The StyleForum Working Hierarchical Suit Quality List (SFWHSQL!)

[Archimedes]

Does anyone have any experience with Tombolini suits? They are in the $1k - $2k+ range so some of them should at least be full-canvased I suppose...

 

[othertravel]



Does anyone have any experience with Tombolini suits? They are in the $1k - $2k+ range so some of them should at least be full-canvased I suppose...

I think they're generally half canvassed or fused.

 

[Archimedes]



I think they're generally half canvassed or fused.

Even the ones at $2'500+?! Talk about value for money...

 

[othertravel]



Even the ones at $2'500+?! Talk about value for money...

I've never seen the ones at that price. They could be fully canvassed at that price.

 

[chickendinner]

In my handling of them, I'd say they fall right on the edge of ☆☆ and ☆☆☆. They're either towards the top of the Satisfactory category or at the bottom of the Good category, depending on your persuasion. I've handled a friends suit for only a short time and it looked very solid and well done but if I'm looking at the standard of the ☆☆☆ category I'd put them at the top of the ☆☆ category but thats just me, the case could easily be made for them to be in the Good group.

Disclaimer: This list is intended to recommend suits that have been evaluated first hand by the SF community based on construction quality. Brands not on the list have either not been evaluated or do not meet the minimum requirements to be recommended at any budget level. The list does not include criteria for fit, as it is subjective and differs for each body type, nor does it offer criteria for fabric or styling. If you're brand new to buying a suit, consider the fit of a garment before any other factors.

Excellent [*****]
- Brioni
- Cesare Attolini Napoli
- Caraceni
- Kiton
- Luciano Barbera Sartoriale
- Luigi Borrelli
- Oxxford (Highest Quality)
- Sartoria Castangia
- St Andrew / Santandrea
- La Vera Sartoria Napoletana
- Zegna Couture/Tom Ford

Very Good[****] (IE: Few suits match the quality of the ones in this category.)

- Battistoni
- Belvest mainline
- Borrelli Luxury Vintage
- Canali Milano
- Corneliani Linea Sartoria
- D'Avenza
- Isaia
- Oxxford (1220)
- Pal Zileri Sartoriale (I think there is another line higher than Sartoriale: The custom made one--IIRC "Abito Privato"--has excellent quality)
- Ravazzolo
- Sartoria Partenopea
- Sartoria Attolini Napoli
- Raffaelle Caruso: Sartoria Parma
- RLPL
- Sartorio
- Stile Latino

Good[***] (IE: Quality is superior to most suits.)

- Brooks Brothers Black Fleece
- Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece
- Brunello Cucinelli (very nice fabrics)
- Canali mainline
- Canali Exclusive (higher end fabrics)
- Cantarelli mainline
- Corneliani mainline
- Dunhill
- Ermenegildo Zegna
- Faconnable Tailleur
- Hickey Freeman Mainline
- J. Press Pressidential (full canvas)
- Kei by Canali (full canvas, but very soft)
- Martin Greenfield for Gilt, BoO, FSC, & O&S (fully canvassed)
- Pal Zileri mainline
- Paul Smith mainline (fully canvassed)
- Paul Stuart
- Raffaelle Caruso mainline
- RLBL
- Robert Talbott (Made in USA by Martin Greenfield)
- Samuelsohn

Satisfactory [**] (IE: The "average" brands. Quality is acceptable.)

- Belvest Silver Label (half canvassed line)
- Boglioli (if you can find the half canvas ones; some fused)
- Boggi
- Brooks Brothers 1818 (half canvassed)
- Burberry Prorsum
- Cantarelli Tailor
- Charles Tyrwhitt
- CC Corneliani (half canvassed)
- Coppley (half canvassed)
- Etro (if you can find the half canvas ones; some fused)
- Giorgio Armani (Black Label)[/U] (alot of their pieces are fused)
- Gucci
- H. Freemann
- Hackett (half canvassed)
- Hugo Boss Selection[/U] half canvassed and some premium fabrics
- Hickey Freeman LTD (half canvassed)
- J. Press Presstige (half canvassed)
- Lardini (half canvassed)
- L.B.M. 1911
- Marks and Spencer (any of their "Pure Wool" collection)
- Paul Smith London (half canvassed)
- Piombo
- Polo Ralph Lauren (half canvassed, excellent fabric)
- Prada (half canvassed)
- Peter Millar
- Suit Supply (half canvassed)
- Valentino (half canvassed)

Mediocre[*] (Suits that are mediocre.)

