Experience with Brooks Brothers MTM or Select Program

[ziggysnorkel]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Brooks Brothers' MTM or Select Program. Essentially you can have them take any suit they already make and either get it in almost any fabric out there or do their MTM program and start fux-ing with the suit in other ways. I liked the cut on their Thom Browne suits and the fitzgerald but wanted something in a different color and better fabric. I was wondering if anyone had made a suit through either program and if they liked the result.

 

[Kaizen]

In the last few months, I've had a tuxedo, sports coat, and pair of pants made through Brooks Brothers' MTM program (made at Martin Greenfield's shop, in case you weren't aware).

I'm happy with all of the items, but they all originally had some issue. The tuxedo came with flap pockets, when I ordered double besom, the side-tab pants came without side tabs, and one of the sports coat sleeves came back far too short after being sent back for the sleeve alteration and working buttonholes (my local BB doesn't does working buttonholes, it goes back to Martin for that).

When I pointed out the pocket flaps on the tuxedo, the local BB tailor was more than willing to remove them, but I opted to just tuck them into the pockets. When the tailor received the pants, he noticed the missing side-tabs and sent them back. When the sports coat came back from getting the buttonholes added, it was very obvious that the left sleeve was too short, and it was sent back to be corrected. I was told that if it couldn't be fixed to my satisfaction, they would have another jacket cut for me. The pants came back with side-tabs, and the sports coat came back fitting properly. I'm very happy with the final results.

From everything that I can tell, the Brooks Brothers staff placed the orders correctly, and the mix ups were at the factory. I must say that this was one of the few times I've dealt with any store's tailor who really wanted to make sure that things were exactly what I wanted (instead of trying to convince me to just accept something that wasn't done properly) .

 

[wmmk]

Interesting. Mind me asking how the prices run?

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Thanks. This is the exact type of information I was looking for. I like Thom Browne's line through Brooks' Brothers more than his actual line because he does the pants in a more traditional slim fit plain front with a regular zipper, instead of that crazy button fly stuff. I wanted to apply the MTM to that line to get a navy Thom Browne.

As for prices, I think you start with the base price of anything currently sold, then you add a minimum of $100--for getting the same suit just in a different fabric. Then, based upon which fabric you choose, the price goes up.

If you get a MTM, then you can start moving things around and getting access to a wider variety of fabrics. The prices, of course, are higher. What I saw at the store recently was that they have a discount on the first suit you get at 10%, then 20% for the second, etc. I don't remember the exact details.

 

[Kaizen]

Originally Posted by wmmk

Interesting. Mind me asking how the prices run?

I ordered all the items during a MTM sale, and I think I got 15% off. However, I did splurge on the fabrics.

The tuxedo was about 2500, with a fabric that has a very slight herringbone and some cashmere in it. I could have gone with a different fabric for around 1500 (IIRC). The sports coat and pants are Loro Piana fabrics, which some people here say is not very sturdy (so I won't wear them when wrestling tigers). The sports coat is cashmere and was about 2600, the pants around 700. Even with lower-priced fabrics, that probably still puts them in the range of traveling tailors, like Chan. However, it also means that I can have a local tailor do some of the finishing alterations, instead of sending it back to Asia or waiting for the next tour. BTW, delivery of the clothes took about 8-10 weeks from the order date.

 

[gomestar]

Originally Posted by ziggysnorkel

Thanks. This is the exact type of information I was looking for. I like Thom Browne's line through Brooks' Brothers more than his actual line because he does the pants in a more traditional slim fit plain front with a regular zipper, instead of that crazy button fly stuff. I wanted to apply the MTM to that line to get a navy Thom Browne.

I doubt you can get their Black Fleece line (the stuff designed by Thom Browne) MTM. This would have to be verified, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Furthermore, they already have a navy suit in Black Fleece's current lineup. To go one step further, this suit is currently on sale for $1350 from an original $2700. I can't really see how you could justify the MTM premium on top of the original $2700. If you need MTM because Thom Browne sizes 0-5 will not fit you - well then you shouldn't be wearing anything designed by Thom Browne.

