BlackLapel.com - any experience with them?

[PsylentStorm]

Do you happen to have one in solid Navy blue? I received swatches today (Charcoal herringbone, Solid light gray, and Navy blue) and I was curious how dark the Navy blue looks in person? It appears very dark, almost black, based on the swatch. Thanks for any insight.

I've got the navy blue. It's a good midnight navy blue. This might be a close comparison:

 

[evolved]

THey quoted me +$200 for a full canvas sport coat......for a suit, I think it would be worth it, but for a sport coat I'm not so sure.


Their half canvas construction isn't like the hybrid fusing/half canvassing that Indochino uses, correct?

 

[Jmm003]

THey quoted me +$200 for a full canvas sport coat......for a suit, I think it would be worth it, but for a sport coat I'm not so sure.

Canvassing is only in a jacket. So the up-charge is going to be the same.

 

[jbernard]

THey quoted me +$200 for a full canvas sport coat......for a suit, I think it would be worth it, but for a sport coat I'm not so sure.


Their half canvas construction isn't like the hybrid fusing/half canvassing that Indochino uses, correct?

No it is not the hybrid junk. It is half-canvas. The exact same method used by made-to measure suits you would pay double or triple the price for. It may be worth it as $479 for a full canvas sport coat is still an unbelievable deal.

 

[jbernard]

Do you happen to have one in solid Navy blue? I received swatches today (Charcoal herringbone, Solid light gray, and Navy blue) and I was curious how dark the Navy blue looks in person? It appears very dark, almost black, based on the swatch. Thanks for any insight.

I do, it is a dark blue. In sunlight you can clearly see it is blue. In artificial light, it is hard to explain, but if you look at the suit a lone it is hard to tell the color, but when you wear it with the shirt and tie it brings the blue out more. Especially if you have very nice polished black or burgundy shoes.

 

[mingus2112]

I have their Navy suit and it IS dark, but probably not as dark as what i would consider "midnight" blue. You can definitely tell it's blue at all times.

-James

 

[Prof. B. Bear]

4 pages and one 1 photo posted. Less text, more pics of fit.

 

[TRIALnERROR]

http://www.thefineyounggentleman.com/2012/06/made-to-measure-black-lapel-review/

http://www.indochino-review.com/2012/03/introducing-black-lapel-navy-blue-suit.html

http://primergreyblog.com/shirts/black-lapel-vs-indochino/

 

[PsylentStorm]

4 pages and one 1 photo posted. Less text, more pics of fit.

Yeah, I've been meaning to do so. All my groomsmen ordered their suits from BlackLapel. I also got one because we got a very good deal, so I've been meaning to take pictures, but with the wedding coming up, I just haven't found the time.

 

[Jmm003]

I received my BL suit in the mail yesterday, August 22. I have not yet steamed the suit, nor do I have a friend on hand to take legitimate photos. When I have both, I will post photos. In the meantime, I'll note my initial comments.

BL REVIEW PART 1:

Timing:

I placed the order on in the evening on August 7, and I requested a full canvas upgrade. So turnaround time was 15 days for a fully canvassed suit, which according to BL requires extra time to create. I was incredibly surprised and pleased by the speedy service. By comparison, I had a HSM custom suit made awhile go that took more than 6 weeks and it was only half-canvassed.

Packaging:

The suit was packed in a rectangular box, neatly folded, and wrapped in tissue paper. The box was surprisingly small for a suit--I was initially concerned the box did not contain both the jacket and the pants. Upon opening it, however, I noted that the jacket was folded precisely as they showed recently in a blog post [http://www.blacklapel.com/thecompas...ist-how-to-fold-a-suit-jacket-when-traveling/], and the pants were neatly folded underneath. By comparison, Suit Supply ships their suits in a large coffin-like box; the box is about as good as it gets at preventing wrinkles. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with BL shipping method--most suits are shipped this method. This is merely a comparison of something I have seen that is executed better.

