Jantzen shirts...

[discostu004]

OK, what's the deal w/ this shirtmaker?
what are the prices? i got on their site, but when i'd open the "prices" link about 50 windows would open up. i was able to find the fabrics page and found about 16 i liked, but wouldn't order that many unless i knew they'd fit. also seemed like a ton of measurements to take, but the price page just kept opening and opening and never stopped. i had to reboot. anybody have good words or bad words about them?

 

[regularjoe]

Price is $43 US shipping and handling included.

Pros:
Cheap, but good cost to features ratio (single-needle seams, split yokes, pattern matching, thick MOP buttons)
Can do pretty much anything (specify collar and cuff length)

Cons:
Customer service over email is poor (better to call but even then, be prepared for spotty English)
MOP buttons have defects
No real house style (you have to specify all the features you want)
Closeout fabrics so they may not have the exact swatch you're looking for

 

[DandySF]

Start out by ordering a single shirt. This will allow you to adjust the measurements before committing to a larger order. It took me three shirts before I finally perfected the specifications. The first two were OK, but the third was a bull's eye. I'm awaiting delivery of three more shirts. I'll update the group with the turnaround time. At this point it's getting close to a 2 month wait, which is much slower than what it took last year.

 

[montecristo#4]

You forgot to mention wait time as a "con". I ordered shirts in early May and I'm still waiting.

 

[regularjoe]

Wait times are variable. Optimally, they're around a month, but apparently, Jantzen places a higher priority on walk-in customers and the past couple of months have been unusually busy in that regard. Unfortunately, that means Internet orders take a hit.

 

[faustian bargain]

not to mention the increased business he's probably getting from all the buzz here and at askandy.

 

[fkl118]

I've recently received an order of seven shirts. I actually had visiting relatives in HK pick up the shirts for me. I think I originally ordered them about 6 weeks prior, and it did take a little email coaxing to make sure the shirts were done in time for pick-up.
I think the longer waiting times is just because they're so busy now. There are apparently bags and bags of shirts all over the shop and on the floor awaiting pick-up.

 

[faustian bargain]

i'd love to see a photo of that shop.

maybe someone local could snap a quick pic?

 

[brescd01]

I agree with the remarks above, except to say that they are really really excellent shirts. I have received four. The remark about the fabrics is on target I think. The service is horrible and getting worse, not better. I think there has been a total breakdown. My personal opinion, admittedly made from ignorence of Ricky's accounts, is that Ricky's policy of handling walk-in orders first is a mistake. I do not think people mind waiting a predictable, set period of time. But the uncertainty really makes ordering shirts unpleasant. And his lack of reliablity, for instance to send swatches, is a serious drawback. because the pictures on the Internet do not at all faithfully represent the actual fabrics, and this has nothing to do with dishonesty. HOWEVER, if I HAD to have bespoke, AND I did not care how long my shirts took to arrive, AND I didn't mind that about a fourth of my fabric choices would be duds (I am guessing), I think there is nothing better. IFF you are willing to spend ~180 dollars/shirt and you have to have them quickly and you want to see swatches first to know what you are getting, Liste Rouge seems an excellent choice based on my experience with them. My shirt fit as well as the Jantzen (slightly better) and of course I knew what fabric I was getting.

 

[fareau]

I have been very lucky to date: I managed to get the fit right on the first try and have successfully picked nothing but nice fabrics. I also must have ordered at a time when things were not too hectic, as Ricky was able to deliver a rush order of five shirts to Houston in three weeks.

Ricky is one of the nicest people to interact with by email and for the price, his shirts are absolutely fantastic. I sincerely hope that they are able to accommodate this increasing demand.

 

[Alias]

My shirts came in today. They are, as always, awesome. I only wish Ricky would get some extra hands on board to handle Internet orders. I hope it's not just him on a PC plugging away through bunches of order forms until late in the evening.

I was so happy that I went ahead and ordered four more. I'm finally getting around to getting a decent white shirt, something that I'm currently lacking. (My eyes see all of those wonderful patterned fabrics, and I end up ordering those instead of the basics.)

I tried out the other white mother-of-pearl button available, listed as "natural"-something or other. These buttons have no defects, as far as I can tell - no discoloration on the backs, a perfect white all around.

 

[water]

I have been waiting about two months now for an order. Usually takes one month so I can only assume that Ricky is swamped. The unfortunate thing is I cannot seem to get a response from any of my numerous e-mails asking about a couple of problems I have been having.

Since I have no interest in starting another Jantzen thread, I will ask my question de jour here: I am thinking about placing an order for a couple of double (French) cuff shirts. Do I provide all the same measurements as I would when ordering a button cuff shirt? Any additional information necessary?

 

[tdial]

Since I have no interest in starting another Jantzen thread, I will ask my question de jour here: I am thinking about placing an order for a couple of double (French) cuff shirts. Do I provide all the same measurements as I would when ordering a button cuff shirt? Any additional information necessary?

H2O,
Yes, you don't need to make any special length considerations when ordering a double cuff shirt from Ricky. You just need to specify the length of the cuff from your wrist to the end of the cuff as it would be once cuffed (boy, that sounded confusing). If he already has your measurements, then you don't need to do anything special with the arm length measurements.

 

[retronotmetro]

My personal opinion, admittedly made from ignorence of Ricky's accounts, is that Ricky's policy of handling walk-in orders first is a mistake.

That seems to be the standard in Hong Kong. Ascot Chang and WW Chan both work that way as well. If you have significant tourist trade in HK, you want the tourists to be measured, fitted, and clothed before they get on the homeward plane. The legend of the Hong Kong tailor was built on 24 hour suits (though the better ones like Chan and A-Man Hing Cheong take longer), and I wouldn't want to be the first one to refuse walk-in business in order to serve web customers. Once word of that got out, your local trade would go elsewhere, and you'd never get another referral from a hotel concierge.

I will bet that someone will eventually create a low-priced web-only (or web-priority) shop, but running a physical shop in HK probably takes too much time and money to leap headfirst into that market. Ricky may eventually get his volume up to a level where he can get more admin and production staff, but he clearly isn't there (or doesn't think he's there) yet.

 

[TomW]

Received my first shirt from Ricky today, and I'm impressed. Fit is very good, will make one minor alteration to the shoulder shape and order a few more. I don't care that it took 7 weeks, at this price I couldn't be happier.