- Armani Collezioni (fused)
- Calvin Klein Collection (now fused)
- Corneliani Trend (fused)
- Dolce & Gabbana
- Hickey (now fused and made in China)
- Hugo Boss (fused)
- J. Press mainline (fused; decent fabrics)
- J Crew Ludlow (fused)
- Joseph Abboud
- Pal Zileri Lab
- Versace Collection
- Z Zegna

noob question: how do you define construction quality? for me it's fabric, cut and fit. Luciano Barbera(5 stars) provides fabrics for Armani (1 star) and Ralph Lauren (2 stars). while Armani has many different cuts, most Armani suits fit me much better than Belvest (4 stars) suits. And Ermenegildo Zegna imo has even nicer fabrics and cuts.description says fabrics and fit are irrelevant so i'm totally confused. can someone enlighten me what's "construction quality"?? is it stitching?

and btw i own Armani Collezioni suit which is fully canvassed though the list says they're fused and i guess it's the main reason they're placed so low

 

[gambit50]

^^^I hope English is not your first language asking the question(and subsequent explanation of your own thought process) that you did.

 

[chickendinner]

it's not even my 2nd language.and your point is?..
you may respond in any other language if you know any..and have anything meaningful to say

 

[SirGrotius]



noob question: how do you define construction quality? for me it's fabric, cut and fit. Luciano Barbera(5 stars) provides fabrics for Armani (1 star) and Ralph Lauren (2 stars). while Armani has many different cuts, most Armani suits fit me much better than Belvest (4 stars) suits. And Ermenegildo Zegna imo has even nicer fabrics and cuts.description says fabrics and fit are irrelevant so i'm totally confused. can someone enlighten me what's "construction quality"?? is it stitching?  

and btw i own Armani Collezioni suit which is fully canvassed though the list says they're fused and i guess it's the main reason they're placed so low

Variables are multiple, but a few top of mind:

• Suit canvassing (has become something of an obsession)
• Country of origin
• Hand stitching vs. machine
• History of house
• I still think quality of fabrics plays a role

 

[dirnelli]

Here's another factor, as biaised as it may be: rigidity.

We often rate a stiff suit as poorly made and a supple suit as well-made. Canvassing itself is only one part of that equation, as I've handled fused suits that were more supple than some of their fully canvassed brethren, even though we like to think that a fully canvassed suit moves better on your body that a fused job.

So, my point comes back to country of origin: the italians make the most supple suits (whether canvassed or fused) and we tend to consider that they make the best suits also from the point of view of construction. No one else seems to make suits that feel so supple when worn. It's a bit of a sham, because italian needlework is sometimes so flimsy that the suit comes apart, yet we usually consider them to have the best construction because of how the suit feels when you wear it.

So the only conclusion we can draw about rating construction quality is: we tend to view as better made those suits that feel better when you wear them. So that can be quite subjective sometimes. We rarely celebrate the robust construction of an English suit, although objectively some may rightly consider them better constructed. Their armor-like stiffness makes us judge them not so well made, which is contradictory. Few on this forum will point to a 50 year old Savile Row bespoke job and laud how perfectly it has held up to wear. Instead we congratulate Kiton on making such a well made suit, and overlook the seams that pop 2 years on.

 

[letmefly]

I don't think I've ever had a seam pop on any of my suits...

 

[MZhammer]

noob question: how do you define construction quality? for me it's fabric, cut and fit. Luciano Barbera(5 stars) provides fabrics for Armani (1 star) and Ralph Lauren (2 stars). while Armani has many different cuts, most Armani suits fit me much better than Belvest (4 stars) suits. And Ermenegildo Zegna imo has even nicer fabrics and cuts.description says fabrics and fit are irrelevant so i'm totally confused. can someone enlighten me what's "construction quality"?? is it stitching?

and btw i own Armani Collezioni suit which is fully canvassed though the list says they're fused and i guess it's the main reason they're placed so low

Cut and fit should never play a role in evaluating "construction quality" - everyone has a different body shape so there isn't a way to categorically judge it. This isn't to say that fit isn't paramount when choosing a suit for yourself but it's not an objective market we can all agree on. Some of us like slim silhouettes, some like drape, some guys are bowling balls and some are beanpoles.

There are a select few AC that aren't fused but in my experience the majority are, who makes the canvassed one you have? Do you have a makers label?

 

[jaghetermattis]

I guess this is a little late to the party, but I got a suit from Ring Jacket today and based on the discussions criteria above I agree with Seamaster's 4 stars. I my opinion it's very good - freakn' excellent at the price point actually.

 

[dirnelli]

Where did you buy it? Japan? Online? Pray tell.

 

[clee1982]

it was on sale in Japan, I would love to pick them up as well

 

[jaghetermattis]

Dirnelli - online from a seller on rakuten actually. I also bought a RJ jacket from them a few months ago to try out the sizing and brand. I concur with the previous experience here on SF that they run about one size small. I typically am a 40/50 but chose 52 now, which fit me perfectly in chest and shoulder. Will perhaps take in the back slightly - don't find RJ to be overly slim.