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How can you determine quality of a "bespoke" tailor's products?

tbessie

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Years ago I bought 3 custom suits from a Hong Kong tailor, via their rep who comes to San Francisco (it was "Grand International" in case anyone knows them). I mostly just used the dark blue suit from them for interviews, weddings, etc. and not much else (I have little need to dress up regularly).

However, recently I've been in several choirs, and renting a tux for each performance has started to become an expensive proposition. I decided to buy either a tux or black suit for that, and - lacking the huge amount of money necessary to build a complete formal wardrobe or go to London to buy clothing - I looked up recommendations for good local custom tailors, and ended up going to "Seymour's Fashions" here in San Francisco (they've been discussed in a few threads here).

They did the work in about 6 weeks, and the tux (with shirt thrown in by the owner) was about $2000.

Since other "bespoke" tailors are more pricey, I asked how they manage their costs; they told me they have a workshop in Sacramento (about 90 miles away, and much cheaper cost of living); they go there twice a week to talk to their people and examine the work, and pick up finished pieces. So the father/son team that own the company don't do any of their own work, from what I can tell.

I got the tux the other day, and it seems fine; nothing obviously bad about it, though my hyper-critical eye notices tiny flaws (like the jacket cuffs not being 100% straight, some small threads not clipped flush, some chalk marks left on some parts, and other very small, almost non-noticeable things).

I was wondering - how can one know the real quality of a piece of custom-made clothing? How can you know if they made a paper pattern for your body (as opposed to modified an existing base pattern)? How can you know the lengths to which they work to keep things as "perfect" as they can manage? How can you know if they cut any corners?

I know reputation counts for a lot, and this tailor has a pretty good reputation in San Francisco; but, speaking as an engineer, I know that sometimes it's easy to make things LOOK amazing when there have been corners cut, and there remain tiny flaws that nobody will notice.

I'd like to find a tailor shop where the master tailors do most of the work, or at least VERY actively supervise, and their sewers are as exacting as they are, and where every TINY detail is scrutinized and fixed if anything is even slightly wrong.

How do you know if a tailor is that exacting?

- Tim
 
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ter1413

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Take pics of you in the tux and post. That is where you can start. Fit.
 

EliodA

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So, what you're looking for is absolute top level quality and service for mid level prices? Hmm...

A few loose threads and chalk marks are common, even from the best makers. Not an indication of cutting corners. Maybe your expectations are a bit unrealistic.
 

tbessie

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So, what you're looking for is absolute top level quality and service for mid level prices? Hmm...

A few loose threads and chalk marks are common, even from the best makers. Not an indication of cutting corners. Maybe your expectations are a bit unrealistic.

Well, no, I didn't mean I wanted top quality for mid level prices - sorry if it sounded in my post like I was connecting those two concepts. They were separate thoughts - I'll clarify:

1) I just meant to imply that I can't buy a whole wardrobe full of custom made clothing, but only a few items. The price I quoted was just what this maker charged, that's all.

2) I'd like to know - were I looked to get that kind of absolute top quality, attention to every microscopic detail, best practices and materials - no matter the price - who would I go to? And how would I know that that was what was being delivered?

As for my expectations - naw, I just need a reality check as to what to expect. The chalk marks and threads aren't important, I was more wondering about things like the slightly uneven cuffs (eg. where the cuff is sewn to the seam in the arm, they bend in slightly and don't run precisely straight, for example), or other small cosmetic things. Once I wear the tux a bunch more and have a chance to examine it in detail, I'll write more in this thread about that kind of thing.

- Tim
 

Tried and True

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Custom tailoring is all about fit. Who actually does the work and the techniques employed are somewhat inconsequential. Quality of make and finishing means little if the garment fits poorly. So for me the fitting process is most important. The number of fittings and their duration goes a long way to insure a proper fit and it is the most costly part of the custom process.




My first tailor was the legendary Lawrence Pucci. He presided over the firm (started by his father, a master tailor from Italy) which Allan Flusser has called 'America's last great tailoring house.' There was no stated house policy as to the number of fittings. The customer got his suit when Lawrence was pleased with the fit and not before. My first suits took over ten fittings, which was not uncommon for him. And if you happened to meet him on the street, he would give your suit a once-over and there was a chance he would drag you up to his shop to give something a tweak. Not sure if that kind of service exists today.
 
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Despos

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Quote: Could not disagree with this more!

Most of the expression of a jacket or trouser is the craftsmanship and technique. This is what brings the cutting to life. If you cut two suits and ran them thru two different production processes you would see two different garments. Not only would they look different but they would feel different to the person wearing the garment.

Many of the shoulder or back fitting issues in the tailor's thread could be remedied by better sewing and little or nothing else. Poor technique and sewing will create problems of their own.

Diagnosing the fit issues and knowing how to correct the fit is more important than the number of fittings. I do agree that fit is what makes a garment most satisfying to the tailor and the client but you can't separate the quality of sewing from the process and get the same result. One reason I would recommend a custom bench made garment is the quality of the construction. It isn't available in any other way.


Technique and experience elevate a chef, same with sewing a suit
 

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