Thomas Mason Shirtings

[morsem]

What is the fair market price for a MTM shirt made from TM Silverline? Goldline?

Thanks.

 

[whoopee]

Really depends a lot on the maker.

 

[Artisan Fan]

I once did a MTM shirt from Brioni in Thomas Mason fabric that was around $350 but that was five years ago.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by whoopee

Really depends a lot on the maker.

Very true, but I'd say the starting price would be around $225-$275 for silverline and goldline at a half-decent maker. My shirtmaker's shirts start at about $250 and go up to about $500 for the 200/2 Alumo. He doesn't carry Thomas Mason but he has similar stuff available and it's at the low end of the price spectrum. Harry Rosen does their MTM silverline shirts for $250 and goldline is a little more. Oh and these are canadian prices.

 

[josepidal]

Guess this makes J.Crew incredible value for money.

 

[aragon765]

(we need a rising from the dead smilie for these old post resurrections...)

Anyways...

I have found a tailor to make some shirts for me. I am going to start with one shirt, and order a couple more upon successful completion of the first one. He carries Thomas Mason fabric, and has the current Silverline and Goldline books. He got new books in within the last three months, so I assume these are the most recent collection. The Silverline is in two volumes (purple box, IIRC), and Goldline is in a single red book.

He is asking $185 for a Silver line shirt, and $200 for the Gold line. I have been doing a bit of research into the topic, and there seems to be varying opinions around on whether Gold line is worth the extra (however, it seems most are paying more for the up-charge...). Here is some info and links to the Albini site:

Goldline Extra Long Staple Cotton

Goldline is the highest level Thomas Mason service programe in 2/140s yarn count, which was created originally for the company's bicentenary (1796-1996) celebrations. Over the last ten years, the collection has been renewed several times and the new edition was further enriched by refined, tradition-based creative research and use of the finest raw materials.

Egypt's finest cotton, "˜Giza 45', is used for Thomas Mason's Goldline.
The particular climatic conditions and fertile soils along the Nile and around the delta gives rise to the finest cotton in the world. Egypt is currently the world's leading producer of long fibre (>1 and 1/4 inch) and very long fibre (>1 and 3/8 inch), the famous "˜long and extra long staple' cotton.

Highly acclaimed "˜Giza 45' is grown in Kafir S'Ad, a small area to the east of the Nile delta, and represents 0.4% of Egypt's total annual cotton production: just 19,200 of the total 4,539,111 metric cantars (the unit of measurement for cotton corresponding roughly to 50 kg). These fibres make it possible to achieve the fineness, lustre and softness of the best shirt fabrics.

Silverline Extra Long Staple Cotton

Thomas Mason founded his weaving mill in 1796 at the height of the English Industrial Revolution, when many entrepreneurs around Manchester, in Lancashire and in Yorkshire formed together the most famous textile empire of the world.

Two centuries later Thomas Mason 100% cotton fabrics are still being made in the traditional English way, and are sold worldwide.

SILVERLINE is a selection of classic two fold cotton shirtings, produced in the best tradition of fine English cloth.
The combination of a special twist given to the fine yarns, plus the traditional pure finishing method, confer a special lustre and softness, characteristics which make SILVERLINE fabrics quite unique in their class.

SILVERLINE SHIRTINGS make their resultant garments stand apart; defining their style, enhancing their excellence, and ensuring the highest quality of the end product.

Shirts made in SILVERLINE poplin soften with washing, and being both quick and easy to iron, thus combine practicality with the highest tradition of quality.

I plan on wearing the shirts regularly, will be laundering at home, and looking for a white 'fancy' fabric with FC, and two blues (one solid, one with stripes or checks, depending on what I see in the book). Any opinions on Gold v. Silver?

 

[chorse123]

I would maybe start with the silver line for your first shirt from the maker. Sure, it's only $15, but why not save the money if it's possible the shirt won't be perfect. I've looked at the books at my shirtmaker's and they are nice. Lots of patterned choices in there. The price you are being charged seems on the low end to me.

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I once did a MTM shirt from Brioni in Thomas Mason fabric that was around $350 but that was five years ago.

