The Ultimate Toronto Thread

[KaleidoscopicK]

I can recommend many cobblers outside of Toronto. In my opinion, the ones in Toronto do inconsistent work or won't use materials I want.

Closest ones are Dimar in Guelph, and Fix em up in Barrie. I have reviews of them in separate threads.

If you're willing to ship, that really opens up things. If you want some more recommendations, let me know.

+1 for Fix em Up, even though I didn't end up getting any work done: one of my pairs that @suitforcourt helped me bring up last year needed the inner leather lining and stitching replaced, and Corey didn't recommend that I go through with it because he didn't have the right machinery (yet) to do an adequate job. (This would have been a $400-500 job, most likely.) He also told me that my pair of Alden captoes still had enough life on them and that I could hold off on a resole. I respect that kind of honesty and I'm definitely going to him once they truly need it.

Here's hoping that he'll establish a drop off spot somewhere in the GTA at some point, if only to make it easier for others to send stuff up to him.

 

[rob80bboots]

Yikes. Do you think the leather of the outsole might have something to do with it, or do you just put them through their paces?

Probably their paces..try to get in a minimum of 5k each day walking...might stretch to 10+ ...keep telling myself I should wear runners or something but just like weary my boots while walking. ?

 

[suitforcourt]

Probably their paces..try to get in a minimum of 5k each day walking...might stretch to 10+ ...keep telling myself I should wear runners or something but just like weary my boots while walking. ?

When it comes to leather outsole, I recommend a rubber sole protector for extra grip and to slow down wear. That way, you can simply replace the rubber piece when that wears out, and save the leather soles for a while. Recessed toe taps also help, in my experience.

 

[rob80bboots]

When it comes to leather outsole, I recommend a rubber sole protector....

Yep totally agree, covid sort of put up a barrier up on that front for awhile.
...my local cobbler more or less retired prior to my recently acquired appreciation of Northhampton boots and shoes.....

 

[Bersabee]

Does anyone have experience with Sydney's, more specifically with his MTM/"Contemporary Bespoke" stuff?

If you have any pictures of the end product it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Jamesbond1]

Does anyone have experience with Sydney's, more specifically with his MTM/"Contemporary Bespoke" stuff?

If you have any pictures of the end product it would be greatly appreciated!

MTM / Contemporary Bespoke? Can you please elaborate on this term? I am not sure how MTM and bespoke are or could be used in the same sentence.

 

[Bersabee]

MTM / Contemporary Bespoke? Can you please elaborate on this term? I am not sure how MTM and bespoke are or could be used in the same sentence.

From my understanding, his "contemporary bespoke" service is more MTM where he measures you and does the alterations but the suit is not made in-house and he doesn't create a pattern from scratch.

Just was wondering if anyone had any experiences with him, specifically with this service.

 

[Jamesbond1]

From my understanding, his "contemporary bespoke" service is more MTM where he measures you and does the alterations but the suit is not made in-house and he doesn't create a pattern from scratch.

Just was wondering if anyone had any experiences with him, specifically with this service.

He should not be using the term bespoke then as that service is not bespoke. I would not be comfortable dealing with a shop that is misleading to begin with. Hopefully someone here might be able to give you some insights on Sydney’s made to measure service.

 

[othertravel]

Harry Rosen Bloor offering full bespoke suits for as low as $2631. Fabric is limited at lower price range.

 

[Spex]

Does anyone have experience with Sydney's, more specifically with his MTM/"Contemporary Bespoke" stuff?

If you have any pictures of the end product it would be greatly appreciated!

Sydney’s seems to come up in “best of Toronto” lists, and I suppose their clientele have different tastes than SF members, but are most of their jackets this short? Seems like what I’d expect from somewhere ala International Clothiers. What am I missing here? (Ok, I’m sure that material and construction

Pewter Wool Suit

shopsydneys.com

And whats up with the sleeve cuffs here?

Black Twill Two Button Wool Suit

A modern classic. Exclusively Sydney’s. We partnered with local Canadian manufacturers to design and develop a modern classic suit which is exclusive to Sydney’s. All of our suits are produced in Italian fabrics, canvas construction and proudly made in Canada.Product Details: Signature wool...

shopsydneys.com

 

[Bersabee]

Sydney’s seems to come up in “best of Toronto” lists, and I suppose their clientele have different tastes than SF members, but are most of their jackets this short? Seems like what I’d expect from somewhere ala International Clothiers. What am I missing here? (Ok, I’m sure that material and construction

Pewter Wool Suit

shopsydneys.com

And whats up with the sleeve cuffs here?

Black Twill Two Button Wool Suit

A modern classic. Exclusively Sydney’s. We partnered with local Canadian manufacturers to design and develop a modern classic suit which is exclusive to Sydney’s. All of our suits are produced in Italian fabrics, canvas construction and proudly made in Canada.Product Details: Signature wool...

shopsydneys.com

His bespoke pictures seem to lean more toward SF style. But yea, his RTW collection is very "hip".

 

[maebach]

Definitely a different cut, but it suits me and I like it. I have 3 Sydneys suits. A good friend of mine is a die-hard SF-er and he tells me the material is sh*t. Take that for what you will...

 

[Bersabee]

Definitely a different cut, but it suits me and I like it. I have 3 Sydneys suits. A good friend of mine is a die-hard SF-er and he tells me the material is sh*t. Take that for what you will...

Do you mean the fabric? Or more the construction? His bespoke offering uses fabrics from the large mills (VBC, Loro Piana, etc...)

 

[maebach]

Do you mean the fabric? Or more the construction? His bespoke offering uses fabrics from the large mills (VBC, Loro Piana, etc...)

Fabrics. Although my suits were purchased ~5-6 years ago and were on the low-mid range. Its possible his higher end suits have better materials or perhaps his materials have changed since when I bought his suits? I know one of the suits I bought has material from S. Cohen

 

[chiggyv]

What are the go to Winners in the GTA for occasional SF approved finds? Based on my recent-ish finds (just before the pandemic to now):

Bathurst/Lawrence - Eton Shirts, a weird selection of MiUSA shirting (Brooks Brothers, Hickey Freeman, etc.)

College Park - At some point prepandemic they had a dumping of offseason Corridor NYC. Lots of Polo RL, some Samuelson tailoring

Vaughan Mills - Caught some Levi's Vintage there about a year ago

Hoping someone can point me towards a similarly stocked location in the Mississauga/North York/Markham areas.