Who would you choose any why ?, Thomas Mahon, W. Westmancott or Des Merrion

[cdmoore1855]

Hi all

I am toying with the Idea of a new bespoke suit being made next time I am in the UK, these guys seem to be a little less expensive than the establishment on the row. They all seem to be similarly priced now.

I would appreciate feetback from any forumers that have taken the plunge with any of the above

Best Regards

Christian

 

[Will]

I use and recommend Thomas Mahon if you want a London drape style jacket.

I have experience with and cannot recommend Des Merrion.

 

[newtrane]

Will: Why can you not recommend Des Merrion?

cdmoore1855: Why don't you use one of the larger houses instead one of those one-man-show travelling tailors? Think about the current economic climate ...

 

[Will]

Originally Posted by newtrane

Will: Why can you not recommend Des Merrion?

cdmoore1855: Why don't you use one of the larger houses instead one of those one-man-show travelling tailors? Think about the current economic climate ...

Mahon is now a mid-sized shop, and a good one.

Merrion accepted a project from me after he looked at the work. I gave him half the price as a cash deposit. We had a fitting. After three months he wrote saying he had looked at the work involved again and needed to double the quoted price. I said in that case I didn't want to go forward and to return my deposit. He has said it was in the mail or would be soon several times over the past six months but it hasn't arrived and he hasn't responded to email or made any effort to contact me for three months now.

I don't think this is necessarily part of a pattern of deception as we've seen with another tailor. It would have made a good story if he'd done the work, and it's not a huge loss. But I cannot recommend him.

 

[Colnago]

Tom is in the middle of making me a suit now. I have not seen the finished product yet, but have been impressed with the interaction so far. He has a very good reputation. William sent an email to a friend of mine saying that his business had gone into administration (bankrupt) and he would not be able to complete the suit or refund the deposit. Based on this, I would be concerned about using him. I do not have any experience with Des. Hope this helps.

One practical issue you will need to think through is that the process of getting your suit made is likely to take several months and include multiple fittings. So you need to figure out how to get together with your tailor for not only to take your measurements, but also the fittings. I know Tom goes to the states on an ongoing basis, not sure about the others.

BR

 

[newtrane]

Will: There is no free lunch. I read about your disastrous experiences with Darren Beaman. Fallan & Harvey, another of the tailors you have used seems to be bankrupt now. These tailors might have been a bit cheaper than the old established SR houses. Was is worth it? This is the lovely jacket from Darren Beaman: cdmoore1855: Before you go with one of the tailors you mention please do your homework. - What is the fraction of their UK versus US / foreign clients? - What is the fraction of their old money versus "banking" or new money clients? There is a reason why some SR shops have been in existence for 200 years. I am happy to pay a slightly higher price for my deposits to be safe and my tailor to be in business in 10 years. I would choose none of the tailors you mention.

 

[Frog in Suit]

May I recommend Meyer & Mortimer (aka Jones Chalk & Dawson). They are part of "Savile Row bespoke" (and were SR tailors, even if not physically on the Row, for all their existence-- They are on Sackville Street, with their own brick and mortar shop), have been in business for more than two hundred years (worked for Beau Brummell), are less expensive than the "big names", and large enough to indicate they will stay in business. They are also less dependent on the US trade than many of their SR brethren.

Frog in Suit

 

[JDL]

Geoff Souster might also be worth a try, he has just made me an odd hacking jacket in H&S Sunseeker 8.5oz, good after only one baste fitting and I confidently expect it to be excellent after a minor tweak being done this week. Sensible pricing also see http://www.sousterandhicks.com/index.html. He will be starting on another project next week and if funds permit a third, in a very nice Italian blue herring bone cashmere, next month.

I am also awaiting with interest the delivery of a MTM (semi-bespoke) medium weight blazer to see how well that works.

Good luck!

John

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by Will

Merrion accepted a project from me after he looked at the work. I gave him half the price as a cash deposit. We had a fitting. After three months he wrote saying he had looked at the work involved again and needed to double the quoted price. I said in that case I didn't want to go forward and to return my deposit. He has said it was in the mail or would be soon several times over the past six months but it hasn't arrived and he hasn't responded to email or made any effort to contact me for three months now.

I don't think this is necessarily part of a pattern of deception as we've seen with another tailor. It would have made a good story if he'd done the work, and it's not a huge loss. But I cannot recommend him.

Wow. You are like the.chikor of English tailors.


- B

 

[cdmoore1855]

I thank you all for your replies thus far.

I should add that I live in HK, therefore I am quite capable of going to Ah Man and WW Chan but luckily make a good living without the need to wear a suit very often, maybe 6 times a year. I am quite keen on getting a couple of suits that would be good enough to last me for 20 years, I know that the good HK tailors can produce a very good suit but would like to treat myself to something a little better. The issue I have is that I seldom make it to the UK unless I really have to, I thought that the new savile row independents maybe a little cheaper and more flexible with fittings.

I look forward to hearing your comments

Christian

 

[medwards]

Originally Posted by newtrane

Fallan & Harvey, another of the tailors you have used seems to be bankrupt now. These tailors might have been a bit cheaper than the old established SR houses. Was is worth it?

For the record, Fallan & Harvey have been in business for over three decades now. Their pricing has been comparable to many -- if not most -- other Savile Row firms while their workmanship and reliability have been outstanding.

 

[Will]

Originally Posted by newtrane

Fallan & Harvey, another of the tailors you have used seems to be bankrupt now.

You sir are no gentleman. Shame on you for disparaging Fallan & Harvey based on speculation.

For the record, Fallan & Harvey and Thomas Mahon do better work than the larger Row houses I've tried. Tailoring is a craft that doesn't scale very well, and I've had as many disasters in those big houses.

 

[Manton]

I thought the F&H suit I saw you in looked great. Really fit well.

Still, of these three, I would prefer Mahon, because I like his styling more.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Will

Merrion accepted a project from me after he looked at the work. I gave him half the price as a cash deposit. We had a fitting. After three months he wrote saying he had looked at the work involved again and needed to double the quoted price. I said in that case I didn't want to go forward and to return my deposit. He has said it was in the mail or would be soon several times over the past six months but it hasn't arrived and he hasn't responded to email or made any effort to contact me for three months now.

Maybe the problem was that you didn't pay for his Oil Baron Special.

Originally Posted by newtrane

Will: There is no free lunch. I read about your disastrous experiences with Darren Beaman. Fallan & Harvey, another of the tailors you have used seems to be bankrupt now. These tailors might have been a bit cheaper than the old established SR houses. Was is worth it?

The "old established SR houses" appear disastrously inconsistent in the quality of product they put out. From what we've seen, I'd trust Mahon much more than any of them.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Wow. You are like the.chikor of English tailors.


- B

Originally Posted by Will

Tailoring is a craft that doesn't scale very well, and I've had as many disasters in those big houses.

"...as many disasters?" Wow again.


- B