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Options for first bespoke suit

patrickBOOTH

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Originally Posted by voxsartoria
Your degree of indecision suggests avoiding having custom clothes made up.

Moreover, listing Flusser, Mahon, Ralph Lauren, Brioni and Zegna seems a bit scatter shot to me. At 26, maybe you should wear RTW a bit longer and settle into your preferences first.


- B


+1 This seems like the most intelligent and responsible thing to do at this point.
 

Yale Cameron

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I think all this advice that "you are young, stupid, and inexperienced wear RTW" is really poppycock. I don't care how much RTW you try on or wear, it will not make you have a better understanding of bespoke. Besides that, it does not relaly help you understand style differenes. There isn't really any RTW that will make you say, ooo i like this it is like mahon or dege, or flusser etc etc. Heck, luciano barbera did not go through a 10 year process of RTW to discover his style before going bespoke. He had a suit made in his teens by a tailor and he wore it and discovered what he liked. Plus, I don't see how reponsible ever comes into it. I think that poster was speaking of financially responsible, but heck its your money and if you would like to try bespoke with it then go for it. I knwo that both myself and Mafoo both got a bespoke suit when we were young and we both ended up extremely happy. Educate yourself enough to feel happy about the chosen tailor and then go try it. There is enough information out there for you to make a choice. The experience is great fun, and its the experience that makes you learn anyhow. Plus, if you choose a good tailor, he will help guide you through the process. There are things I will change in my future bespoke suits. That being said, I love my first one dearly, and it stil llooks great even though I would not do a three button again and would do the trousers differently. Though, if I had waited Iwould have done the same thing, its only through doing the process that you really learn. That first one is an experience, I have nostalgia with that suit, and wil lnever get rid of it.
 

voxsartoria

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Originally Posted by Yale Cameron
I think all this advice that "you are young, stupid, and inexperienced wear RTW" is really poppycock. I don't care how much RTW you try on or wear, it will not make you have a better understanding of bespoke.

Similarly, I'm not sure that having an "understanding of bespoke" is necessary to wearing a bespoke garment well.

My point was not about understanding clothes, but allowing at age 26 for a bit more time to settle more closely on a personal style before choosing a tailor.

- B
 

voxsartoria

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Originally Posted by mafoofan
Boooooo!

laugh.gif
Except you, of course.


- B
 

academe

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Originally Posted by Yale Cameron
I think all this advice that "you are young, stupid, and inexperienced wear RTW" is really poppycock.

My comment wasn't age-orientated so much as suggesting that you should probably have a clear idea of why you would commission a bespoke garment. For example, I like the process, having a personal relationship with the artisan and really appreciate traditional craftsmanship... My interest extends beyond clothing towards fine art, pottery, carpentry, etc...
 

voxsartoria

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Originally Posted by academe
My comment wasn't age-orientated so much as suggesting that you should probably have a clear idea of why you would commission a bespoke garment. For example, I like the process, having a personal relationship with the artisan and really appreciate traditional craftsmanship... My interest extends beyond clothing towards fine art, pottery, carpentry, etc...

Exactly.


- B
 

Yale Cameron

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Originally Posted by academe
My comment wasn't age-orientated so much as suggesting that you should probably have a clear idea of why you would commission a bespoke garment. For example, I like the process, having a personal relationship with the artisan and really appreciate traditional craftsmanship... My interest extends beyond clothing towards fine art, pottery, carpentry, etc...

well I must say that I agree 100% with that. In fact, I owuld say that unless your interest is of that nature, bespoke is really probably not something people should necessarily do. It takes a lot of time and money, and the much of the reward is ethereal. I apologize if my comment came off as aggressive. I simply did not want to OP to think he was too young and experienced, and to be scared off of bespoke due to the previous comments. Plus, I think personal style is ever changing and waiting until having a rigid style is unnecessary. frankly, I find that going through the process of bespoke is actually the best way to filter through your style. Most rtw provides a style for you, whereas Bespoke forces one ot make the choices that really reveal the styl.e
 

voxsartoria

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Originally Posted by Yale Cameron
well I must say that I agree 100% with that. In fact, I owuld say that unless your interest is of that nature, bespoke is really probably not something people should necessarily do. It takes a lot of time and money, and the much of the reward is ethereal. I apologize if my comment came off as aggressive. I simply did not want to OP to think he was too young and experienced, and to be scared off of bespoke due to the previous comments. Plus, I think personal style is ever changing and waiting until having a rigid style is unnecessary. frankly, I find that going through the process of bespoke is actually the best way to filter through your style. Most rtw provides a style for you, whereas Bespoke forces one ot make the choices that really reveal the styl.e

There's a lot of truth in what you are saying as well.


