Chesteron suits?

[johnnynorman3]

Quote:

(johnnynorman3 @ 07 June 2004, 12:11) This suit sounds like garbage. Â What does "half canvas" mean if it has fused lapels? Â Does that mean it has a floating chest piece? Â Well, ALL suits have this. Â Why not try Noble House and get a full canvas MTM suit for not much more?
By half-canvas, I mean the chest piece is floating (sewn in), but the material is not continuos into the lapels. Â It stops at the lapels where a separate fabric is fused(glued to the canvas) and becomes the lapels. The canvas also does not go below the line of the inner chest pockets. Sorry if my terminology is incorrect.
Regularjoe, I knew what the term meant. My problem is that the terminology itself -- which the industry has created -- is itself misleading. I have never seen a suit that didn't have a canvas chest piece. The point is that (1) the fusing in the lower portions will in fact extend all the way up the jacket, such that the chest will have fabric attached to fusing, which is then stitched to a canvas chest piece, and (2) the lapels is where the canvas is REALLY necessary to achieve a good roll. If they don't have canvas in the lapel, to me the suit is automatically low end. For a little bit more, I bet Noble House suits are a better bet. And of course Chan a MUCH better bet than Noble.

 

[regularjoe]

Regularjoe,

I knew what the term meant.  My problem is that the terminology itself -- which the industry has created -- is itself misleading.  I have never seen a suit that didn't have a canvas chest piece.  The point is that (1) the fusing in the lower portions will in fact extend all the way up the jacket, such that the chest will have fabric attached to fusing, which is then stitched to a canvas chest piece, and (2) the lapels is where the canvas is REALLY necessary to achieve a good roll.  If they don't have canvas in the lapel, to me the suit is automatically low end.  For a little bit more, I bet Noble House suits are a better bet.  And of course Chan a MUCH better bet than Noble.

Sorry I misread.

I also wonder if it isn't just the result of how this (and other) boards use the terminology.

I think (could be wrong) that when folks around here say half-canvas or full-canvas, they mean it's handsewn in (not fused), including the labels. Exceptions would be noted. It might be neat for one of the regulars to draw up a glossary or something that can be downloaded so schmoes like myself can be clear on what's what.

 

[water]

The problem for me with Noble House and Chan is that I live in a small place in Canada. My job does not see me travel a whole lot, so when would I ever have the opportunity to sit down for suit measurements with these guys?

 

[j]

 It might be neat for one of the regulars to draw up a glossary or something that can be downloaded so schmoes like myself can be clear on what's what.

I second that. Half the time I have no idea what people are talking about. We really need to put together a full glossary to be pinned at the top of the forum.

 

[tiger02]

I know this is an old topic, but armscye and regular joe, do you have any pictures available now? Chesterton is still selling over ebay, Buy It Now prices about $30 less than their web prices, plus a free shirt. The guy on the other end of the email tells me that "all suits are available in canvassed or fused"--nothing about added cost.

Thanks
Tom

 

[regularjoe]

I wish I could, but it looks like it's lost $$$ for me.

I ordered two suits, yet somehow with the same measurements, the altered the jackets differently. It would cost me too much more to get them looking presentable. I can't even really wear them right now.

I'm not sure if the problem was my measurements or an interpretation problem.

If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to ship them to you so you can see the workmanship up close. Just pay the postage and it's yours.

 

[johnnynorman3]

I'll pay the postage if it's canvassed.

 

[regularjoe]

The ones I have are at least partially fused.

 

[ROI]

I'm sorry I can't bring more clarity to the term "half-canvas." The problem is, half-canvas means different techniques to different makers. Some do it one way, some another. Generally, you can read half-canvas to imply that some part of the front of a coat that might have been sewn has been fused instead, usually to save labor expense. Two common techniques already have been mentioned in this thread: One is fusing the coat front from the shoulder toward the lapel, then changing the construction to sewn canvas near the lapel to achieve a soft and resilient roll; the other technique is to divide the coat horizontally, using canvas for the upper part and fusing for the lower.

Two points to remember: Fusing doesn't necessarily imply inferior quality. In his book, Joseph Abboud recalls his days as a buyer at Louis Boston. He says that he wrote big numbers with a German company that made a fully fused gabardine suit, a much cleaner suit, he argues, than the same cloth hand sewn. Second, fusing is not as simple as gluing the skin of a suit to the same canvas that could have been hand sewn. In other words, fusing does not replace sewing one-to-one. Fusing replaces the canvas with a heat- and pressure-sensitive armature of synthetic materials that can be pressed to the desired contour.

I have a good, though lengthy, article from Bobbin magazine explaining the three principle tailoring techniques. I'll try to retrieve it.

 

[regularjoe]

When I cut open my first set of Chesterton jackets, they had a canvas chest piece that was sewn on, but the lapels were fused. In the remade set, the jackets feel entirely fused, but I haven't cut them open to verify.

 

[dah328]

Since this thread has been resurrected, I would add that my one Noble House suit, which will remain my only NH suit, feels fused rather than canvassed.

dan

 

[armscye]

I've taken no pix to date, I'm afraid to say-- press of business and such. I've ordered another Chesterton, however, and expect it any day.