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Isaia vs. Samuelsohn vs. Southwick - A female perspective.

grimslade

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No, not _my_ female perspective. But feel free to dispense all the transgender jokes anyway.

So I recently took advantage of a 25% off thing and ordered three navy suits from STP: A solid Southwick 3B:
1036G_04


A Samuelsohn windowpane "nailhead" (that doesn't look much like a nailhead to me, but what do I know?):
89465_70


And a proper nailhead from Isaia

Isaia:
1047P_01


The intention was to keep one and send the others back. I dutifully tried them on for my wife and asked her which one she preferred. She was not told anything about the brands or the relative prices. And she said, "Oh definitely the last one. Much nicer than the other two."

Sometimes, having a wife with expensive taste can be a boon.

Oh, in another blind taste test recently, she gave the nod to my Scaforas over pairs of C&Js, AEs and EGs.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
 

dpw

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grimslade;1231112 said:
No, not _my_ female perspective. But feel free to dispense all the transgender jokes anyway.

So I recently took advantage of a 25% off thing and ordered three navy suits from STP: A solid Southwick 3B:
1036G_04


A Samuelsohn windowpane "nailhead" (that doesn't look much like a nailhead to me, but what do I know?):
89465_70


And a proper nailhead from Isaia

Isaia:
1047P_01


The intention was to keep one and send the others back. I dutifully tried them on for my wife and asked her which one she preferred. She was not told anything about the brands or the relative prices. And she said, "Oh definitely the last one. Much nicer than the other two."

Sometimes, having a wife with expensive taste can be a boon.
Oh, in another blind taste test recently, she gave the nod to my Scaforas over pairs of C&Js, AEs and EGs.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
[/QUOTE



my wife can pick the most expensive item... mens, womens, even industrial products... 10 out of 10. an uncanny ability to spend money at the high end. must say, i agree with her about the isaia
 

CunningSmeagol

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I agree with her in general. Did she mention what she liked or disliked specifically?
 

grimslade

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Originally Posted by dpw
my wife can pick the most expensive item... mens, womens, even industrial products... 10 out of 10. an uncanny ability to spend money at the high end. must say, i agree with her about the isaia

Oh, I did too. But better for her to say it.

Originally Posted by RunningBeagle
I agree with her in general. Did she mention what she liked or disliked specifically?

The fabric, the cut and the fit are all better. Not that she put it that way. It was the visceral reaction that interested me, anyway. I like the buttoning stance of the Sameulsohn a _little_ better (it's lower), but otherwise... The Southwick was fairly unlovable.

Originally Posted by rkw5000
Keep the Isaia.

Thanks, but this was never really in doubt. Mostly I needed the other two just to show myself I'd tried.
 

grimslade

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Originally Posted by RichmondStyle
Do you mind telling us what you paid for each?

It was 25% off each, so about $375, $500 and $800 or so, IIRC. They're all 44Rs, in case anyone wants one of the other two.

Boy, "cheap" Isaias are really getting harder and harder to come by.
frown.gif
 

The_Foxx

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i KNEW the Isaia would win.....
smile.gif
ha!
 

aportnoy

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Originally Posted by grimslade

Boy, "cheap" Isaias are really getting harder and harder to come by.
frown.gif


Nitro and Ehaberdasher are the way to go. Great selections and very fair prices.
 

grimslade

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Originally Posted by aportnoy
Nitro and Ehaberdasher are the way to go. Great selections and very fair prices.

Thanks. I like Ben a lot
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
and have used him, but when I last checked he had but one in my size. And it was a horrible green color. For Nitr-o, his return policy is a killer for me, and except for the tuxedos, I rarely see his prices go much lower than STP's. I know that you can recall the days of $500-600 Isaie on STP; these days it seems fortunate when you can get them below four figures between the tightening of the coupon policies and the tanking dollar.
 

aportnoy

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^^^^

Agreed, the days of $500 Isaia is over. The competition is fierce and the retial price is through the roof. I was at the Boca Raton Neiman's last week and almost passed out at the Fall retail prices. Isaia suits over $3k, Inco Sartoriale pants at $650 and Kiton and Brioni just ridiculous with Brioni dress shirts coming in at $550-$650.

Nitro does have beautiful suits. I've picked up few including some mohairs that are killer and he seems to get a nice rotation of new stuff. At this point, 65% is pretty good.
 

appolyon

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Originally Posted by grimslade
Oh, in another blind taste test recently, she gave the nod to my Scaforas over pairs of C&Js, AEs and EGs.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif


Rather mean to make the poor thing 'taste' your shoes!
 

grimslade

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Originally Posted by aportnoy
^^^^
Nitro does have beautiful suits. I've picked up few including some mohairs that are killer and he seems to get a nice rotation of new stuff. At this point, 65% is pretty good.


I should check out Nitr-o's stock more often. I just like the security blanket that STP and Ben give on returns. It can be hard to tell what a fabric is really like, for example, even if you know your sizing (which I do at this point). This nailhead was a nice surprise on the upside--it's better than I expected. But I've ordered others and known right away that the fabric wasn't what I wanted, and sent them right back. I know Nitro will do credits, and that sooner or later, I'd use the credit. It's psychological I think. Thanks again for the tip.
 

eHaberdasher

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Hey guys,

No PROMISES, but we are once again in talks of getting in more Isaia in the future. Full disclosure: prices would be higher - but (hopefully) understandably so. I'll keep you all posted. We'll know more once Italy opens up again for business in September (ahhh, those Italians sure know how to relax and take some time off!)
 

eHaberdasher

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By the way, I worked for Southwick (Grieco Brothers) a long time ago back in the early/mid 90's... OK suits, but simply cannot be compared to Isaia in terms of quality. Keep the Isaia!
 

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