Fabric:

I previously requested and received swatches, and I promptly received those in the mail. [Aside: This again speaks to BL's customer service and quick turn around time.] Since I had swatches, I had a good idea what the fabric would look and feel like. The fabric on the suit is therefore exactly as expected. The color is standard charcoal and it has a twill weave. It has a slight sheen in artificial light and I look forward to viewing it in direct sunlight tomorrow. It feels soft and smooth to the touch. The fabric is certainly 3 season, and may be a touch heavy for warm summer days. By comparison, I have a suit from Saks made with Zenga Cool Effect fabric that would be much more comfortable in 85 degree weather.

Initial Impressions:

The suit appears to have been made correctly. All of my customizations were present [Tailored Fit, two button, peal lapel, pick stitching, double vent, 2 x flap pockets, gunmetal lining, working butonneire, working button cuffs, contrast stitching on the last cuff button, flat front pants, no cuffs, belt loops, no suspender buttons...] and I did not see any signs of shoddy workmanship.

I have only one criticism and two comments when initially viewing the suit.

First, the peak lapels appear narrow. I ordered the standard peak lapels, but to my eye they seem like they might be the narrow version. If they are the regular peaks, I'm not only curious about how skinny the narrow ones are, but also if wider lapels can be made upon request. I had in mind peak lapels like this:
But until I have a chance to actually SUIT UP with one of my normal 3 inch ties, it may be that I'm inappropriately misjudging things.


Second, I ordered a charcoal suit with a gunmetal contrast stitching because I wanted a contrast that was subdued. In retrospect, I might have gone with a silver lining to make the stitching stand out a bit more. As it is now, when I unbutton the last cuff the contrast is evident; with the buttons closed, however, it is hard to discern this little detail.

Third, the pick stitching is difficult to make out in artificial light on the charcoal fabric. Again, I will really have to view the suit in daylight to make a fair judgment, but initially it is hard to see.

Fit:

I only tried on the suit briefly, and without giving it a press. Without going into too much detail now--without photos--I will say that it fits snugly. I realize this may not be satisfactory explanation, but I do not feel comfortable judging the fit quiet yet. I will update on this more in the very near future.

To be continued...

 

[jbernard]

I received my BL suit in the mail yesterday, August 22. I have not yet steamed the suit, nor do I have a friend on hand to take legitimate photos. When I have both, I will post photos. In the meantime, I'll note my initial comments.

BL REVIEW PART 1:

Timing:

I placed the order on in the evening on August 7, and I requested a full canvas upgrade. So turnaround time was 15 days for a fully canvassed suit, which according to BL requires extra time to create. I was incredibly surprised and pleased by the speedy service. By comparison, I had a HSM custom suit made awhile go that took more than 6 weeks and it was only half-canvassed.

Packaging:

The suit was packed in a rectangular box, neatly folded, and wrapped in tissue paper. The box was surprisingly small for a suit--I was initially concerned the box did not contain both the jacket and the pants. Upon opening it, however, I noted that the jacket was folded precisely as they showed recently in a blog post [http://www.blacklapel.com/thecompas...ist-how-to-fold-a-suit-jacket-when-traveling/], and the pants were neatly folded underneath. By comparison, Suit Supply ships their suits in a large coffin-like box; the box is about as good as it gets at preventing wrinkles. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with BL shipping method--most suits are shipped this method. This is merely a comparison of something I have seen that is executed better.

Fabric:

I previously requested and received swatches, and I promptly received those in the mail. [Aside: This again speaks to BL's customer service and quick turn around time.] Since I had swatches, I had a good idea what the fabric would look and feel like. The fabric on the suit is therefore exactly as expected. The color is standard charcoal and it has a twill weave. It has a slight sheen in artificial light and I look forward to viewing it in direct sunlight tomorrow. It feels soft and smooth to the touch. The fabric is certainly 3 season, and may be a touch heavy for warm summer days. By comparison, I have a suit from Saks made with Zenga Cool Effect fabric that would be much more comfortable in 85 degree weather.

