Read this!

[banksmiranda]

A number of you have wanted to buy shirt fabric. Â Here's a source in Italy which weaves fabric in 60/2, 80/2 and 100/2 and has a minimum order of 2 meters with prices starting at 7 Euros per meter: http://www.paganini-fabrics.com Next, some of us wondered exactly what Gianni Campagna refers to as his "stay-flat lapel." Â I'm pretty sure I know exactly what it is now. Â I saw a St. Andrews suit today and noticed that under the lapel, on the chest portion of the suit, are two small darts. Â The bigger dart(~7.5 inches long) is placed just past and parallel to the last row of pad stitching. Â The second smaller dart(~1 inch long) is perpendicular to the large dart and placed approximately 2 inches below and parallel to the lapel buttonhole. Â These darts are there in addition to the standard visible darts on the front of the jacket. Today I visited Riddle-McIntyre, Chicago's only custom shirtmaker at this point. Â To clarify, the others simply take measures and farm the work out. Â Riddle-McIntyre actually does the work on site, or so I am told. Â Shortly after I walked in the proprietor, Frank Hee Kang, climbed up a ladder out of a small hole in the floor. Â Mr. Kang has owned Riddle-McIntyre for approximately 30 years. Â 90% of his fabrics are woven by the Swiss company Alumo. Â I think that, based on his fabric selection, the finished shirts on display, the fact that his own outfit was well-fitted and his prices(average = $185, 170s cotton = $255, 200s cotton = $325) are fairly reasonable, I would have to recommend Mr. Kang's Riddle-McIntyre. Syd Jerome has lots of stuff 50% off right now. Â This sale has been going on for a few weeks already and will go on for a couple more. Â I saw some Borrelli and Oxxford suits among the discounted items. Â One important reminder: it's "cash and carry." Â In other words, cash or check only, and no returns.

 

[VWpete]

Riddle is great. My great friend gets all his shirts done there. He's pushing two-dozen. Gorgeous. I need to try it when I get back to IL. Funny... I find a great custom shirt maker after I move to NYC.
Pete

 

[banksmiranda]

One more note: the darts I described above are not found on all St. Andrews suits.

 

[A Harris]

Banks, was it a Stefano Ricci (the SA suit)?

 

[banksmiranda]

A Harris, the suit I'm referrring to was actually a suit with only St. Andrews' own label sewn inside, not a private-label job.

 

[A Harris]

Interesting. You should see the suits that SA does for Ricci. They have lots of unique detailing, including what you describe.

 

[banksmiranda]

Can Ricci suits be found anywhere besides the company's boutiques in Beverly Hills or New York?

 

[banksmiranda]

I visited Ricci's Beverly Hills boutique in March 2003 but didn't pay particularly close attention to the suits. At a quick glance they did seem like well-made garments, though.

 

[A Harris]

Can Ricci suits be found anywhere besides the company's boutiques in Beverly Hills or New York?

I don't think so, but I'm not certain.

 

[banksmiranda]

Are all of Ricci's suits done by St. Andrews, or does D'Avenza do some as well?

 

[banksmiranda]

BTW, all the fabrics shown on the Mark Christopher site are by Acorn and Paganini. http://www.markchristophercustomshirts.com/fabric.htm