The Anderson & Sheppard Expatriates Thread

[Bromley]

My guess is because of all of the different fabrics. It would be a pain to list all of the fabric makers, grades, weights, etc and price for each.

Would be easy enough to separate labor from materials in pricing, no? A lot of other industries deal with that type of thing and still manage to publish prices.

Not that this is a relatable situation (tailors will send a price list if you ask), but... a couple years ago I cut my hand and it was a borderline stitches scenario. I called the hospital and asked how much stitches would cost. They said they don't have specific prices for that kind of thing per se and couldn't give me an estimate. I actually checked reddit or some medical forum to see how much other people have paid for stitches to get an idea of the cost, kind of like people sometimes do here with tailoring. I ended up doing my own superglue thing, but healthcare might be the only product I consume where I don't really have an idea of the price ahead of time. Anyway, uninsured emergency room visits-- very ungentlemanly to discuss money in times like those.

 

[Mark from Plano]

Most (all?) tailors I know have a standard price list that covers many fabrics. They will then upcharge those prices to account for more expensive fabric or other choices. Rubinacci’s upcharge for their printed silk scarf linings used to be €500, for example. Not sure what it is today.

This includes Steed. They have a standard price list which, while not published, they will share with you by email if you ask.

 

[usctrojans31]

I also would not be surprised to see differential pricing based on customer history. A local client of 10 years is likely not paying the same as a first-time buyer at a trunk show, even if you account for the trunk show vs. local price difference.

 

[Texasmade]

I also would not be surprised to see differential pricing based on customer history. A local client of 10 years is likely not paying the same as a first-time buyer at a trunk show, even if you account for the trunk show vs. local price difference.

I wouldn't be surprised by this either. Local guy costs less to the tailor since there isn't any traveling involved and the local guy can get his clothes sooner which means better cash flow for the tailor instead of waiting for trunk shows for foreigners.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I also would not be surprised to see differential pricing based on customer history. A local client of 10 years is likely not paying the same as a first-time buyer at a trunk show, even if you account for the trunk show vs. local price difference.

This.

 

[rob]

The most practical reason for not publishing a price list is so that there is less chance wives find out about it. Imagine how much business tailors could lose.

Rob

 

[9thsymph]

The most practical reason for not publishing a price list is so that there is less chance wives find out about it. Imagine how much business tailors could lose.

Rob

THIS!

 

[Mark from Plano]

The most practical reason for not publishing a price list is so that there is less chance wives find out about it. Imagine how much business tailors could lose.

Rob

Truf. Although another practical solution to this is to get divorced. That’s what I did. Problem solved.

 

[dieworkwear]

My guess is because of all of the different fabrics. It would be a pain to list all of the fabric makers, grades, weights, etc and price for each.

Italian tailors list by CMT. Old school English tailors include the price of cloth in the listed price.

Not that this is a relatable situation (tailors will send a price list if you ask), but... a couple years ago I cut my hand and it was a borderline stitches scenario. I called the hospital and asked how much stitches would cost. They said they don't have specific prices for that kind of thing per se and couldn't give me an estimate. I actually checked reddit or some medical forum to see how much other people have paid for stitches to get an idea of the cost, kind of like people sometimes do here with tailoring. I ended up doing my own superglue thing, but healthcare might be the only product I consume where I don't really have an idea of the price ahead of time. Anyway, uninsured emergency room visits-- very ungentlemanly to discuss money in times like those.

Absolutely insane.

My father had a heart attack many years ago. Two, in fact. He was in Canada at the time and called the emergency line right away. Didn't know it was a heart attack until he actually arrived at the hospital. Given how cheap he is, I can imagine him waiting it out if he was in the US just because he'd be worried about the cost.

I also would not be surprised to see differential pricing based on customer history. A local client of 10 years is likely not paying the same as a first-time buyer at a trunk show, even if you account for the trunk show vs. local price difference.

This rarely happens. And when it does happen, it's usually some small Neapolitan shop.

 

[dieworkwear]

I would like to see a return of another gentlemanly norm: clients not paying tailors.

 

[takashi78]

There must a be a thread for that no?

 

[kolecho]

I would like to see a return of another gentlemanly norm: clients not paying tailors.

Happens more often than we think.

 

[Winot]

I don't know, but I've always thought it derives from the old gentleman norm of not talking about money.

This is certainly true of my London tailors. They do have a price list but on the rare occasion I have asked the price of something they open the book it’s in and gesture to it whilst simultaneously looking away with a pained and embarrassed expression.

 

[comrade]

God love the British! They created one of the great
commercial civilizations while simultaneously retaining a pre-modern aristocratic culture.

 

[dieworkwear]

gesture to it whilst simultaneously looking away with a pained and embarrassed expression.

I give all my tailors the Larry David eye stare when they tell me the price