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Ha. Actually Thom Browne fits me fine. I was at the Brooks Brothers store and the clerk said that the Black Fleece line does not have a navy suit--regardless of what may show up on the website in terms of pictures. When I tried on the Thom Browne, I really liked it, but I already have enough suits in grays/charcoals. I asked the salesperson and they said if I did a MTM, they would allow me to work off of Thom Browne's line and choose my own fabric and even make other alterations to what the suit looks like.

 

[1wb]

Originally Posted by ziggysnorkel

Ha. Actually Thom Browne fits me fine. I was at the Brooks Brothers store and the clerk said that the Black Fleece line does not have a navy suit--regardless of what may show up on the website in terms of pictures. When I tried on the Thom Browne, I really liked it, but I already have enough suits in grays/charcoals. I asked the salesperson and they said if I did a MTM, they would allow me to work off of Thom Browne's line and choose my own fabric and even make other alterations to what the suit looks like.

With all due respect to your BB sales associate . . . http://www.brooksbrothers.com/BB_Bla...ent=menapparel

. . . this BF navy 3B appears to be available in sizes 0-5 at 50% off.

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Oh yea...I saw that too. But I wanted a 2 button.

 

[gomestar]

"I was at the Brooks Brothers store and the clerk said that the Black Fleece line does not have a navy suit--regardless of what may show up on the website in terms of pictures"

I have no idea what your sales associate was talking about. I was just in the BB at 53rd and 5th and there were navy suits in the BF line there.




"When I tried on the Thom Browne, I really liked it, but I already have enough suits in grays/charcoals"

Are you talking about Thom Brown suits (sold at the TB store, Bergdorf Goodman, and a dozen or so other stores around the world) or Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers suits? They are not the same thing.




"Oh yea...I saw that too. But I wanted a 2 button."

The suit is a 3 button with a roll lapel. Yes, there are technically 3 buttons, but you do not button the top so in reality it's a 2 button (the fit and shape support the 2-button look). Look at the picture in the link that was posted, you can see that the lapel rolls the same way a regular 2-button does and hides the top button.




" I asked the salesperson and they said if I did a MTM, they would allow me to work off of Thom Browne's line and choose my own fabric and even make other alterations to what the suit looks like"

They also said there's no navy suits in the line. The Black Fleece suits only come in a handful of colors, so to get that wrong is very suspicious. Which Brooks Brothers was this??

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Yeah. I went to the Brooks Brothers in San Francisco. I believe it's one of their smaller stores, and I'm not a BB specialist. It was my second time in the store. I was told that Thom Browne was their guest designer for the Black Fleece collection. So it's a BB suit designed by Thom Brown, although it is very different from an actual Thom Browne, which I also tried on.

It probably would make sense to get the 3-button navy, but people on this forum are starting to open my eyes up to other brands that I have not considered.

 

[gomestar]

"It probably would make sense to get the 3-button navy, but people on this forum are starting to open my eyes up to other brands that I have not considered."

You don't seem to understand the button setup. And if you wanted a "true" 2 button, Thom Browne does not make these, nor does the Brooks Brothers line.




"it is very different from an actual Thom Browne, which I also tried on"

where do they sell regular Thom Browne in SF?

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Thom Brown is sold at Barneys in San Francisco.

Thom Brown does create a two-button through Brooks Brothers, but it's only in gray or charcoal I believe.

 

[gomestar]

I think you're right about the 2-button thing, i think i remember seeing one at the madison ave store ... but you need to understand the difference between a 2-button and a 3-button roll lapel. A 3-button for Black Fleece is really a 2-button suit, but they just stick a top button on underneith the rolled lapel. It's for decoration (and a bit of a stylistic twist more or less). It still fits and looks like a 2-button. You will see this if you try it on.

I'm stressing this because, frankly, it would be stupid to have a whole special order thing going on and pay several grand for a "2-button navy" Black Fleece suit.

 

[ziggysnorkel]

Yeah I know. I got the point the first time you pointed it out. The reason why I avoided the 3-button initially was because when I asked the salesperson for a two-button navy suit, he was like...oh here's a navy...oh wait never mind it's 3-buttons. So we just passed over the suit entirely. Now, I have to figure out whether the suit is worth $1350 of my money in the next couple days.