 

[A Y]

$200 for a Goldline custom shirt is very good. I pay closer to $300 for mine. Anyway, of all the high-end cotton shirtings I've tried (Acorn Grasmere, Alumo 200, 170, 3x3 160, SIC Tess 200, etc.), my favorite shirting in terms of feel are the 140s Goldline. I've had some Silverline before, and the Goldline is much better in its feel: much softer and smoother.

--Andre

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by aragon765

(we need a rising from the dead smilie for these old post resurrections...)

Anyways...

I have found a tailor to make some shirts for me. I am going to start with one shirt, and order a couple more upon successful completion of the first one. He carries Thomas Mason fabric, and has the current Silverline and Goldline books. He got new books in within the last three months, so I assume these are the most recent collection. The Silverline is in two volumes (purple box, IIRC), and Goldline is in a single red book.

He is asking $185 for a Silver line shirt, and $200 for the Gold line. I have been doing a bit of research into the topic, and there seems to be varying opinions around on whether Gold line is worth the extra (however, it seems most are paying more for the up-charge...). Here is some info and links to the Albini site:





I plan on wearing the shirts regularly, will be laundering at home, and looking for a white 'fancy' fabric with FC, and two blues (one solid, one with stripes or checks, depending on what I see in the book). Any opinions on Gold v. Silver?

Honestly, they are just two different books with different fabrics. From what I recall, there was very little overlap in patterns. The price differential itself is insignificant. Last I checked the golds were mostly 120s and the silvers 100s. That was 2-3 years ago with the harry rosen bespoke shirt experiment (which miserably failed btw), however. My shirtmaker doesn't use TM. He uses alumo, sic tess, acorn, etc.

 

[Young Pro]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Honestly, they are just two different books with different fabrics. From what I recall, there was very little overlap in patterns. The price differential itself is insignificant. Last I checked the golds were mostly 120s and the silvers 100s. That was 2-3 years ago with the harry rosen bespoke shirt experiment (which miserably failed btw), however. My shirtmaker doesn't use TM. He uses alumo, sic tess, acorn, etc.

GQ guy,
I seem to recall you being located in Montreal - is that so? If so, would be curious to know who your shirtmaker is? I'm currently in Toronto, but grew up in Montreal and still spend considerable time there and have yet to find a great shirtmaker here. If you're not comfortable posting the name, feel free to PM me.

 

[aragon765]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Honestly, they are just two different books with different fabrics. From what I recall, there was very little overlap in patterns. The price differential itself is insignificant. Last I checked the golds were mostly 120s and the silvers 100s. That was 2-3 years ago with the harry rosen bespoke shirt experiment (which miserably failed btw), however. My shirtmaker doesn't use TM. He uses alumo, sic tess, acorn, etc.

My understanding is that Goldline uses Giza (egyptian) cotton in 140-170 two ply, while the Silver uses 'standard' cotton in 100-120 two ply. There will be quite a substantial quality difference between to the two, as the Silverline will most likely wear 'heavier' and wrinkle less, while the Goldline will be smother to the touch, but more prone to wrinkling...

I don't know how I missed THIS THREAD the last time I searched, but it has some additional information that helps to clear things up.... we all know the great AK is never wrong, right?

some nice snarkiness from Dopey as well towards the end.. great read, all in all!!

PS: who are you using for shirts, GQ? You are in Canada, correct?

 

[Eustace Tilley]

$220 - $250 for Silverline and $270-$300 for Goldline are typical I believe.

I have found Goldline to wrinkle easily and I stick with the basics (Silverline and Acorn's Grange).

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by Eustace Tilley

$220 - $250 for Silverline and $270-$300 for Goldline are typical I believe.

I have found Goldline to wrinkle easily and I stick with the basics (Silverline and Acorn's Grange).


Silverline and Acorn's "grange" are both good stuff. Fine cottons with some body.

 

[Shirtmaven]

FYI
Albini is opening a large factory in Egypt. Closer to the source of the cotton!
Who knows where the Acorn grange quality is being produced.

Silverline is more substantial. Goldline will wrinkle more. the royal oxford weave and twills are just to soft for my taste.
Carl

 

[Eustace Tilley]

Originally Posted by Film Noir Buff

Silverline and Acorn's "grange" are both good stuff. Fine cottons with some body.

I agree. Acorn doesn't seem to get much love here, but I think its good stuff (love Grasmere too but it has the same wrinkling issue as Goldline).