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The (hopefully) definitive thread on NYC tailors

Kuro

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Has anyone that is a non-bespoke customer of Raphael been able to get him to do alterations? I have a jacket that needs some shoulder/arm hole work and I am thinking of going to him, or perhaps Bhambi. Thanks.
 

ohm

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Originally Posted by Kuro
Has anyone that is a non-bespoke customer of Raphael been able to get him to do alterations? I have a jacket that needs some shoulder/arm hole work and I am thinking of going to him, or perhaps Bhambi. Thanks.

I did not try Raphael, but as I think I mentioned earlier Bhambi did a good job for me on a jacket altering the shoulders and neck. They are, however, relatively expensive.
 

okayfine

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Originally Posted by grimslade
OT, but since this has been bumped, I finally found an alterations tailor in the burbs to whom I will entrust my suits. The test came with an unlined BL linen blazer I brought him last week to take out the side seams. All the seams were frenched on the inside, and I made a point of pointing that out to him. He did a great job putting it all back together and so won my confidence. No more hauling stuff down to Cardelino or Wilfred for me.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif


He's a Korean who says he'll make custom suits too, although I doubt I'd go that far.


I would be much appreciative if you could share this info. Thanks.
 

Kuro

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So Bhambi phucked up a pair of pants that I asked them to alter (so happy that I didn't bring my jacket to them). The pants needed to be hemmed and also reduced at the waist (but not altered in the seat); all clearly explained and acknowledged.

After the first attempt the pants were too loose at the waist and too long, so I asked them redo. After the second attempt the pants were too tight at the waist and the seat was clearly altered so much so that the pleats flaired out.

Just my individual experience, but perhaps something for others to keep in mind when looking for an alterations tailor. I took the pants to one of the category 1 tailors who corrected Bhambi's mistake and made the proper alteration (and actually asked me to leave the pants for him to make a further adjustment to correct a balance issue that frankly I would never have noticed or cared about).
 

ThinkDerm

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Originally Posted by lucid
Hello. I am looking for a good cost effective tailor. BUT...

The ones that I have been to in the past (Abe's Tailor shop, New York Tailor on Kenmare st, Stanton Tailor, and another place in midtown that was a bit pricey) have all been deficient in quality and workmanship. But most importantly, they had did not understand how clothing should fit: everything is boxy, long sleeves and pants, cavernous chests .

I need someone that can handle Dior, Hedi Slimane, patrik ervell shapes without explanation. If they are totally ignorant of style they always ruin the simplest jobs - Simple jobs from hemming and tapering pants with a cigarette leg, to a complex job like taking in the back and waist on snug blazer.

The names on the board.. LNC, Cardelino, Wilfred's... Do they have any basic sense of style? And if that's not an option, how would I correctly word my instructions for something simple like tapering and cuffing pants with a slim fit and thom browne hem? how would I translate that to someone who cuts suits in the present day baggy brooks brothers style?

any ideas?
Thank you very much.

I had a dry cleaner around my corner that also had a tailor workshop. I am very picky and the tailor (SHE) worked with me for about 20 minutes pinning, etc to make sure I had pants tapered and cuffed, fit exactly how I wanted it and then did that PERFECTLY. I also tried using them as dry cleaners at a later date, they were late, (twice!) with a SC I had left to be cleaned (first they hadnt cleaned the item 3 days after I had come to pick it up, then told to come back later at a time they specified, then I came back several hours later after their cutoff and it still was not ready - so I told them I was not going to use them any more. And I am sticking to that. But the tailor was great. And affordable :-(
 

mintyfresh

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Question for those who have used LNC as their tailors for their shirts...

How much do they charge for the following:
1) Fitting a shirt - taking in the sides, narrowing the sleeves
2) Re-cutting a suit

Thanks!
 

mintyfresh

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That's a pretty good price. Thanks for the info, Cchen.

hopefully i'll be able to find some time this weekend to get some of these non-slim shirts...slimmed.
 

LyleDDS

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Originally Posted by Kuro
So Bhambi phucked up a pair of pants that I asked them to alter (so happy that I didn't bring my jacket to them). The pants needed to be hemmed and also reduced at the waist (but not altered in the seat); all clearly explained and acknowledged.

