Seattle Tailor

I have lived in the Seattle area for just over two years now and I have yet to find a good tailor. I have been to Decaro twice but in the two visits I have paid almost $600 to have two jackets shortened, a pair of trouser let out and shortened and a pair of trousers taken in and had the leg tapered. The work on the jacket was acceptable but the rest of the work was not very well done so I am looking for recommendations on a new tailor.

I'm quite happy with my alternations tailor in Seattle. He works downtown on Fifth Ave. He principally works for Nordstrom and Mario's (it was a friend who has worked at Mario's for a decade who recommended him), but also takes in addl work on the side.

Pls PM me for details.

Originally Posted by ColumbiaKai

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I'm quite happy with my alternations tailor in Seattle. He works downtown on Fifth Ave. He principally works for Nordstrom and Mario's (it was a friend who has worked at Mario's for a decade who recommended him), but also takes in addl work on the side.

Pls PM me for details.

Yes, Ayhan does good work.

May also want to check out Kuhlman too.

I go to Scott Kuhlman, who is just up the street from Decaro on 1st ave.

Originally Posted by westcory

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I have lived in the Seattle area for just over two years now and I have yet to find a good tailor. I have been to Decaro twice but in the two visits I have paid almost $600 to have two jackets shortened, a pair of trouser let out and shortened and a pair of trousers taken in and had the leg tapered. The work on the jacket was acceptable but the rest of the work was not very well done so I am looking for recommendations on a new tailor.

I've been using Sigfried Hartman at European Tailors in Bellevue. But, I'd like to try some of the downtown Seattle tailors.

Who is Ayhan?

I don't know Decaro but I know he has an impressive reputation. My major need for alterations is tapering trousers -- how did Decaro do on that? How about the others?

BTW, I moved to Everett from Phoenix 3 years ago. I tried 3 tailors in Everett/Lynnwood before discovering Sigfried in Bellevue

Regards
Coburn

Coburn,

I'm interested in the contact info for Sigfried. How is the price?

Originally Posted by hiisociety

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Coburn,

I'm interested in the contact info for Sigfried. How is the price?

The price is probably comparable. At this point, I'm willing to pay premium to get a competent tailor.

Here is Sigfrieds web site.

http://hartmannstailoring.com/

On Saturday, I went downtown with a few trousers to try Mahiras's.

http://www.mahiras.com/

I like both these guys. They are very opinionated. I want that in a tailor.

They both hate the tight, high water fit of Style Forum trousers.
Saturday, at Mahira's when I suggested the pants needed still more tapering, he stared at me like I was Forrest Gump.

The last time I suggested this to Sigried, he told me I should buy some ballet tights.

Sigfried is German -- very German. There are rules! Flat front, no cuffs: pleated, cuffs.
No Exceptions!

I always feel like Bertie Wooster talking to Jeeves.

Sigfried's shop is across the street from Nordstroms but he claims he hasn't been in the store in 12 years. He said looking at the suits would give him a heart attack.

Keep me posted.
Coburn

I'll echo the Germanicness of Siegfried.

I took in a RLBL suit I got off of Gilt for alterations. It still had the original price tag of around $2k.
He started in on how he could have done the suit for for about half that. He dropped that line of conversation when I told him I paid $500.

He seems to do decent work though.

Originally Posted by zippyh

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I'll echo the Germanicness of Siegfried.

I took in a RLBL suit I got off of Gilt for alterations. It still had the original price tag of around $2k.
He started in on how he could have done the suit for for about half that. He dropped that line of conversation when I told him I paid $500.

He seems to do decent work though.

You need to be careful with him -- he's a damned slick salesman. I went in with a pair of trousers to be tapered, the next thing I know, I'm looking at fabric patterns for a suit.

I probably will commission a suit from him. I want to be certain I get the fit I want.
That's interesting that he said he could do a suit like RLBL -- I really like that fit.

My hesitation with him is my concern I'd end up with some baggy MTM suit.

BTW, I used to look at Gilt site a lot but never saw anything I wanted so I gave up. But, an RLBL at a discount -- I'd buy!

