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Kilgour bespoke

bergflo

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Gentleman,


Has anyone already used the Kilgour entry level bespoke option?
cost's around 1500 GBP
 

MalfordOfLondon

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Originally Posted by bergflo
Gentleman,


Has anyone already used the Kilgour entry level bespoke option?
cost's around 1500 GBP


You can get Kilgour Bespoke for 1500GBP?! I thought off the rail suits were around £1200? Would be interested to hear what people's thoughts are!
smile.gif
 

bergflo

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it seems, that there are two different kinds of bespoke kilgour tailoring

a) full savile row bespoke, which costs 2800 gbp for 2piece

b) entry level bespoke, which costs about 1500 gbp for 2 piece,
in the entry level the savile row cuter prepares the paper pattern, selects the cloth.
the suit is hand-sewn not in the row, for the fittings they send the suit to the savile row store....


Does anyone have more infos or experience???
 

gdl203

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Made in China MTM ?
 

TheFoo

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Originally Posted by gdl203
Made in China MTM ?

I think it's real bespoke, with an individual pattern. Just made in China.
 

jasonsun

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Originally Posted by gdl203
Made in China MTM ?

Intertesing propostion.....Peronsally as long as it's fitted by row tailor and quality lives up to the row standard, i guess made in china is fine with me.
 

gdl203

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Originally Posted by mafoofan
I think it's real bespoke, with an individual pattern. Just made in China.

Interesting idea. How do they deal with multiple fittings though? Ship it back and forth? Are the suit's final alterations made at Kilgour on SR?
 

newtrane

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I once asked them about their house style and process. This is the answer I got:

"If you look at the ready to wear on the website and various other pictures Mr ---, that should give you an idea.

Kind regards

Kilgour Ltd
8 Savile Row
London W1S 3PE
England"
 

R.O. Thornhill

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I have three of Kilgour's entry-level suits, and one odd jacket, and am (by-and-large) very happy with them all. If you are not aware, the process is as follows:
1. As for normal Savile Row bespoke, you meet a Kilgour cutter to discuss what you are after, choose cloth (selection is huge, including Lesser and P&H) and agree on details
2. The cutter measures you, and prepares a paper pattern (sames as for one of Kilgour's Savile Row bespoke suits), and then cuts the cloth and sends it (together with lining, buttons, etc) to Kilgour's Shanghai or Singapore workshop (can't remember which)
3. The suit is made up in (by hand) - at the same place that Kilgour uses for its RTW suits - and is returned to Savile Row for a baste fitting
4. After the baste fitting, the suit is sent back to the workshop, the suit is finished and returned to Savile Row
5. At the final fitting, any minor changes are noted and these are dealt with in London

All in all the process typically takes ten weeks or so. The difference vs. a Kilgour Savile Row suit lies purely in the sewing - and whilst I am sure that this is superior on the latter I have found the construction of each of my entry-level garments highly satisfactory.

The price for your first suit is more likely to be £2,000 than £1,500 (including VAT), though - but this represents a significant discount on Savile Row bespoke. The bigger positive is that for a second (and third, etc) suit you can skip the basted fitting and then the price falls to £1,500 (incl. VAT) for a suit, or £1,000 for a jacket. This works pretty well assuming the style is not too different (can do 1B vs. 2B SB, but not DB vs. SB) and you haven't gained / lost a lot of weight

A couple of added considerations as you think about Kilgour entry-level bespoke:
1. Make sure you like the Kilgour style - it is pretty distinctive, and works best 1B with fairly padded shoulders, pronounced chest, suppressed waist and slim trousers
2. You may also want to consider some of the many off-Savile Row tailors, or A&S expatriates - who can offer you a made in England bespoke suit for pretty much the £2,000 that Kilgour will charge (assuming you like that style, which is quite different)
3. One thing which has irritated me with Kilgour is that they have moved on my original cutter to the 'design studio' - and whilst I get on fine with my new cutter, that sort of dis-continuity is irritating

Thornhill
 

bergflo

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Thanks a lot thorny,

which off the row tailors could you reccomend?
 

R.O. Thornhill

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I haven't (recently) used any other U.K. based tailors, so feel ill-informed to make recommendations - but you will find that there are many, each with their own style and their own supporters on this forum. I have heard only good things about Steed and Mahon, for example - and if you fancy a more draped look you should definitely seek out the opinion of patrons of those two

To me, Kilgour entry-level bespoke is a very attractive proposition, once you have had your first suit made - £1,500 for a suit or £1,000 for an odd jacket is good value. Nevertheless, I am toying with the idea of venturing elsewhere for my next suit (partially because it is likely to be DB, and therefore the Kilgour price goes back up to £2,000; and partially because I fancy a variation in style). Still, I am sure that I will be back and order more Kilgour entry-level pieces. I think it a great product - but do wonder what it has done for the sales of their full Savile Row bespoke product (which is 65% more expensive)

One other aside - if you care greatly about exquisite finishing this is not the option for you. For one of my fittings I turned up in a Super 150s 3pc Saint Andrews suit - and my former cutter commented that they would struggle to match its level of sewing and finishing even on a SR bespoke suit. Needless to say, though, my Kilgour stuff fits infinitely better

Thornhill
 

TheFoo

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Originally Posted by voxsartoria
Sometimes, things are not even sewn at all, or so I have read.

Ah, you refer to the 100% no-sewn suit of myth. They say no-sewing takes the absolute concentration of a level nine master tailor wielding golden shears and possessing perfect sartorial knowledge. I hear Despos's wrap coat is 18% no-sewn--any more no-stitches and even a level nine master tailor would have lost his mind. Chris went to the edge.

Originally Posted by R.O. Thornhill
One other aside - if you care greatly about exquisite finishing this is not the option for you. For one of my fittings I turned up in a Super 150s 3pc Saint Andrews suit - and my former cutter commented that they would struggle to match its level of sewing and finishing even on a SR bespoke suit.

Admirably honest of them.
 

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