The StyleForum Working Hierarchical Suit Quality List (SFWHSQL!)

Hermes is not on the list. Can someone give me their rank, even if not part of the official list (personal interest)? Thanks

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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Is a tailors hand stronger than a machine, I think not.
You chose a very poor analogy there and poor logic. A child could pull on a thread with the same tension as a machine. Firstly if you adjust a sewing machine's tension too tight you will end up with broken thread and twisted material. Secondly suits are not made of leather or 4 layers of denim so you don't need a strong needle and lots of force to sew. Thirdly a sewing machine uses 2 or more threads. You may have noticed if one thread breaks and you pull on it the whole seam easily unravels. Anything sewn by hand wil use a single thread, if it breaks and you pull on the thread you will just tighten the whole seam and wrinkle the material, but it will not unravel. If anything machine made suits are more likely to fall apart than hand made suits although I've never seen any garment fall apart at the seams, including $1 tshirts.

Originally Posted by PTWilliams

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Hermes is not on the list. Can someone give me their rank, even if not part of the official list (personal interest)? Thanks

It would go under Belvest. Hermes is trump at leathers, and I feel they should only be doing leathers, RTW seems to be hurting these old brands. LV doing clothing is just wrong. Their leather work is **** though, its horrible.

Originally Posted by PaoloM

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When was the last time you owned a GA suit? Also do you understand that if every "hand made" suit was HAND MADE, they would fall apart within months. Machines, quality machines and someone that knows what they are doing do much stronger work than your HAND can. Is a tailors hand stronger than a machine, I think not. If you guys would just read Deluxe, by Dana Thomas, you would learn that you guys have fallen into a marketing trap. Half the brands you people **** over are made in Egypt, and sent up to Italy where they rip the tags out. Interestingly GA was praised in that book and so was RL.

But don't they "rip the tags out" by hand?
A fine Italian hand at that.

Have you ever really looked at your hand? Just looked at it?

Originally Posted by binge

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Have you ever really looked at your hand? Just looked at it?

Yes. I have inherited the slightly curved pinky from my father which my daughter
and grandchildren have as well.

Binge what are you doing posting on Saturday night?
I suppose you are awaiting your guests while your
staff busys itself with last minute preparations.

Originally Posted by comrade

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But don't they "rip the tags out" by hand?
A fine Italian hand at that.


Have you heard the old expression "a fine Italian hand?" It's an old saying that applied to a situation in which you believed, at first, that you were dealing with one rather inept adversary. However, as the matter progressed, you began to realize that there was a more skilled, subtle "” and invisible "” player involved, manipulating things at a much more sophisticated level. That player was the "fine Italian hand."


http://www.bookwormroom.com/2008/05/...in-the-garage/

Added Etro & Armani black label.

Excellent [*****] (i.e. Suits made this well are far and few between, if money is no object your closet would be full of these. This category should be kept to only a few items)
- Kiton
- Oxxford
- Brioni
- Cesare Attolini Napoli (after seen and tried it for the first time, indeed one of the best)
- Luigi Borrelli and Luxury Vintage line
- RLPL (not suit maker, a designer brand)
- Luciano Barbera Collezioni Sartoriale
- St Andrew
- D'Avenza

Very Good[****] (i.e. Few suits match the quality of the ones in this category).
- Belvest
- Corneliani Linea Sartoria
- Canali Milano
- Sartoria Partenopea
- Sartoria Attolini Napoli
- Isaia
- (most of Raffaelle Caruso) eg. Sartoria Parma
- Pal Zileri Sartoriale (I think there is another line higher than Sartoriale, the custom made one, IIRC "Abito Privato", excellent quality)
- Ravazzolo
- Zegna Couture
- Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece
-Sartorio Castangia

Good[***] (i.e. Quality is superior to most suits).
- Brooks Brothers Black Fleece
- Hickey Freeman Mainline
- Corneliani
- Canali
- K by Canali
- Ermenegildo Zegna
- Samuelsohn
- Paul Smith Mainline (not a suit maker, designer brand - fully canvassed)
- RLBL (not a suit maker, designer brand - fully canvassed)
- Faconnable Tailleur (also designer brand)
- Cantarelli Tailor
- Etro
- Giorgio Armani (black label)

Satisfactory [**] (i.e. The "Average" Brands. Quality is acceptable).
- Cantarelli
- Boglioli (might not be not in terms of construction, but def for cut and fabric)
- Brooks Brothers 1818 (half canvassed)
- Paul Smith London (not a suit maker, designer brand - half canvassed)
- H. Freemann
- Hickey Freeman LTD (Half Canvas)
- hickey
- Hackett

Mediocre[*] (Suits that are mediocre)
- Z-Zegna (sometimes satisfactory sometimes mediocre)
- Hugo Boss
- Marco Valentino (half canvas) - surprising but I found the VFM is great
- Joseph Abboud
- J. Press

After speaking with the salesman at Borrelli (sadly two weeks before they closed), he claimed that Borrelli is on par with Kiton and Isaia when I told him about my preference towards Isaia.

How the hell did Borrelli's Luxury Vintage get into the top category? A lot of the LV stuff is garbage for the prices charged.

Originally Posted by maomao1980

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How the hell did Borrelli's Luxury Vintage get into the top category? A lot of the LV stuff is garbage for the prices charged.

There are many suspect placements in the rankings, I wouldn't take it too seriously.

The beauty of this is that you can change it. But only one change per post. Rules are rules you know. Like black suits.

^^^ I agree that rules are exactly like black suits. Only to be used at funerals, and by waiters.

And don't worry maomao1980. It's not in the top category. The top category disappeared from the list a couple of pages back.

FYI, in the book I mentioned, Corneliani is the company that uses factories in Egypt and rips the tags out in Milan. Thomas says that all Valentino menswear is produced outside of Italy, then sent to Italy, tags are replaced, and then sent out.

I'd be interested to see a TaT placement.