Ongoing Bespoke Projects

[classicalthunde]

I have stuff from Solito, NSM, and a suit on the way from I Sarti Italiani. I don't have the Sarti suit yet, but I liked how it looked at the final fitting. One sleeve cuff just needs to be let out. The rest looked good to me.

NSM uses different cutters, so it's hard to characterize their work, as it depends on the cutter. Solito does nice work, but he uses very little padding in the shoulder, so you have to deal with the usual narrow shoulder issue. I think Sarti is more flexible. If you're looking for something a little fuller, Sarti might be a better option. I haven't worn the suit they made for me yet, but I have been thinking about putting a semi-big order on their next trip.

Of the three I've used so far, I think I like Sarti the best, then Solito. NSM is a bit too inconsistent, in my experience, although Mina is a very nice person.



I think they're a little more expensive than €1000 for a suit. I paid a little over $2,000 for mine and I used cotton. But they're more affordable than most.

Thanks for the info, I Sarti is the one I was actually planning on seeing when I dreamed up the idea of a couple of Neapolitan-style sport coats, but I figured I would do my due diligence and see what other options people on the forum have used before.

I'm a big guy and definitely want something a bit fuller, I basically want to to find someone in NYC who can come close to recreating the style of the grey Ciardi suit Crompton wrote about on PS a while back.

edit: Also, thanks for the pic, I'm going to use that to describe how I want my Ivy-style cuffs going forward!

 

[Bespoke DJP]

Dear @Crispyj,

You are very welcome.

OK, I shall hold my truth!

As far as Zegna fabrics are concerned, I do know a thing or two, there are certain members here, however, having a far more broad knowledge on fabrics; should they be generous enough to share it, it will be great!

Cheers,

Dimitris

 

[bry2000]

Well, my dear @Crispyj,

Your jacket was / is not in "a" Zegna fabric, this is 14Milmil14: its wool composition is 14 microns / S' 180 + linen, silk, cashmere, all at the EZ quality!

Mind you that when the price will be forgotten, the pleasure of the garments will still be there!

Enjoy them in health!

Dimitris

I saw this particular cloth. Very luxurious and it made up very well.

 

[WillingToLearn]

I am a regular with NSM and have had a very consistent outcome.

I recently started using Cerrato for trousers and he is a touch (and only a touch, i would use NSM if i were doing a suit with Mina) better.

I recently commissioned a suit from Prologue and they were due to return about now but obviously are on hold. I'll plan to commission something from anthology this summer as i like the quasi-florentine cut/look (sort of like Prologue too).

My Formosa bespoke (1 SC, 1 suit) was a fail. I had to have another U.S. tailor fix the suit jacket to make it wearable and the SC is in the luxeswap pile i am accumulating.

 

[lordsuperb]

I am a regular with NSM and have had a very consistent outcome.

I recently started using Cerrato for trousers and he is a touch (and only a touch, i would use NSM if i were doing a suit with Mina) better.

I recently commissioned a suit from Prologue and they were due to return about now but obviously are on hold. I'll plan to commission something from anthology this summer as i like the quasi-florentine cut/look (sort of like Prologue too).

My Formosa bespoke (1 SC, 1 suit) was a fail. I had to have another U.S. tailor fix the suit jacket to make it wearable and the SC is in the luxeswap pile i am accumulating.

What was wrong with the SC?

 

[WillingToLearn]

shoulder didn't lie flat and the lapel was cut too short/tight to the button point, so it didn't roll properly and looked funny when buttoned. it rolled past the button point, even when buttoned. I didn't really understand all of that until the tailor I was working with saw me wearing it and generously offered to try to fix it (he wasn't sure he could until he opened the jacket up). He fixed it and I wear it now.

 

[bry2000]

Was this Formosa bespoke or MTM? Did Formosa not recognize any of the problems and offer to correct?

 

[lordsuperb]

shoulder didn't lie flat and the lapel was cut too short/tight to the button point, so it didn't roll properly and looked funny when buttoned. it rolled past the button point, even when buttoned. I didn't really understand all of that until the tailor I was working with saw me wearing it and generously offered to try to fix it (he wasn't sure he could until he opened the jacket up). He fixed it and I wear it now.

Mmmm, those Neapolitan tailors are a tricky bunch, but then again so are the english. My first two jackets from Formosa were spot on but the mistakes started occurring with the next two iterations. I've had to make numerous trips to NYC to get them fixed but in the end he was able to fix the problem. Had the opposite encounter with Steed. My first two jackets were off and had to be sent back and forth for corrections. After 5 years of back and forth the jackets were spot on. All of those tailors get it wrong.

If you find someone who does good work for you stick with them.

 

[WillingToLearn]

Was this Formosa bespoke or MTM? Did Formosa not recognize any of the problems and offer to correct?

Bespoke, and no

 

[WillingToLearn]

If you find someone who does good work for you stick with them.

 

[bry2000]

Bespoke, and no

Very disappointing to hear. Conversely, years ago, I had an issue with a bespoke jacket from Mina and she did the right thing.

 

[lordsuperb]

Bespoke, and no

I started to realize why people pay a premium for rubinacci when it comes to neapolitan tailoring.

 

[Texasmade]

I started to realize why people pay a premium for rubinacci when it comes to neapolitan tailoring.

That's why I always worried about the traveling Italian tailors. I'm sure they do great work but if there are problems, you're sort of SOL. I'm sure it's much different if you live in Italy and you can easily get to the sartoria.

 

[Fantastic Mr Foxx]

Bespoke, and no

I also had the same experience with Formosa about 6 years ago. I had a 3-piece suit made by him, and the results were very bad. The suit jacket didn’t fit at all and the trousers were very tight in the crotch area. When I pointed this out, he didn’t bother to offer to correct the mistakes. Needless to say, I never commissioned anything from him again afterwards.

I have commissioned and continue to commission garments from Neapolitan tailors, woth good results.

 

[dieworkwear]

I've also seen bad work from Rubinacci. Coats where the vent flared. Double-breasted suits that weren't cut to the best proportions. Droopy shoulders (although, maybe that's by design).

Saw a Paone coat that he cut when he was independent that looked not-so-great.

I ordered four coats from NSM and only two fit well. Maybe eight pairs of trousers -- 2 in one order, which fit well, and then 6 pairs in another order, which fit poorly. By the time the 6 pairs were delivered, they canceled their trips to San Francisco. I paid about $600 to get the six pairs fixed by another tailor. The two ill-fitting coats were donated. They couldn't be fixed.

Ordered a coat from A&S. Fit very poorly.

In shoemaking, my Cleverleys were the worst shoes I've seen. Worse than Ecco.

I think this is just part of the process with bespoke.

That said, I haven't ordered RTW tailoring in many years. I think if you go into this with reasonable expectations, and you're OK with some commissions going awry (and you're comfortable eating the cost), the process and resulting products can be very rewarding.