Initial Impressions:

The suit appears to have been made correctly. All of my customizations were present [Tailored Fit, two button, peal lapel, pick stitching, double vent, 2 x flap pockets, gunmetal lining, working butonneire, working button cuffs, contrast stitching on the last cuff button, flat front pants, no cuffs, belt loops, no suspender buttons...] and I did not see any signs of shoddy workmanship.

I have only one criticism and two comments when initially viewing the suit.

First, the peak lapels appear narrow. I ordered the standard peak lapels, but to my eye they seem like they might be the narrow version. If they are the regular peaks, I'm not only curious about how skinny the narrow ones are, but also if wider lapels can be made upon request. I had in mind peak lapels like this:
But until I have a chance to actually SUIT UP with one of my normal 3 inch ties, it may be that I'm inappropriately misjudging things.


Second, I ordered a charcoal suit with a gunmetal contrast stitching because I wanted a contrast that was subdued. In retrospect, I might have gone with a silver lining to make the stitching stand out a bit more. As it is now, when I unbutton the last cuff the contrast is evident; with the buttons closed, however, it is hard to discern this little detail.

Third, the pick stitching is difficult to make out in artificial light on the charcoal fabric. Again, I will really have to view the suit in daylight to make a fair judgment, but initially it is hard to see.

Fit:

I only tried on the suit briefly, and without giving it a press. Without going into too much detail now--without photos--I will say that it fits snugly. I realize this may not be satisfactory explanation, but I do not feel comfortable judging the fit quiet yet. I will update on this more in the very near future.

To be continued...

I think the problem with your peak lapel problem is Black Lapels normal lapel width is 3". Those are 3.5" peak lapels on the picture you posted. You can tell because it goes much farther, but not as far as tom ford suits that a standard peak lapel.

What suit did you order? Just the regular charcoal?

The sheen is actually a good thing. A suit you pay 5k on would have a lot more sheen. It actually shows the quality of the material. In natural light it will look great.

The stitch picking is subtle. It is hand-done. Normally at a bespoke shop ($2k+) you would get the option between no stitching, hand stitching, and machine stitching. Machine gives you the deep stitches. I don't know, but I'm sure they would be able to do this.

I am interested to see if it is too tight or just well fitted. The good news: if its well fitted and you want it looser, getting it taken out .5" or an inch you would probably be where you want it.

 

[TRIALnERROR]

I received my BL suit in the mail yesterday, August 22. I have not yet steamed the suit, nor do I have a friend on hand to take legitimate photos. When I have both, I will post photos. In the meantime, I'll note my initial comments.

BL REVIEW PART 1:

Timing:

I placed the order on in the evening on August 7, and I requested a full canvas upgrade. So turnaround time was 15 days for a fully canvassed suit, which according to BL requires extra time to create. I was incredibly surprised and pleased by the speedy service. By comparison, I had a HSM custom suit made awhile go that took more than 6 weeks and it was only half-canvassed.

Packaging:

The suit was packed in a rectangular box, neatly folded, and wrapped in tissue paper. The box was surprisingly small for a suit--I was initially concerned the box did not contain both the jacket and the pants. Upon opening it, however, I noted that the jacket was folded precisely as they showed recently in a blog post [http://www.blacklapel.com/thecompas...ist-how-to-fold-a-suit-jacket-when-traveling/], and the pants were neatly folded underneath. By comparison, Suit Supply ships their suits in a large coffin-like box; the box is about as good as it gets at preventing wrinkles. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with BL shipping method--most suits are shipped this method. This is merely a comparison of something I have seen that is executed better.

