Luxury dress shirts in London

[MontyChapman]

After wearing UNIQLO on-sale dress shirts for 5 years, I decided to upgrade my shirt collection last year. I started by venturing into Jermyn Street establishments. I bought a few Charles Tyrwhitt examples but didn't like the fit or the collar style. (Material was nice though) Currently, my favourite shirt is from Hawes & Curtis; the fit is good and the material is a nice soft twill pattern. I've even had compliments! I never knew a gent could get complimented for the shirt he wears...

I have a bit of $$ left for the wardrobe upgrade this season and obviously, a few names come to mind such as Turnbull & Asser and Emma Willis.

I was wondering is it really worth spending £200 or over on a ready-to-wear shirt? Is it worth it? How does the cost to quality ratio compare between a standard T&A or a Tyrwhitt shirt? I was wondering if it is better to go with another shirt brand or even dive into the bespoke zone? (To be honest, I've never been too bothered with shirts - certainly not enough to consider bespoke ones)

Would be interested to hear about Turnbull & Asser's shirt range and quality? Or even other makers? I think Emma Willis is only a few blocks down the road and Budd is another in the Piccadilly Arcade. Also would be interested to hear about T&A's Sea Island range in comparison to their standard production line.

 

[comrade]

Hilditch and Key are currently on sale

Hilditch & Key | Mens lifestyle since 1899

Hilditch & Key, providing luxury menswear since 1899. Explore the collection of Knitwear, loungewear, footwear and of course our famous shirts.

www.hilditchandkey.co.uk

 

[comrade]

You might also try Drakes

Shirts

We handcraft our shirts at our own dedicated factory using the finest cloths and finishings. Each shirt is handcrafted in Chard, Somerset with single-needle stitching, floating interlinings and mother of pearl buttons. It’s a sound investment, because if they’re still in style after a century...

www.drakes.com

I have a couple that are about 15 years old. Still look new.
Not sure the current crop is the same quality.

 

[dieworkwear]

I've seen some expensive ready-to-wear shirts that I think are impressive, and I think they retailed for around £200 or maybe over. The first is G. Inglese, and the second is 100 Hands. Both feature a high amount of handwork that you can't get in a bespoke shirt at that price. If you value handwork, and you find those shirts happen to fit you well, they are good options.

Around £200, you will find that most bespoke shirts are almost entirely machine-made. The upside over RTW is that you will get a better fit, assuming you've found a good tailor. No way to really say whether you should go bespoke without knowing how RTW fits you.

The other advantage of going bespoke is that it makes ordering shirts much easier. You don't have to rely on designers to come up with the right designs each season. You simply choose fabrics and the details you want. Once your pattern is nailed down, ordering a shirt can be remote, as the item can be made straight to finish.

If you are based in London, there are some good Italian shirtmakers who visit the city. I believe Simone Abbarachi and Luca Avitabile both visit London. I use Ascot Chang and I assume they also visit London, but don't know.

I personally don't like Turnbull & Asser's shirts. If you go bespoke and use a London maker, I would use Budd or Dege & Skinner. Wil Whiting's work also looks interesting.

 

[George kot 999]

I've seen some expensive ready-to-wear shirts that I think are impressive, and I think they retailed for around £200 or maybe over. The first is G. Inglese, and the second is 100 Hands. Both feature a high amount of handwork that you can't get in a bespoke shirt at that price. If you value handwork, and you find those shirts happen to fit you well, they are good options.

Around £200, you will find that most bespoke shirts are almost entirely machine-made. The upside over RTW is that you will get a better fit, assuming you've found a good tailor. No way to really say whether you should go bespoke without knowing how RTW fits you.

The other advantage of going bespoke is that it makes ordering shirts much easier. You don't have to rely on designers to come up with the right designs each season. You simply choose fabrics and the details you want. Once your pattern is nailed down, ordering a shirt can be remote, as the item can be made straight to finish.

If you are based in London, there are some good Italian shirtmakers who visit the city. I believe Simone Abbarachi and Luca Avitabile both visit London. I use Ascot Chang and I assume they also visit London, but don't know.

I personally don't like Turnbull & Asser's shirts. If you go bespoke and use a London maker, I would use Budd or Dege & Skinner. Wil Whiting's work also looks interesting.

What is your opinion about Ascot Chang? I heard about the brand through Armory HK Mark Cho…

 

[dieworkwear]

What is your opinion about Ascot Chang? I heard about the brand through Armory HK Mark Cho…

I've used them for about ten years now and I like their work. If you like shirts with a lot of hand flourishes, they are not that kind of shirtmaker. They make machine-sewn shirts. However, they're consistent and have good customer service. They also have trunk shows and multiple locations around the world. I started using them because I felt they would be around for a long time and I could rely on them to get consistent shirts, even if I moved away or was traveling.

Has been a while since I stepped into a store, but I was fitted at the Los Angeles and Beijing stores. I think Nelson Chin, their fitter on trunk shows, does a better job. I also gave them some collars to copy. If you have a collar you like, you can hand it to them for replication.