After the first attempt the pants were too loose at the waist and too long, so I asked them redo. After the second attempt the pants were too tight at the waist and the seat was clearly altered so much so that the pleats flaired out.

Just my individual experience, but perhaps something for others to keep in mind when looking for an alterations tailor. I took the pants to one of the category 1 tailors who corrected Bhambi's mistake and made the proper alteration (and actually asked me to leave the pants for him to make a further adjustment to correct a balance issue that frankly I would never have noticed or cared about).


Took a pair of jeans to Bhambi's for hemming and waist alterations. Suburb job! They are very conservative with their hemming - its almost like they plan on doing it twice just to get it perfect. I was satisfied with the longer look, however and didn't have them redo it. They darted the jeans which actually makes the jeans look more refined and helps them fit a lot more comfortably (I've got junk in the trunk i guess). The service is impressive. Case in point: I arrived 20 prior to their opening (they open at 9:30 am) and they had no problem accommodating my early arrival - I just called and they opened right up. The original hemming was $30 and the darting was $35 ($73 with tax). I had a great experience, but I'm only going to take them my most delicate or complicated projects just because of the cost.
 

mintyfresh

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Originally Posted by cchen
for taking in a shirt, i believe $15

Just updating for those interested.

I took a shirt to the good man at LNC last week and went back to pick it up.

He charged me $5 to pinch the back in two places. Fit well, but I'm not a fan of the look.

I also took in a suit that was rather ill-fitting to them. He slimmed and shortened the jacket and slimmed down the pants for me. $90. Considering the suit wasn't close to being a good-fit for me (in-laws bought it for me), I am rather pleased.

Another $25 to shorten the sleeve of the jacket half an inch.

Thanks for the recommendation all.
 

whiteslashasian

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Originally Posted by mintyfresh
Just updating for those interested.

I took a shirt to the good man at LNC last week and went back to pick it up.

He charged me $5 to pinch the back in two places. Fit well, but I'm not a fan of the look.

I also took in a suit that was rather ill-fitting to them. He slimmed and shortened the jacket and slimmed down the pants for me. $90. Considering the suit wasn't close to being a good-fit for me (in-laws bought it for me), I am rather pleased.

Another $25 to shorten the sleeve of the jacket half an inch.

Thanks for the recommendation all.


I actually went to LNC last week as well. The good man was very patient with me and how I wanted the pants to break. I found him pretty easy to understand, but I may have an unfair advantage from growing up with a mom who has an Asian accent. I asked for 5 pairs of pants to be hemmed with 2" cuffs. One pair to be taken in at the waist. The total came out to $66! Quite the bargain for NYC.

He quoted me the same $25 to alter jacket sleeves. Slimming a jacket starts around $40. I'll likely take my tuxedo pants to get slimmed/recut along with a jacket to slim when I go to pick up my first batch.

I'll have to ask him about slimming the body and sleeves of some shirts rather than just darting.
 

TC11201

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Originally Posted by whiteslashasian
I actually went to LNC last week as well. The good man was very patient with me and how I wanted the pants to break. I found him pretty easy to understand, but I may have an unfair advantage from growing up with a mom who has an Asian accent. I asked for 5 pairs of pants to be hemmed with 2" cuffs. One pair to be taken in at the waist. The total came out to $66! Quite the bargain for NYC.

He quoted me the same $25 to alter jacket sleeves. Slimming a jacket starts around $40. I'll likely take my tuxedo pants to get slimmed/recut along with a jacket to slim when I go to pick up my first batch.

I'll have to ask him about slimming the body and sleeves of some shirts rather than just darting.


He's a very good man, a very good tailor and a great bargain. Been going to him for over a decade (well, to LNC - he had a partner who retired about 5 years ago) and have only moved more of my work to him since I started.
 

chorse123

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Originally Posted by TC11201
He's a very good man, a very good tailor and a great bargain. Been going to him for over a decade (well, to LNC - he had a partner who retired about 5 years ago) and have only moved more of my work to him since I started.

Weren't you going to post some pictures of bespoke they've made for you?
 

TC11201

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Originally Posted by chorse123
Weren't you going to post some pictures of bespoke they've made for you?

Come to think of it, you're right. I'm not in NYC right now, but will do so when I get back, next week.
 

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