Fabric:

I previously requested and received swatches, and I promptly received those in the mail. [Aside: This again speaks to BL's customer service and quick turn around time.] Since I had swatches, I had a good idea what the fabric would look and feel like. The fabric on the suit is therefore exactly as expected. The color is standard charcoal and it has a twill weave. It has a slight sheen in artificial light and I look forward to viewing it in direct sunlight tomorrow. It feels soft and smooth to the touch. The fabric is certainly 3 season, and may be a touch heavy for warm summer days. By comparison, I have a suit from Saks made with Zenga Cool Effect fabric that would be much more comfortable in 85 degree weather.

Initial Impressions:

The suit appears to have been made correctly. All of my customizations were present [Tailored Fit, two button, peal lapel, pick stitching, double vent, 2 x flap pockets, gunmetal lining, working butonneire, working button cuffs, contrast stitching on the last cuff button, flat front pants, no cuffs, belt loops, no suspender buttons...] and I did not see any signs of shoddy workmanship.

I have only one criticism and two comments when initially viewing the suit.

First, the peak lapels appear narrow. I ordered the standard peak lapels, but to my eye they seem like they might be the narrow version. If they are the regular peaks, I'm not only curious about how skinny the narrow ones are, but also if wider lapels can be made upon request. I had in mind peak lapels like this:
But until I have a chance to actually SUIT UP with one of my normal 3 inch ties, it may be that I'm inappropriately misjudging things.


Second, I ordered a charcoal suit with a gunmetal contrast stitching because I wanted a contrast that was subdued. In retrospect, I might have gone with a silver lining to make the stitching stand out a bit more. As it is now, when I unbutton the last cuff the contrast is evident; with the buttons closed, however, it is hard to discern this little detail.

Third, the pick stitching is difficult to make out in artificial light on the charcoal fabric. Again, I will really have to view the suit in daylight to make a fair judgment, but initially it is hard to see.

Fit:

I only tried on the suit briefly, and without giving it a press. Without going into too much detail now--without photos--I will say that it fits snugly. I realize this may not be satisfactory explanation, but I do not feel comfortable judging the fit quiet yet. I will update on this more in the very near future.

To be continued...

Thanks for the review, looking forward to the pictures. Are the pants lined?

 

[PASstudy]

mis-post

 

[Colins04]

I just received my BL suit in the mail today. I have not gotten to steam it, but I was able to get some pictures taken of it real quick. I ordered the three piece Navy suit. This being my first Made to Measure suit, and first experience with BL, I am pretty impressed. I ordered the suit last Monday and received it today so a total of 8 days from ordering to the front door. That's pretty quick. I had asked for fabric samples, so I had a good idea of what I was getting as it came to fabric. As for the fit, I was also pretty impressed. Everything seemed to fit well. There's a slight bulge right on the back of the neck but that can be quickly fixed at a local tailor. Does anyone notice anything amiss? In the mirror I was first wondering about the shoulders, they seemed a little wide, but then I looked at the pictures and it doesn't seem that noticeable. Any comments? Sorry about the side ways photos, they were straight when I uploaded them and I don't know how to rotate them.

 

[jbernard]

I just received my BL suit in the mail today. I have not gotten to steam it, but I was able to get some pictures taken of it real quick. I ordered the three piece Navy suit. This being my first Made to Measure suit, and first experience with BL, I am pretty impressed. I ordered the suit last Monday and received it today so a total of 8 days from ordering to the front door. That's pretty quick. I had asked for fabric samples, so I had a good idea of what I was getting as it came to fabric. As for the fit, I was also pretty impressed. Everything seemed to fit well. There's a slight bulge right on the back of the neck but that can be quickly fixed at a local tailor. Does anyone notice anything amiss? In the mirror I was first wondering about the shoulders, they seemed a little wide, but then I looked at the pictures and it doesn't seem that noticeable. Any comments? Sorry about the side ways photos, they were straight when I uploaded them and I don't know how to rotate them.

Looks good. The left shoulder seems to bulge just a little bit, but it could be you just need to adjust the jacket on your shoulders. And it may go away with steaming. Post another picture when you steam it and we can be sure. It is hard to say since the right shoulder is perfect. Other than that it fits great!!!