Bespoke: The Beginning of the End

There is a cloth that for the longest time I considered having made-up as an odd coat (sport coat) ... but could never bring myself to pull the trigger. I just didn’t know if it was right for me. And yes, I know that’s saying a lot given my taste.

Be that as it may … I bought the cloth and sent it to a "tailor of a lesser God" (one neither on Savile Row nor in Naples) to be made up as a trial/test coat. My thought ... if I like the look ... I would purchase more cloth and send it along to London for the real thing.

Well, the trial/test coat is in ... and I like it. But ... I also have a dilemma ... I'm no longer at all certain that I need the “real thing.” This may well suffice just as is ... and be my real thing. I'm not saying I’d never need or use high-end bespoke again ... but 90% of the time ... this really could work.

I imagine my confession will get me expelled from some bespoke circles. And some SF & AAAC members may never speak to me again ... but ... oh well, c'est la vie.

Was this lesser tailor from the Bay Area?

Pics?

Originally Posted by RSS

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I imagine my confession will get me expelled from some bespoke circles. And some SF & AAAC members may never speak to me again ... but ... oh well, c'est la vie.

My advice is to keep this tailor a mysteryâ„¢.


- B

-- you are right Vox.

I've got two more "tests" on order ... should be here by the end of February. At that time I'll see if I feel similarly ... and consider pics and more specifics.

In the mean time, I'll try to make up for it by posting some "real real thing" bespoke in another thread or two.

Originally Posted by RSS

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-- you are right Vox.

But post the jacket to taunt others.

Can't your English guys visit you in one or other of your coastal locations? At this point, you can't be in a rush to get stuff. I'm pretty much attuned to riding the Earth once around the Sun for each order.


- B

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

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But post the jacket to taunt others.

Can't your English guys visit you in one or other of your coastal locations? At this point, you can't be in a rush to get stuff. I'm pretty much attuned to riding the Earth once around the Sun for each order.

I'm not in a rush ... have never minded wating a year or more for my tailored clothing.

In this case I just couldn't decide if several bold tweeds would make up well. I thought of the "test/trial" coats as an insurance policy. If one or more don't work ... I'd save $$$$.

As to riding the Earth ... I'm less and less a fan of the two to three (sometimes more) day trips to London ... especially from the West Coast.

And the English guys do visit SF & LA 3x yearly.

Originally Posted by RSS

Click to expand...

I'm not in a rush ... have never minded wating a year or more for my tailored clothing.

In this case I just couldn't decide if several bold tweeds would make up well. I thought of the coats as an insurance policy If one or more don't work ... I'd save $$$$.

Well, I think there is every reason to have secondary source...Will had a little piece called The Knockabout Suit along these lines.

Since about last summer, I've been toying with the least expensive way of getting an individualized suit done...with a couple of experiments. I'm not convinced by it yet, but I might proceed with a couple more.

I wore one of the experiments to Sleep No More last weekend, and it got a ton of compliments, which surprised me greatly.


- B

I'll admit ... my test isn't SR quality ... but I'm thinking it's good enough.

Sounds like a lot of people buy into brands although they would leap on people that did it with Gucci or a "Designer label".

Originally Posted by RSS

Click to expand...

There is a cloth that for the longest time I considered having made-up as an odd coat (sport coat) ... but could never bring myself to pull the trigger. I just didn't know if it was right for me. And yes, I know that's saying a lot given my taste.

Be that as it may ... I bought the cloth and sent it to a "tailor of a lesser God" (one neither on Savile Row nor in Naples) to be made up as a trial/test coat. My thought ... if I like the look ... I would purchase more cloth and send it along to London for the real thing.

Well, the trial/test coat is in ... and I like it. But ... I also have a dilemma ... I'm no longer at all certain that I need the "real thing." This may well suffice just as is ... and be my real thing. I'm not saying I'd never need or use high-end bespoke again ... but 90% of the time ... this really could work.

I imagine my confession will get me expelled from some bespoke circles. And some SF & AAAC members may never speak to me again ... but ... oh well, c'est la vie.


Post this "experiment" here with pics along with a genuine Saville Row bespoke, and see if the SF elite can tell which is which.

Originally Posted by furo

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Post this "experiment" here with pics along with a genuine Saville Row bespoke, and see if the SF elite can tell which is which.

As he should.

Is this thread a confessional? Because if it is, where's the full disclosure?

Is this thread a question? If it is, it can't be answered without images.

I want to see pics.

Originally Posted by RSS

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I imagine my confession will get me expelled from some bespoke circles. And some SF & AAAC members may never speak to me again ... but ... oh well, c'est la vie.

Seems like a circle you definitely need to get out of ...

Please do share some photos if you don't mind!

To suggest that having a store front in the West End makes you a better cutter or tailor is truly and utterly ridiculous. Bespoke tailoring firms are basically "brands". And there is a lot of brand snobbery going around when it comes to bespoke. Some of these brands subsist only their past reputation, and are seemingly blind to the fact that their methods of cutting and making are extremely dated.