Fused suits?

[CTpinstripe]

I had read a post a few weeks back and remember someone mentioning that they could tell the difference between fused and stitched canvas in jackets without opening them. How would one go about doing that? I looked at a great fitting "GianFranco Ferre studio" suit the other day at a steal price and wanted to find out more about the construction since I'm not too familiar with the brand. Thank you in advance

 

[MikeF]

I can't speak to whether it is a fused- or floating-front suit, but GFF Studio is manufactured by Marzotto, which makes some good (M Missoni) and bad (Boss Hugo Boss) suits for their respective prices. Even for an M Missoni suit I wouldn't pay much more than US$250 (regular retail is at least US$1000).

 

[davei]

Check out this link: http://www.canoe.ca/LifewiseStyle020...rmade-sun.html The explanation is about halfway down on the first page. In short, "fused" is just that - they fuse a piece of synthetic fibre to the outer fabric in order to give it more body & shape. It's fast, cheap, and easy to do. Fused can also refer to the seams of the jacket - with inexpensive suits, the seams are glued together, not sewn. IIRC the GFF Studio line is a lower priced line, so presumably, it's fused.

 

[ulf]

IIRC the GFF Studio line is a lower priced line, so presumably, it's fused.

Yeah. You can actually find stuff from the studio line at the supermarket I usually shop at.

To be fair, I have to add that it's last season. There is so much stuff floating around Milan that it has to end up somewhere, I guess.

 

[CTpinstripe]

Quote:

You can actually find stuff from the studio line at the supermarket I usually shop at..
thats too funny. thanks guys I may reconsider now

 

[MikeF]

where do you get such a terrific discount???

For a discount like that, department stores. Usually, there isn't a whole lot of selection by the time the discount is that deep -- but at that price, who cares?

 

[davei]

Quote:

where do you get such a terrific discount???
For a discount like that, department stores. Usually, there isn't a whole lot of selection by the time the discount is that deep -- but at that price, who cares?
True, but I think he meant a $1000 Missoni suit isn't worth paying more than $250 for

 

[MikeF]

Actually, at $1000, it's not a terrible buy, as compared to other suits (i.e. Hugo Boss) at full retail.

 

[tricket]

I wouldn't say "fused" is synonymous with "inexpensive" although in most cases it is. You might not be aware of the fact that your Giorgio Armani Black label destructured suit bought some ten years ago pioneered use of Italian high twist fabric which is very resilient to wrinkles but yet kinda thin and light by conventional standard. This makes use of real hand-stitched canvas as interlinings practically impossible. You've find still most of the Giorgio Armani suits are made with fused front but that in no way suggests they are made cheap. I was told that the high twist fabric actually spurred development of a new luxurious front fuse canvas material which is lightweight and yet "bouncy" enough to give a suit jacket its shape. So whether or not choosing a suit from how the front canvas is made should be considered on a case by case basis. There are a lot of well made front-fused suits around while there are equally lot of poorly made suits with hand-stitched fronts.

 

[A Harris]

Determining whether a suit is fused or canvas-front is actually quite simple. Pinch the fabric on one of the sleeves and roll it between your fingers. This will give you a feel for the thickness of the fabric. Then do the same thing with the fabric of the upper chest of the jacket. If it feels thicker and stiffer it is because the "canvas" is fused to the shell fabric. If it is the same thickness as the sleeve material then (with a very few exceptions) you have a canvased suit.

Canvas-front suits can vary widely in quality to be sure. And it is quite true that some higher quality fused suits may look better than some lower quality canvased suits when they are new. However if you are looking for a suit that is going to last more than a few seasons buy one with a canvas-front.

Durability aside, a good handmade suit really does look better. A softly rolled handpicked lapel adorned with a handmade buttonhole is noticeable to the initiated from across a room. Try an Isaia or a Barbera or a Kiton and you will never go back.. Why not when you can get them at Last Call or on Ebay for a few hundred dollars?

If you must go the fused-front route I like Hugo Boss the best. Some nice fabrics and decent cuts, and a good deal when you pick them up at an outlet for $200.