The StyleForum Working Hierarchical Suit Quality List (SFWHSQL!)

[jiredell]

What do you mean? There are quite literally thousands of places one might order a MTM suit.

 

[Patrick1053]

What do you mean? There are quite literally thousands of places one might order a MTM suit.

Well almost all of them are closed right now. I am mostly trying to get feedback on Blacklapel, because I could not find a thread for them.

 

[jiredell]

Well almost all of them are closed right now. I am mostly trying to get feedback on Blacklapel, because I could not find a thread for them.

I see. Is it necessary to get a MTM suit in the next few months? You might just wait until things get somewhat closer to "normal," so that you can get what you want. Unfortunately, I have zero experience with any online MTM company, but most of what I've read has not been flattering, to say the least. If I was going to do it, I think I'd go with Suitsupply's MTM program.

 

[Patrick1053]

I see. Is it necessary to get a MTM suit in the next few months? You might just wait until things get somewhat closer to "normal," so that you can get what you want. Unfortunately, I have zero experience with any online MTM company, but most of what I've read has not been flattering, to say the least. If I was going to do it, I think I'd go with Suitsupply's MTM program.

Thanks, unfortunately, I will need it sooner. I have seen some of the bad reviews about online MTM. it is definitely hit or miss.

 

[jiredell]

I'd say that--unless you have an exceptionally difficult-to-fit build from the get-go--if you have a good alterations tailor, you might as well go off the rack and have the suit altered to fit you.

 

[Stilig]

A couple of days ago I received a vintage Ralph Lauren Purple Label suit I bought off Ebay. It's probably at least 10-15 years old and made by Chester Barrie. I must say I'm amazed at the quality. At first I figured it was mostly machine made. When looking closer I realized that most of the seams were actually made up of very neat hand stitches. If definitely feels as nice as, if not better than, my pieces from some very good Italian makers.

The cut is somewhat dated, with trousers that are a bit too wide, and it has a very strong shoulder that I'm actually quite fond of. Although it's completely unaltered, it looks almost like a bespoke piece off Savile Row. Despite my rather difficult physique.

Does anyone know what years Chester Barrie made suits for Ralph Lauren? And could these labels perhaps help date it more accurately?

 

[DrewMill]

best down:
Zegna
Samuelsohn
BB 1818 = Burberry London.

I would wear Brooks Brothers all the time if their lapels weren't so thin on the higher chest sizes.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

A couple of days ago I received a vintage Ralph Lauren Purple Label suit I bought off Ebay. It's probably at least 10-15 years old and made by Chester Barrie. I must say I'm amazed at the quality. At first I figured it was mostly machine made. When looking closer I realized that most of the seams were actually made up of very neat hand stitches. If definitely feels as nice as, if not better than, my pieces from some very good Italian makers.

The cut is somewhat dated, with trousers that are a bit too wide, and it has a very strong shoulder that I'm actually quite fond of. Although it's completely unaltered, it looks almost like a bespoke piece off Savile Row. Despite my rather difficult physique.

Does anyone know what years Chester Barrie made suits for Ralph Lauren? And could these labels perhaps help date it more accurately?


View attachment 1402359

View attachment 1402360

I believe it was through the early 2000's, but I may be wrong. After that they started to be made in Italy by St. Andrews.

 

[noobanker]

I would wear Brooks Brothers all the time if their lapels weren't so thin on the higher chest sizes.

Dont we all hate skinny lapels.

 

[Gekko Sr]

The suit hierarchy needs a refresh to be in line with 2020. This decade it is impossible to talk suit quality without including bespoke. To simplify a complicated process the pinnacle of the hierarchy by category/region is listed below. Tailors associated with Savile Row are further broken out by what the tailoring premises excels in.

------------

SAVILE ROW BESPOKE
H. Huntsman: Single Breasted One Button /or/ Tweed Hunting Apparel /or/ Tails [White Tie, Morning Dress etc.]
Henry Poole: Single Breasted Two and Three Button /or/ Black Tie
Anderson & Sheppard: Double Breasted

PARISIAN BESPOKE
Cifonelli

MILANESE BESPOKE
A. Caraceni

NEAPOLITAN BESPOKE
Mariano Rubinacci

FLORENTINE BESPOKE
Liverano & Liverano

READY TO WEAR
Cesare Attolini

------------
*Numerous top tier tailors were omitted as the intent of this list is to highlight the single leading tailor within a particular category or region

**Opinion is based upon extensive personal experience at the tailoring premises listed above as well as involvement with dozens of other entities not listed

 

[jiredell]

This is the question I raised earlier in this thread. Currently, on the Google spread sheet, the only primarily bespoke maker that I see listed is Caraceni (but it doesn’t denote which Caraceni it’s referring to). So it begs the question as to why that one maker is listed there when all of the others are primarily OTR makers, or offer MTM.

I don’t think it makes practical sense to include bespoke tailors in the same list as OTR. There’s simply no comparison. Also, my feeling is that for most people bespoke from say Cifoneli or Camps de Luca is simply not a reality. When you factor in a starting price for a bespoke suit at around $6,500 + travel + accommodations for 3 or more separate fittings, you’re easily looking at 10 grand for a suit. Some of the bespoke makers you mention above did trunk shows in the pre-Covid world (don’t know how that’s going to work going forward in the next few years), and that at least cuts down on travel, but one’s also still looking at a year out or more for receipt of the final product. And there’s no telling how many unsung regional tailors there are who can offer excellent bespoke suiting for a fraction of the price of one of the tailors frequently mentioned in online sartorial blogs or in magazine such as The Rake. And I’m not really sure if/how one can really compare bespoke suiting in terms of quality from tailoring house to tailoring house. Sure there are standards of quality that one can look at, but with each different house style, the experience of the cutter, the physique of the individual, etcetera, it just feels like you’d be comparing in such a way that it would only make sense to compare and contrast an individual suit to another. And that would really only be useful to the customer for whom the suits were made.

