Borrelli sleeve shortening...

[dorian]

The topic of shortening sleeve length from the shoulder has been discussed many times.

However, my question involves an added complication: Neapolitan trumpeted/tapered sleeves. The sleeves need to be shortened about 1.5 inches, and I am wondering whether the tailor at the Borrelli shop in NYC would be able to achieve such a feat.

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions/et cetera? (I have limited knowledge of Neapolitan suit alterations, each of mine having been taken care of at the store of purchase.) Should I not purchase this otherwise impeccable suit?

Thanks.

 

[The_Foxx]

Yes, there is a tailor in Atlanta who can do this, and has worked on a borrelli suit performing the same operation you suggest. Credit goes to Tdial for alerting me to this possibility, as he was very happy with the results.

copied from his recent posting:
I have taken many suits for alterations to Mario Bosco in Atlanta for several years. I like to say that Mario will take a RTW suit and turn it into MTM. I know this isn't feasible, but he does an outstanding job. I recently have had four Borrelli suits "MTW-ed" by Mario, and each time he returned a suit that looked like it was made specifically for me. He loves the Borrelli suits and always wonders how I can get such great deals on them. (Ian Daniels' site is the answer, as you all know by now).

Mario is 65 and has lived in Atlanta 20 years. He grew up in Sicily, apprenticed in Naples, and became a full fledged tailor in Brazil, before moving to New York in the 70s. He ventured South in the early 80s because he said Atlanta didn't have a single true bespoke tailor in the entire city. He's made suits for a lot of marginally famous people--Burt Reynolds, Maynard Jackson (ATlanta's former mayor), Sam Nunn (GA Senator), as well as being the suit maker/costume maker for the Smoky and the Bandit movie. I kid you not. He's a great guy with lots of stories, who really loves to talk about his trade/craft/art to those interested. He has said often that he doesn't do much bespoke work anymore, not because he doesn't want to, but because there simply isn't as much demand for a bespoke suit down here in Atlanta. With that, he says with arms held out and a shrug, "people would rather pay $3000 for an Isaia at Neimann Marcus."

 

[dorian]

Thanks for the re-post.

I wonder how shortening the sleeve from the shoulder is possible.

Since I won't be able to justify travel to Atlanta for suit alterations, do you think the Borrelli store itself will be able to do this?

Thanks again.

 

[The_Foxx]

I'm close to Atlanta, but I always mail my items to the tailors there for alterations (giving them the instructions of how many inches to shorten), and they UPS the items back to me.