Need advise: Tom Ford suit ruined, sleeves to be changed.

[Quarks]

I have a major issue at present which need expert advise (jefferyd et al). Given the seriousness of the matter (having invested substantial amt of money), I am seeking reassurance, perhaps intervention if warranted on my current issue. It is concerning the shoulder rope....

I recently bought a Tom Ford suit in London with the sleeves unfinished. Due to my brief stay in London, I was unable to get the sleeves buttonholes done there. So I brought back to my Australia to have them finished. I brought it to a well-known departmental store (sorry I will not disclose who they are) who knew top-end tailors to finished the buttons as close to Tom Ford as humanly possible. Turned out to be a major disaster. The sleeves buttonholes were ruined. When I first saw it, I knew this suit has gone to ****. I could not bring myself to accept such shoddy workmanship, let alone wearing it ever again. The buttonholes weren't keyholes, there was fraying everywhere, each buttonhole was either too short or too long compared to the standard ones, the alignment was out of whack, they were asymmetrically arranged between the two sleeves. It was simply a nightmare for me. It had to re-corrected by another tailor but still out of whack.
(Sorry no pics - I do not need pics to remind me how badly it was done.)

To cut the story short, the damage was so bad that the sleeves had to be ordered from Tom Ford (with finished buttonholes) directly to replace the current one.
My question is:-
- Can the robe of the shoulder be affected if the sleeves of the suit are to be changed?
- What precautions should be undertaken not to affect the robe of the shoulders when changing sleeves?

I will be meeting up with the tailor when my sleeves comes in. I will, by no means, be advising him what to do, but I like to know the likelihood of ruining the roped shoulders, and what my chances of getting back my suit as close to original as possible. I will be reassured by them it will be perfect. Well, I have been reassured by them before so no reassurance from them can ever be enough at this stage.

I am extremely paranoid about effin' up the robe of the shoulders as it is perfect as it is, as of now.
I would hate it to know that this suit has become an absolutely a eye-sore in my wardrobe.

Please advise. Cheers.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Pawz]

...please delete my post (sorry)...

 

[F. Corbera]

Interesting story. Technically it is possible...but

The degree to which the outcome will match the original depends on (1) the skill of the tailor, (2) the tailor's level of understanding of how the shoulders were done, and (3) the amount of work and time the tailor is willing to put into the replacements.

No one on the Internet can address these points for you, I am sad to say.

 

[SpooPoker]

That really sucks man, I am sorry to hear it. Hope it works out. Also, ^ What he said.

 

[usctrojans31]

I hope the store paid for your new sleeves - did they? I also echo other sentiment about expressing my condolences of suits.

 

[lee_44106]

Let me be the realist and tell it like it is (or going to be).....

The same tailor that can't even cut sleeve buttonhole without FUBARing them is NOT going to be able to achieve the factory TOM FORD roped shoulder.

 

[inlandisland]

Did they acknowledge that the workmanship was bad? Can you demand that they reimburse you for the suit they ruined?

 

[hymo]

Why do you use the word "tailor"?

A tailor is someone who can make garments from a bolt of cloth, from scratch, to a very satisfactory standard (if not up to bespoke levels).

Someone who shortens jeans for a living is an alterationist.

An alterationist would have precisely 0.0% chance of fitting in coat sleeves. You need to do this several times a week to be in practice, it is one of the most complicated things in coatmaking.

I would say just forget about this dud of an alterationist and arrange to have your jacket sent back to its maker in Italy for setting in sleeves. Alternatively, try to find a real coatmaker in your city, someone who makes coats for a living.

 

[Holdfast]

Let me be the realist and tell it like it is (or going to be).....

The same tailor that can't even cut sleeve buttonhole without FUBARing them is NOT going to be able to achieve the factory TOM FORD roped shoulder.

I must admit that this is my gut instinct, but I wish the OP well and hope I am wrong and they simply had an inexplicable off day, or let an apprentice or someone like that work on the sleeves initially....

Hope springs eternal, anyway.

 

[clintonf]

I'm not sure whether this is possible, but if you are going to (or already have) request sleeve from Tom Ford (or Zegna) and you are REALLY concerned about the possible issues that you would have, would you consider enquiring with Tom Ford if you could send the suit to one of their approved tailors (if such things exists).

I have absolutely no idea of whether this can be done or whether the costs of this will make it prohibitive. But if it were me, I would tell my "Story" to someone from T.F. and throw myself on their "mercy".

Just a thought.

 

[clintonf]

...
I would say just forget about this dud of an alterationist and arrange to have your jacket sent back to its maker in Italy for setting in sleeves. Alternatively, try to find a real coatmaker in your city, someone who makes coats for a living.

Sorry just read this. ^^This.

 

[Quarks]

Thanks for the condolences guys.

The first tailor ruined the buttonholes.
The second tailor (more experienced than the 1st - apparently- does bespoke suits) could not re-correct the buttonholes for me as it was beyond repair, and he will be re-attaching the sleeves for me.
I will be meeting up with him, hopefully conveying across how roped I want the shoulders to be. I'll be bringing my other Tom Ford suit jacket to let him have an idea. That won't happen for another 6-8 weeks so I have a chance to back out.

The other option is to bring it to Tom Ford (Hong Kong). They have done buttonholes for my brother's TF sports coat with brilliant results.
And they may be able to do a better job at re-attaching the sleeves with the better consistency. Who knows. I will have to call them & ask them directly. I was told by a TF representative that if you have bought a suit unfinished from TF, you can bring it to any TF store around the world to have them fixed at no extra charge. Obviously, my case is unique so I would have to speak to them.

The store has been great at handling this so far. They acknowledged the poor workmanship when I pointed out to them (however, did not mention anything when they called me in). Comparing it side by side with a finished TF jacket, the comparison is even more appalling. They are not asking to pay a single cent for the mistake their recommended tailor made. Everything they have offered me are at their expense. At this point anyways.

 

[Quarks]



I'm not sure whether this is possible, but if you are going to (or already have) request sleeve from Tom Ford (or Zegna) and you are REALLY concerned about the possible issues that you would have, would you consider enquiring with Tom Ford if you could send the suit to one of their approved tailors (if such things exists).

I have absolutely no idea of whether this can be done or whether the costs of this will make it prohibitive.  But if it were me, I would tell my "Story" to someone from T.F. and throw myself on their "mercy".

Just a thought.

I am contemplating emailing TF representative........ not sure if I should.

Why do you use the word "tailor"?
A tailor is someone who can make garments from a bolt of cloth, from scratch, to a very satisfactory standard (if not up to bespoke levels).
Someone who shortens jeans for a living is an alterationist.
An alterationist would have precisely 0.0% chance of fitting in coat sleeves. You need to do this several times a week to be in practice, it is one of the most complicated things in coatmaking.
I would say just forget about this dud of an alterationist and arrange to have your jacket sent back to its maker in Italy for setting in sleeves. Alternatively, try to find a real coatmaker in your city, someone who makes coats for a living.

Thanks. I will research & ask around if anyone is capable of doing it.

 

[JayJay]

I've had experience with having a sleeve replaced, and for the same reason. A few years back when the button holes were being cut on my sleeves, the person doing the alteration accidentally cut into both sides of the sleeve. The store was able to get a piece of the exact fabric, and have an experienced tailor replace the sleeve. I still have the suit, and the job was done so well that I don't even remember which sleeve was replaced.

 

[Quarks]

^^^^ May I ask where was it done?