unjung
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
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So time to try out bespoke or something close to it, in a city that really doesn't do it (Calgary). Giovanni has been discussed on this forum before, very briefly, for his alterations. I have had fair success with taking in jackets, sleeves and other more minor things with him. He claims to be one of the few tailors in Canada able to do true bespoke, although I doubt there is really anyone here who can say who can and who can't. What I do know is that he is very Italian, has a shop full of old Italians (some staff, some friends), that his father owned a shop in Milan (I will try to get the name, I keep forgetting to ask), that he was trained in Italy, now returns frequently to teach tailoring there, and knows Savile Row names. He purchases his fabrics in Italy and England and has a good variety of names we see here regularly (lots of H&S) and some we don't. Giovanni's shop is small so much of the work is done off-site, in a larger facility elsewhere in the city. I have seen photos and he has agreed to let me visit and I intend to. He employs about eight people, and they apparently make a few dozen suits a month. I know he makes them for one particular city politician in particular who is known for dressing pretty well. He insists much of the work is hand-work. This is my first attempt at bespoke or even MTM. I suspect I will end up with something in between. I keep forgetting if he keeps a pattern or not. We will do several fittings, the number seems to vary. Today, when I was actually measured, he used the number three, but I think it could change. He knows me somewhat well (I guess especially that I am young), but at the same time wants to give me something classic and leans toward the more structured, again referencing SR, especially G&H. This may be because in this city, to have a style that leans too much in any direction would eliminate most of your customers, and there are no alternatives. But again, he seems to go British more than Italian. Enough reading tells me not to try to give too much direction to the tailor, but not too little. I am on the too-little side of things right now and hope that if there are any issues they will be fixed through the fittings. He has seen many of my current suits, and I have a collection of things I like, so I think we will do okay. We have agreed this is a first try. I have asked about a house style and he indicated he doesn't really have one. The suit will be fully canvassed, made from a navy worsted wool. I wanted something less expensive, since this is a trial, and also versatile and hopefully durable, so that's why I went that direction. Further, it's a fabric from Raymond, which I know isn't highly rated here, if at all, but it feels good and he seems to have a lot of confidence in it, and I need to trust him. It's an 11 oz super 110 Lineage Solitaire. The suit will be a standard two-button, notch lapel (he said something about the latest from Milan, I said fine), side vents, flap pockets, three internal pockets, three button surgeon cuff. I told him originally to do frog-mouth pockets on the slacks but am going to change this to 1/4 tomorrow, I think. Other than that, nothing crazy. In two or three weeks he will give me a call and I will stop in for the first fitting. Measurements today were pretty sparse, just the basics, then discussion of features. Perhaps this is normal. He has a standard form he scrawled on. I will keep the thread updated as I go along. Please let me know if you have any hot tips I'm not aware of for getting a good result.