For these reasons it seems only reasonable to have a separate list that considers OTR suiting. Probably a 3rd list for MTM. Most people are readily able to and are going to buy OTR suits, and there’s a big and easily identifiable qualitative difference between Attolini and something someone finds at Mens Wearhouse.

 

[RapFan]

I'm sorry but SuitSupply is not at the level of Zegna, Canali and Corneliani. I have extensive experience handling those three and they are definitely a notch or 2 above.

SuitSupply is interesting and definitely a great bang for buck but theydo not stack up to those 3 brands. Not RTW vs RTW and especially not MTM vs MTM

 

[jazerad]

I dont know who updates the list but here is some information about the brands posted without info. Feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken.

Andrea Campagna - Full Canvas, hand sewn buttonholes as well as hand padded lapel.

Banana Republic - many lines from fused to full canvas on some of their monogram pieces with nice fabrics

Barneys - Two lines one full canvas by caruso to their midrange standard and one by Flannel Bay, Joseph Abboud And S Cohen fused and half canvas

Bottega Veneta - two lines one is full canvas with some hand finished details one is half canvassed.

Burberry - two lines one half canvassed one full with some handwork. website is forthcoming about construction methods.

Domenico Vacca - From fused with terrible Material to full canvas with hand work from the likes of partenopia, belvest and Davenza

Donna Karan - full canvas either by Greenfield or cantarelli

Eleventy- very lightweight some interesting fabrics all the pieces I've handled including the platinum line is fused unless it was a deconstructed jacket.

Gieves & Hawkes - Half Canvas with some interesting Fabrics (there is a "Gieves" line which is full canvas with some handwork)

Jil Sander - Full Canvas but very "Fashiony" completely closed really long sleeves

Kroon - cool fabrics fused

Lanvin - two lines one by PZ half Canvas And one by caruso full canvas with some handwork

Michelangelo - Half Canvas, Fabrics were nothing special IMHO

Piombo - Lardini made nice fabrics really lightweight jackets

Prada - Silver Label Half canvassed by cantarelli Black label full canvas belvest

Riviera - I have seen really nice suit by isaia for this company but all that I ordered from yoox had poor material and heavy fusing.

Roda - From fused to full Canvas By Flannel Bay , Boglioli And Gaiola

Thom Sweeney - full canvas with some handwork (Scuderi, China) Not familiar with bespoke

Valentino Tailoring - Beautiful Fabrics Full Canvas Lots of Handwork ( Same Factory as the new Luciano Barbera Sartoriale). Very "Fashiony" the ones i tried had short jacket length with really long sleeves and functioning buttonholes.

 

[coloRLOw]

I dont know who updates the list but here is some information about the brands posted without info. Feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken.

Andrea Campagna - Full Canvas, hand sewn buttonholes as well as hand padded lapel.

Banana Republic - many lines from fused to full canvas on some of their monogram pieces with nice fabrics

Barneys - Two lines one full canvas by caruso to their midrange standard and one by Flannel Bay, Joseph Abboud And S Cohen fused and half canvas

Bottega Veneta - two lines one is full canvas with some hand finished details one is half canvassed.

Burberry - two lines one half canvassed one full with some handwork. website is forthcoming about construction methods.

Domenico Vacca - From fused with terrible Material to full canvas with hand work from the likes of partenopia, belvest and Davenza

Donna Karan - full canvas either by Greenfield or cantarelli

Eleventy- very lightweight some interesting fabrics all the pieces I've handled including the platinum line is fused unless it was a deconstructed jacket.

Gieves & Hawkes - Half Canvas with some interesting Fabrics (there is a "Gieves" line which is full canvas with some handwork)

Jil Sander - Full Canvas but very "Fashiony" completely closed really long sleeves

Kroon - cool fabrics fused

Lanvin - two lines one by PZ half Canvas And one by caruso full canvas with some handwork

Michelangelo - Half Canvas, Fabrics were nothing special IMHO

Piombo - Lardini made nice fabrics really lightweight jackets

Prada - Silver Label Half canvassed by cantarelli Black label full canvas belvest

Riviera - I have seen really nice suit by isaia for this company but all that I ordered from yoox had poor material and heavy fusing.

Roda - From fused to full Canvas By Flannel Bay , Boglioli And Gaiola

Thom Sweeney - full canvas with some handwork (Scuderi, China) Not familiar with bespoke

Valentino Tailoring - Beautiful Fabrics Full Canvas Lots of Handwork ( Same Factory as the new Luciano Barbera Sartoriale). Very "Fashiony" the ones i tried had short jacket length with really long sleeves and functioning buttonholes.

i dont handle many Andrea Campagna, but think it is interesting and great quality for what i see.

they not only hand stitch the lapel, but also the collar.

i once see one coat that specially made a ‘window' to show the inner hand stitch.
is it common on a campagna coat?

 

[jazerad]

i dont handle many Andrea Campagna, but think it is interesting and great quality for what i see.

they not only hand stitch the lapel, but also the collar.

i once see one coat that specially made a ‘window' to show the inner hand stitch.
is it common on a campagna coat?
View attachment 1423676
View attachment 1423672

Wow that's pretty interesting. I don't remember seeing something like that