Coburn

Great affirmation to come to the SF forum searching on "Seattle tailor" and discover this-- I'm in full agreement with all that's been said about Siegfried Hartmann, particularly his strict rules and hard-sell personality. I'm wearing a Hartmann MTM suit right now, in fact, which I may or may not have wanted when I walked in to the store. To Siegfried's credit, it's neither baggy nor cutting-edge fashionable; it's solid and well-crafted and most of what I asked for.

He's an enjoyable guy to visit, too, and I feel like I learn a good deal from him without the oppressive elitism of Gian Decaro.

But I'm searching for someone who can create functional cuff button-cuts. Siegfried claims that he cannot, so I have quite a few great suits that could be greater still. Does anyone know of a tailor, on either side of Lake Washington, that can create lovely functional cuff button-holes?

I stopped by Gentleman's Consignment last week and purchased a beautiful Isaia suit. I asked the woman if she could recommend a good tailor and she directed me to Adam Tailoring on South Jackson St in Pioneer Square. I have no experience with them but I plan on trying them out very soon. I will update with my experience. Good or bad.

I just picked up a pair of cords and a tweed jacket I had altered at Adam Tailoring and Alterations in Seattle, and I can recommend them as a good budget option. I'm not sure about more complicated alterations, but the alterations I requested were done well. Took about two weeks, but that was expected. I'll be using him again.

Thought I would add my two cents to this thread. Recently had alterations done on three pairs of HY trousers.

First pair I took to Sigfried at Hartmann's in Bellevue. I got them hemmed with a 2" cuff and had the waist taken in .5". This was my first time working with Sigfried, as a younger person he didn't take me too serious, laughed at me for wanting 2" cuffs, and commented that the price of the alteration was probably more than the pants costs. The cost was ~35$, all the work was acceptable, to my knowledge. The only thing really keeping me from going back was the price. I can deal with his "Germanness" as he still did what I asked, and did it well.

I took the other two pairs of HY trousers to Manu at Mahira's downtown (I got them a couple months apart thus the separate tailors.) I didn't have any kind of appointment, and when I walked in he was working with a client on a shirt. He said he could do the fitting while his client looked at swatches. Had the same alterations done. He was very friendly, when I told him 2" cuffs he just asked if I had done that before, was not judgmental about what I wanted. I found Manu very friendly. We talked a bit, found out his daughter went through the same graduate program I am currently in. Overall found this to be much more enjoyable than Hartman's, quality of work is comparable (to my limited knowledge) and it was cheaper ~$45 for both pairs.



jergensCsquad said:

Thought I would add my two cents to this thread. Recently had alterations done on three pairs of HY trousers.
First pair I took to Sigfried at Hartmann's in Bellevue. I got them hemmed with a 2" cuff and had the waist taken in .5". This was my first time working with Sigfried, as a younger person he didn't take me too serious, laughed at me for wanting 2" cuffs, and commented that the price of the alteration was probably more than the pants costs. The cost was ~35$, all the work was acceptable, to my knowledge. The only thing really keeping me from going back was the price. I can deal with his "Germanness" as he still did what I asked, and did it well.
I took the other two pairs of HY trousers to Manu at Mahira's downtown (I got them a couple months apart thus the separate tailors.) I didn't have any kind of appointment, and when I walked in he was working with a client on a shirt. He said he could do the fitting while his client looked at swatches. Had the same alterations done. He was very friendly, when I told him 2" cuffs he just asked if I had done that before, was not judgmental about what I wanted. I found Manu very friendly. We talked a bit, found out his daughter went through the same graduate program I am currently in. Overall found this to be much more enjoyable than Hartman's, quality of work is comparable (to my limited knowledge) and it was cheaper ~$45 for both pairs.

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Wish you would have went over to European Tailors in Bellevue for the third pair for a comparison. Robert and Mehmet are great master tailors and are definitely talkative about their experiences.



jergensCsquad said:

Thought I would add my two cents to this thread. Recently had alterations done on three pairs of HY trousers.

First pair I took to Sigfried at Hartmann's in Bellevue. I got them hemmed with a 2" cuff and had the waist taken in .5". This was my first time working with Sigfried, as a younger person he didn't take me too serious, laughed at me for wanting 2" cuffs, and commented that the price of the alteration was probably more than the pants costs. The cost was ~35$, all the work was acceptable, to my knowledge. The only thing really keeping me from going back was the price. I can deal with his "Germanness" as he still did what I asked, and did it well.

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He does that to middle aged people too.