Show us your Chan

[JLibourel]



Very nice. I like and will be using as reference.
Separate question, does one normally attend these hotel fittings alone, or would it not be unusual to bring along a lady friend, for example, as a second set of eyes?

Given Chan's increased prices these days, the very last person I would want accompanying me would be my wife! You are aware, aren't you, that their women's tailor, Danny Chen is part of their touring team? Perhaps if you feel munificent, you could treat your lady friend to some of Chan's fine tailoring.

 

[add911_11]



My wife has come with me before, and I've seen other men with their wives/girlfriends.

Nothing personal, but I have only see clients accompanied by white females. How come?

Please don't go to Chan for women's tailoring, they don't know how to cut a women's coat in accordance to the different paper pattern system, women's system are much much more complicated.

BTW, I think average husband will faints on the price of women's handbags, men's tailoring in comparison is cheap.

 

[johanm]



Well, I note that the quarters on your jacket end a couple of inches above your crotch. I have had Chan make me 17 jackets and six suits, starting with their November 2004 tour and most recently after their July 2012 tour, and on all of these the quarters ended several inches (about 3 or 4) below my crotch. I realize that the cut of your jacket is more in line with current fashions and am just wondering whether you specified a shorter jacket or this is going to be Chan's standard tailoring for the present.

The photo is misleading - the lowest point of the jacket front is level with my crotch (i.e. the point where the trouser inseams meet, covered by a shadow in the photo) or maybe a 1/2 inch below. On my first Chan jacket it was probably an inch below that, but along the way I had them shorten the pattern.

 

[Mr. Pink]



Check out the latest 15 pages. Mostly Liverano and their Italian stuff. A couple of Chans, but these days, on their blog, their Italian suits dominate.

They probably still wear Chan, but if the pictures on their blog are anything to go by, it seems they wear less of Chan than their Italian stuff. But who knows.

http://thearmoury.tumblr.com/

Yes, but whenever they are wearing Chan, it seems to be a DB. Also, wasn't referring to the Armoury blog but to http://ethandesu.com/ and http://lnsee.tumblr.com/ I don't think I've ever looked at the Armoury blog though there's clearly lots of overlap.

 

[JLibourel]

^^Reassuring to know that you had them shorten the pattern. Kind of figured that might be the case.

 

[dan'l]



Check out the latest 15 pages. Mostly Liverano and their Italian stuff. A couple of Chans, but these days, on their blog, their Italian suits dominate.

I guess one could say it is more half-half, since Alan's DB coat is from WW Chan and his trousers are from Ambrosi.

Back to my original point. I'm considering getting a DB coat commissioned from WW Chan. But I'm a Chan "virgin." Is it a bad idea for a first time order? Am I safer sticking with SB?

 

[johanm]

I personally wouldn't get a DB from Chan, esp not as a first order. I don't think the Armoury ones look very good either - shoulders too straight, wrap too wide, overall too stodgy looking for a DB that I would want to wear. I think NSM does a better DB for a traveling tailor.

 

[bboysdontcryy]

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with straight shoulders? Am trying to wrap my head ard why some ppl dislike them. Is there a reason?

 

[johanm]



Out of curiosity, what's wrong with straight shoulders? Am trying to wrap my head ard why some ppl dislike them. Is there a reason?

I think they look stiff and conservative, and also find shoulder pads to feel awkward/uncomfortable. JMHO, a lot of people like straight shoulders, just a personal taste thing.

 

[add911_11]



I think they look stiff and conservative, and also find shoulder pads to feel awkward/uncomfortable. JMHO, a lot of people like straight shoulders, just a personal taste thing.

Those who thinks shoulder pads are uncomfortable are either ignorant, iGent or doesn't know his body well. In fact, some of the best tailors around the world make use of shoulder pads. There are more tailors other than your generic Italian soft tailors.

 

[johanm]



Those who thinks shoulder pads are uncomfortable are either ignorant, iGent or doesn't know his body well. In fact, some of the best tailors around the world make use of shoulder pads. There are more tailors other than your generic Italian soft tailors.

I just personally don't like shoulder pads. Not saying that wearing them is painful or anything, but just find unpadded jackets to be lighter and more comfortable in the shoulder area. YMMV.

 

[dan'l]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Pic of a new Chan suit jacket, just delivered:

The pattern is the same as the suits I posted earlier in this thread, except I requested the waist be nipped about 1/2 inch on both sides. Also lost some weight but left the shoulder measurement intact, so this is an example of slight "extension" on completely unpadded shoulders. Fabric is Lesser 13 oz navy.

The shoulders on your coat look good and I thought they would pair nicely with a DB.

I'll be having my fittings in HK, so I thought I would have more control over how it all turns out. With that being said, I've never had a bespoke DB coat made before. But there's a first time for everything!

 

[add911_11]



I just personally don't like shoulder pads. Not saying that wearing them is painful or anything, but just find unpadded jackets to be lighter and more comfortable in the shoulder area. YMMV.

It is lighter and more comfortable? for a well made coat that fits you, weight should equally applied on the shoulders. It should never 'feel' heavy even with the 20oz+ stuff.

 

[johanm]



It is lighter and more comfortable? for a well made coat that fits you, weight should equally applied on the shoulders. It should never 'feel' heavy even with the 20oz+ stuff.

Don't want to get bogged down in theory, but I have worn many jackets with and without pads and can tell the difference between a jacket shoulder made from only cloth and a jacket shoulder with padding. I prefer the former because it feels lighter and more flexible. Just my personal impression. Feel free to dismiss as placebo effect or lack of experience with properly tailored padded jackets or whatever.

 

[johanm]



The shoulders on your coat look good and I thought they would pair nicely with a DB.

I'll be having my fittings in HK, so I thought I would have more control over how it all turns out. With that being said, I've never had a bespoke DB coat made before. But there's a first time for everything!

Best of luck. In addition to shoulders, I would have a sense of what you want for length and button config as I've seen varying results from Chan on those parameters.

Just one general note in praise of Chan: they are extremely consistent. I've ordered 9 jackets on my current pattern, never with fittings, and with one small exception all are spot on identical in all key aspects - front/back balance, shoulder line and width, sleeve pitch, chest shape, waist suppression, lapels, length, quarters, and buttoning point. The one exception is a light grey suit I ordered that has slightly more closed quarters than the others. Whatever method they use for patterning/cutting is remarkably precise. I've been tempted to try out other tailors but can't be bothered with the hassle of the tailoring process. I've assembled a pretty good collection of cloth swatches at home, so ordering a new suit is as simple as emailing them a cloth number, specifying lining and button colors, confirming credit card details, and waiting 2 months.