I take Will's reportage of his ongoing bespoke experiences to be quite harmonizing: these sorts of mistakes are normal, and it helps make newcomers to bespoke more understanding of them.

 

[gdl203]

^^ slurp

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

My interpretation of this is that you would vote for a Seal of Approval logo based on the newspaper photograph of Will caning someone on the street rather than the seal pup.

The main problem with the caning photograph, honestly, is that Will is wearing one of those Inverness capes. (It was made from cotton, so I assume that the make was Chan.)


- B

May I suggest trading the cape for this stealthy coat?

 

[Bull]

I agree with Füf that Will is a great resource for bespoke reviews because people like Will and Bowne's Bespoke who commission bespoke garments so frequently that they can speak authoritatively on the matter simply no longer exist, so the few that are out there are veritable treasure troves of info on the minutae of fit and drape.

The Third Great Depression is upon us (as we were reminded today by Paul Krugman) and people just don't have money for this **** any more. So if you're going to plunk down a couple thou on a suit, it's a good idea to consult people who do this sort of thing with the reckless abandon of a banking VP putting bottles of champaigne on his firm AmEx before rules restricting these sorts of shenanigans were put in place.

Anyway. I miss the 80s...

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Bown's Bespoke is nothing more than a paid mouthpiece. Will is a more honest reviewer.

 

[Bull]

Bowne is awesome though. Every caricature you could possibly imagine of pampered, old British money can be found in this man. It's awe-inspiring. I love how every suit review reminds the reader that the buttons on the back of his trousers are sewn on the *inside* so that the buttons doth not damage the leather of the Royce. I mean, does it get any better? I've read each of his reviews like 8 times. Pure hilarity, intended or otherwise.

 

[taxgenius]

Originally Posted by Eustace Tilley

I would certainly recommend that anyone visiting HK stop by Chan or A-Man, as they put out a solid product and represent a value unseen in the U.S. They are, however, in my experience not comparable to top-flight NY or London bespoke.

Interesting point.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Eustace Tilley

Bown's Bespoke is nothing more than a paid mouthpiece. Will is a more honest reviewer.

Also, Will offers a lot of real content. If you're a conclusion-focused reader, then it matters a whole lot whether a reviewer has incentives to be upfront. On the other hand, if you're mining for substantiated knowledge and insights logically derived from that knowledge, you can learn even from biased sources.

 

[gdl203]

BTW, turning (a little) serious for one second, I never said anything about Will not adding value. I saw a thread with 80 posts on the topic of a blog entry by Will about his disappointment or misunderstanding of the fitting process at Chan. I asked if people REALLY care that much about this. I think the CAPITALIZED part was important. I'm sure Will has very important authoritative things to say about bespoke tailoring - I wouldn't know, I don't read his blog unless someone links an entry. I do read Tweed in the City daily and religiously though, even if it takes a significant part of my day.

Back to baywatch and other funnies

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Bull

Every caricature you could possibly imagine of pampered, old British money can be found in this man. It's awe-inspiring. I love how every suit review reminds the reader that the buttons on the back of his trousers are sewn on the *inside* so that the buttons doth not damage the leather of the Royce. I mean, does it get any better?

But wouldn't it be more "old British money" to not care if the leather in one's Rolls gets scratched by his trouser's brace buttons?

 

[Bull]

Originally Posted by gdl203

BTW, turning (a little) serious for one second, I never said anything about Will not adding value. I saw a thread with 80 posts on the topic of a blog entry by Will about his disappointment or misunderstanding of the fitting process at Chan. I asked if people REALLY care that much about this. I think the CAPITALIZED part was important. I'm sure Will has very important authoritative things to say about bespoke tailoring - I wouldn't know, I don't read his blog unless someone links an entry. I do read Tweed in the City daily and religiously though, even if it takes a significant part of my day.

Back to baywatch and other funnies

Tweed hasn't been updated since January. And there are only like 18 posts on the whole thing. Do you read the entire blog daily, like scripture(?)

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Originally Posted by gdl203

BTW, turning (a little) serious for one second, I never said anything about Will not adding value. I saw a thread with 80 posts on the topic of a blog entry by Will about his disappointment or misunderstanding of the fitting process at Chan. I asked if people REALLY care that much about this. I think the CAPITALIZED part was important. I'm sure Will has very important authoritative things to say about bespoke tailoring - I wouldn't know, I don't read his blog unless someone links an entry. I do read Tweed in the City daily and religiously though, even if it takes a significant part of my day.

Back to baywatch and other funnies

So you've read the post on "Old World Gabardine" about 185 times now?

EDIT: Damn, Bull beat me to it.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Bull

Tweed hasn't been updated since January. And there are only like 18 posts on the whole thing. Do you read the entire blog daily, like scripture(?)

Apparently, he likes to ******* tweed.

 

[gdl203]

I'm not very good at this vox thing. I'll pyon pyon my way out of here....

 

[Bull]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

But wouldn't it be more "old British money" to not care if the leather in one's Rolls gets scratched by his trouser's brace buttons?

Interesting question. I think the answer is no. When I was in Saudi Arabia - which is all "new money" - people destroy **** all the time because they have no conception of what money is worth or was ever worth, for that matter. These folks went from being desert-dwelling bedouins eating camel meat where they could find it (no racism here - I'm part Arab) to zillionaires living in high rises and driving all manner of Ferraris and Lambos. These are the idiots whose kids crash a car while drag racing it only to have a new one in the driveway the next day.

The old money British lad spends, but he is taught to spend on quality items that last, and to respect those items, because there's no reason to buy the best if it's not going to be used. Prince Charles wears beautiful suits, but many of them show crease marks in the sleeves, almost to the point of appearing slightly worn (the look of which I actually like), because this is why you buy bespoke. Not to wreck it, but to enjoy it until it falls apart.

So I think the answer is, someone like Bowne buys the Royce but not with the intention of ******* it up and buying a new one the next day (the trustees of his estate might not allow such an expenditure anyway), but with the intention to drive it for the rest of his days, and to keep the leather in good working condition for as long as possible. Hence, buttons inside the waist band.