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Tailor's touch in Chicago: Crappy service, crappier work

rdaws

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First, a little background: I bought a BBBF suit, and not having had anything tailored in the city of Chicago before, naturally turned to SF for recommendations. The consensus appeared to be 1) Despos and 2) Tailor's Touch (a few doors down from Despos), and since Despos wasn't taking alterations, TT was the way to go.

So, I take it in, get measured up, and ask for the sides to be taken in, the pants hemmed, sleeves lengthened, and sleeves finished with working buttons.

Came in about a week after the promise date, ready to wear for an event - not finished, so I couldn't pick it up. A bit pissed that I wasted my time coming in and that I won't be able to wear the suit as expected, but I can live with that.

So I go in today to pick it up, and here's what the new buttonholes look like:

img2662d.jpg

img2663c.jpg


Here's what I was expecting, based on the buttonfly of the suit:

img2664p.jpg


These buttonholes look like ****. I could have done a better job myself with a ballpoint pen and a bottle of scotch. The rest of the alterations are only "ok" -- doesn't look nearly as good as it did when it was pinned up, but at least they didn't ruin anything there.

So, two questions for the forum:

1) Can this be fixed, or has it been mangled too thoroughly?
2) If it can be fixed, who would you recommend to fix it and what might the cost be? (It was $120 to have it mangled by Tailor's Touch)
 

bleachboy

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Take it back to Tailor's Touch. Tell them that their work was unacceptable and that you want it redone properly.
 

musicguy

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What a ****** ****** job, especially considering they charged you the price I would expect for properly done buttonholes. I don't understand how so-called tailors ******** up items like this, especially when it's something that's really expensive. They should just decline work. The level of tailoring is in a sad state these days... Good tailors are really hard to come by.

Even the buttonfly isn't done great, since there isn't a bar tack at the end.

Here's a nice video: http://tuttofattoamano.blogspot.com/...les-video.html

Take it back and show it to them. They should be surprised.
 

rdaws

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If I take it back, can I really trust them to do it properly the second time? I mean, this is REALLY bad.
 

Bull

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Originally Posted by bleachboy
Take it back to Tailor's Touch. Tell them that their work was unacceptable and that you want it redone properly.

Take it back, ask for Raymond (the head tailor), show him this ****, and he will fix it. Free. I've had good work done there and I've had bad work done there and when it's been bad, I go straight to Raymond and he fixes it. This is beyond unacceptable. He'll straighten this out.
 

hangten

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Originally Posted by Bull
Take it back, ask for Raymond (the head tailor), show him this ****, and he will fix it. Free. I've had good work done there and I've had bad work done there and when it's been bad, I go straight to Raymond and he fixes it. This is beyond unacceptable. He'll straighten this out.

Forget Raymond. I took an Attolini and a Cucinelli sport coat to him to shorten the sleeves, put functional buttonholes and adjust a crinkle in the back. The first time I received the coats the sleeves at the at sleeve opening were poorly aligned as well as the buttons were not properly aligned with the buttonholes. I had him take it back to fix and they came back worse. The crinkle in the back was corrected but now I had wrinkling across the collarbones. I had him attempt to fix it a third time and they were still messed up. The last straw was when he told me:

"It's the best that I could do."

I took my my coats to oak street tailors were Nick fixed the sleeves but could not fix the collarbone wrinkes due to the fact that Raymond had cut the material across the top shoulder seam to shorten the back.

Anyway that's my rant.
 

bleachboy

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This thread is making me feel at least a little better about the fact that I can't find a good tailor in Nashville.
 

hangten

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Just to add, I wish Despos would do alterations but I understand he is busy with his bespoke clientele. I have several Attolini and Borrelli pieces that need to be done. I might just try Boguslaw or just stick with Nick.

After I have my base pieces done, I am going to start my bespoke process with Chris.

I also just thought of a problem I had with Raymond. I have read that when a tailor shortens your sleeves on a coat they should take your arm length and other considerations. Raymond was adamant that sleeves should always be 5 inches from your thumb. I had to practically wrestle him to shorten the sleeves another half inch.

Anyway, again, run away from Tailors Touch if you value your stuff.
 

ChicagoMediaMan

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Yeah, that is ****** work. I've never used them before, but I would take it back and show the head tailor the work. Have him fix it then never return.

I use Maria at the Golden Needle (On State just north of Chicago Ave.) and have never had any problems. She is a talented seamstress and was voted best tailor in Chicago in Chicago Magazine a few years back.
 

ChicagoMediaMan

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Originally Posted by Bull
Take it back, ask for Raymond (the head tailor), show him this ****, and he will fix it. Free. I've had good work done there and I've had bad work done there and when it's been bad, I go straight to Raymond and he fixes it. This is beyond unacceptable. He'll straighten this out.

I'm glad that the head tailor will straighten it out, but why do you go back there if you get bad work there on occasion?
 

antirabbit

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Ive had a suit tailored by Despos...it was amazing. I feel fortunate to have had that experience. Im sad I cant bring more to him
frown.gif
frown.gif
frown.gif

I am frankly too scared to take stuff anywhere else....
So, who in the greater Chicago area can be trusted with our stuff>??

I have 2 brand new Oxxford SC's coming that need functional sleeves done.
If I cant find something acceptable, Ill just put the buttons on my self.

Isnt there a guy in Oakbrook that is decent?
 

hangten

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I've read that Despos recommends Nick at Oak Street.
 

Brogued

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Originally Posted by ChicagoMediaMan-27
Yeah, that is ****** work. I've never used them before, but I would take it back and show the head tailor the work. Have him fix it then never return.

I use Maria at the Golden Needle (On State just north of Chicago Ave.) and have never had any problems. She is a talented seamstress and was voted best tailor in Chicago in Chicago Magazine a few years back.



I second that. Maria is great.
 

rdlrkl

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I also recommend Maria at Golden Needle - expensive, but great work.

I also like Nick at Nikiforos Tailors in the Loop - a little gruff, but knows his stuff. I think he too has been recommended on SF.
 

hangten

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Originally Posted by rdlrkl
I also like Nick at Nikiforos Tailors in the Loop - a little gruff, but knows his stuff. I think he too has been recommended on SF.

I read about Nikiforos and actually brought my coats to him to fix first but he refused to work on them instead telling me to go back to Tailors Touch and have them redo.
 

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