Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[TheFoo]



Didn't foo's end up shredded pretty quickly?

I remember that but I don't remember if it was the cloth that died or the construction.

No, no, the construction is still perfectly intact. No loose or broken stitches--astoundingly.

The cloth is what died. Awful (beyond the realm of sprezzatura) fraying at the edges and points of the collars and cuffs. On all 20 or so shirts. I will never buy Riva shirting again. The mystique dies after you have to live with it.

That said, my Riva is 100% cotton. Maybe the blend is more durable? No idea.

 

[quar]

It was the fabrics. Riva Cotton Twill and Poplin.

AY, what about G&R? I just had Ascot Chang CMT some Cotton-Linen from them for me. Great stuff and much cheaper than Riva and DJA.

 

[badsha]



AY,

I have 3-4 Riva shirts (2 of which are cotton / linen). While the cloth is certainly nice, I never found it to be worth the significant upcharge vs. SIC Tess, G&R etc. $300 for just the cloth is very steep, and I wouldn't be tempted at half the price.

ET

It was the fabrics. Riva Cotton Twill and Poplin.

AY, what about G&R? I just had Ascot Chang CMT some Cotton-Linen from them for me. Great stuff and much cheaper than Riva and DJA.

+1. If you want to go fancy try the G&R Sole Oro cotton/linen. Some of their most expensive fabric. The other G&R cotton/linen is the Zevi.

Sole Oro Blue C/L

Top to bottom - Alumo Supraluxe 120/2, G&R Sole Oro 170/2, Alumo Salvatore Triplo 160/3

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Eustace Tilley]

+2 on the G&R - love the stuff!

 

[etkl]



How do you figure $300 per shirt? Isn't it 3 yards at $50 per yard?

Oops my mistake. At $50 per 1/2 yard, the price is outrageous.

 

[A Y]

Thanks for the suggestions and info, guys. Given Foo's experience with it, and the exorbitant price, it's too much for a fun experiment. My local shirtmaker does carry G&R, and I'll have to check that out the next time I'm down there. I'm pretty happy with the SIC Tess cotton/linens, and they are pretty hard-wearing.

 

[dieworkwear]



It was the fabrics. Riva Cotton Twill and Poplin.

AY, what about G&R? I just had Ascot Chang CMT some Cotton-Linen from them for me. Great stuff and much cheaper than Riva and DJA.

Wait, you had your tailor order your fabrics from G&R, and they charged you CMT?

 

[bboysdontcryy]

^ Doesn't read that way to me at all. I think he's saying that he had AC make up the GR fabrics that he brought to them.

 

[poorsod]



Oops my mistake. At $50 per 1/2 yard, the price is outrageous.

And it is 90 cm wide rather than the usual 150 cm wide. That's why you need 3 meters per shirt rather than the typical 2 meters. Last time I spent $100/yard on shirting was for Loro Piana 100% cashmere from Tip Top which I thought was pricey. Well, that is until I got to Charvet where sky's the limit.

 

[quar]



Wait, you had your tailor order your fabrics from G&R, and they charged you CMT?

I ordered from G&R, and get G&R to deliver direct to Ascot Chang. Ascot Chang have no issues with that arrangement.

 

[Cantabrigian]

Pardon my n00bishness, G&R - google leads me to a fabric merchant in India which I'm guessing is wrong.

 

[bboysdontcryy]

Grandi & rubinelli

Lol @ the fabric made in India, and at your guess.

 

[etkl]



And it is 90 cm wide rather than the usual 150 cm wide. That's why you need 3 meters per shirt rather than the typical 2 meters. Last time I spent $100/yard on shirting was for Loro Piana 100% cashmere from Tip Top which I thought was pricey. Well, that is until I got to Charvet where sky's the limit.

To get a sense of how expensive it is, the on-line price of Bonfanti's linen/cotton,made on a 90 cm loom, is 29 euros. The companies have a common pedigree and in my opinion, make cloth of similar quality. I'm sure that you can get Riva for less in Italy but if you live in the US, don't plan to visit Italy and have to have Riva, Will is pretty much the only game in town.

 

[bboysdontcryy]

I paid 55 euros/m for Riva fabrics when I was in Naples. That's not exceptionally expensive, but I think they marked up the prices on me. I'm a little surprised by Matt's comment about how they don't last though. All that cachet to naught?

 

[P-K-L]



I paid 55 euros/m for Riva fabrics when I was in Naples. That's not exceptionally expensive, but I think they marked up the prices on me. I'm a little surprised by Matt's comment about how they don't last though. All that cachet to naught?

I paid €100 for 3 meters - on sale however.