New suit.

[FCS]

Quote:

(MilanoStyle @ Mar. 06 2005,08:34) How much is this costing you in $US? From the pic, it looks fantastic.
Thanks for the compliments. It cost $1,200 US. It's made of the top-grade domestic fabric which is in fact very good; SK has a good textile industry which is unfortunately losing ground to the Chinese. I'm afraid of having my trousers cut wider. I think that would make me look even shorter. Anyways, tomorrow I'll discuss the alternatives with the tailor.
Alias, $1,200 for your new suit? I thought you once mentioned that you won't pay more than $500 for one?

 

[uriahheep]

I think that the shirt's sleeve length looks good. The best solution may be to make the cuffs of the jacket sleeves slightly smaller.

 

[gorgekko]

I think the shirt's sleeve length is fine...judging by that first photo it hits in that spot between the wrist bones and the top of the bone that leads to your thumb. If my perception is correct, that means the coat sleeve length is about half an inch too short.

 

[alchimiste]

I agree that the shirt sleeves look fine but the jacket sleeves look short.

Alias, did you specifically ask for such short sleeves or did they just turn out this way?

 

[uriahheep]

 

[T4phage]

What a wonderful suit Alias. Excellent collaboration between you and your artisan. I find the cut and silhouette timeless and elegant. The placement of the buttoning point is perfect and accentuates the vertical - from the pictures one wouldn't guess that you are 5'4. Although the sleeve could be lengthened a touch....

 

[Alias]

I agree that the shirt sleeves look fine but the jacket sleeves look short.

Alias, did you specifically ask for such short sleeves or did they just turn out this way?

I asked for them this way.

Another long story short: First jacket had sleeves too long, I hated the look since it made me look stumpy. Mr. Min was gracious enough to recut the whole jacket (a complete surprise.) and the sleeves are now the way they are. In actuality, the suit sleeve ends right at that bony stub on my wrist. I think with my other shirts the cuff would peek out maybe 3/4"; I do this because my arms are kind of long, and I feel it helps with proportion.

But I totally agree that there's too much shirt showing past the sleeves, hlauhgluhluhagh.

FCS: Yeah yeah yeah, no more than $500. But this was an experiment, and it has paid off very well.

 

[Sevcom]

Fair enough, Mike C. I guess not all slim suits are cut the same. I'd like to see pics of your RLBL suit.

 

[Alias]

Fair enough, Mike C. I guess not all slim suits are cut the same. I'd like to see pics of your RLBL suit.

From what I can tell off the GQ article, the RLBL suits have low button positions and are much tighter around the waist. My jacket has higher buttons and isn't that tight.

 

[Count Basie]

Alias,
I was holding off until my trip to Hong Kong for a bespoke at Chan's but after seeing your gorgeous suit I'm heavily contemplating going to Min's myself. What would you suggest? Also, did you communicate with him in Korean or in English? Albeit my Korean is very good, I think there would be some intricate details that I would only be able to articulate in English. Again, what a gorgeous suit. Thanks for all the info.

 

[Alias]

Since my Korean is horrible (that's what happens when you're raised among English-speakers) I had to communicate everything in English. Still, it's amazing how he managed to get most everything right. Since your Korean is better than mine, you won't have anything to worry about.

I think he'll get the new English and Italian fabrics next week, but his swatch books aren't plentiful. Most of the variety comes from the domestic Cheil-made stuff, which isn't bad at all, in addition to whatever bolts he has lying around, ranging from Zegna to VBC. I think he had a Wain Shiell book, but I wasn't too interested in what I saw in it. (Purple diagonal pinstripes? No thanks.)

Edit: In contrast, Zenith in the arcade has lots and lots and lots of fabric. Hell, they even have the new Zegna book already, with Trofeo and Solaro and whatever else. They also carry Holland & Sherry. They used to carry VBC, but I don't know if they're still in the Korean market anymore. Still, I have a feeling that Zenith charges more for rent than worksmanship: the shop is pretty large. I think Min's gives a better value, especially when he's willing to give you a suit made of Zegna fabric for $1,200-1,300 instead of Zenith's $1,800-2,000 (and that's with stuff on the shelves in bolts, not from the swatch books.) But if you're really aching for that cashmere/bamboo jacket, Zenith is the way to go. The tailor is a very nice young man who isn't afraid to tell you what's unreasonably expensive and what isn't. In contrast, the store's proprietor seems dead-set on offering the biggest $$$ they have.