- B
 

Despos

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IIRC, Mahon said he would no longer visit NY/USA after one or two more trips. This may hinder your hopes to have a suit by Mahon.
 

Panzeraxe II

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Originally Posted by Despos
IIRC, Mahon said he would no longer visit NY/USA after one or two more trips. This may hinder your hopes to have a suit by Mahon.

I don't remember him ever saying that. He once suspended new customers as his business was ramping up too quickly, but I believe even that has now been resolved.
 

Despos

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Believe he decided to not travel as much after he married
 

Manton

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Will says that decision has been reversed.
 

the goldsmith

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Originally Posted by academe
My comment wasn't age-orientated so much as suggesting that you should probably have a clear idea of why you would commission a bespoke garment. For example, I like the process, having a personal relationship with the artisan and really appreciate traditional craftsmanship... My interest extends beyond clothing towards fine art, pottery, carpentry, etc...

No offense taken, but thanks for the clarification. I still have a lot to learn, but at 26 I've definitely seen, owned, and tried many suits. With my income and taste in fine clothing accelerating, I figured it was high time I commissioned a garment. And I will definitely enjoy the experience... Probably the most important aspect of it for me.
 

GiltEdge

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Originally Posted by Yale Cameron
What is your budget? What kind of style are you looking for? FYI, Flusser is not a bespoke suit, it is really made to measure (this does not mean its a bad product, but it is nto the same thing. He is a stylist, not a tailor. Mahon would be cutting and fititng your suit. Flusser would not be cutting or tailoring anything himself. There are true bespoke tailors in NYC also, I use Leonard Logsdail. If you give an idea of your budget, may be easier to give recommendations.
Flusser does full bespoke on site, we recently had someone that wanted some very outrageous requests and we are meeting his requests and making him some very unique pieces that are very much outside out "house" cut.

Originally Posted by the goldsmith
Thanks for the responses.

I was under the impression Flusser does offer a true bespoke in addition to MTM, which is an upgraded Southwick suit.

As for my budget... I would spend up to $4,500. I'd prefer to keep it at $4,000.


Flusser bespoke is not always at $4,500. I have seen many suits that are below that price. You need to remember the fabric companies have sales just like RTW stores would on clothing. I got some books that I know just went on sale for the month. Also with the MTM, it is by Southwick but we do major alterations and really are able to make the suit very much personalized.

Originally Posted by J. Cogburn
Not so. Flusser's shop does both full bespoke and made-to-measure. Alan Flusser, as you say, is not a tailor, but I've met the tailor (cutter) in his employ - a very pleasant eastern European fellow who's name escapes me at the moment - and I've chatted with him while he was drawing patterns in Flusser's shop.

I say go with Flusser for several reasons. First, he's local, thus, more convenient. Second, you get the opportunity to build a long-term relationship with his shop if you have many more such suits in mind, all of which can be delivered in a fraction of the time that might otherwise be the case if you work with Mahon. But most importantly, third, it's high time somebody posted pics around here of a fully-bespoke Flusser suit! There seem to be far more opinions about Flusser's work than there are informed opinions ... and while a pic on the foum does not provide enough good information to judge, I would love to hear your take on the process and final product.

I was going to go this route myself this summer but, alas, the finances will not allow it. Having lost 60 pounds since February, I have to replace my entire wardrobe which means there's no room for the big, expensive bespoke suit in the near future ... hence, I must live through you!


Mark V. I have photos, from my own and from the shop. I can post them soon.
 

GiltEdge

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I might add the Southwick suit comes with all the handmade bells and whistles just like any bespoke suit. Logsdail by the way now produces his stuff in a factory in Louisiana. He sends the patterns there and they make them and send it back to NYC. I think that is more overpriced MTM than bespoke.
 

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