Help Needed -- Napoli Su Misura Sport Coat Odd Jacket

I'm fairly new to bespoke, so I do apologize if my questions sound ignorant. Anyway, I want to commission an odd jacket to wear casually -- a nonchalance look on the weekends. I'm open to all suggestions.

1) I think Edmorel described the house style/cut well in this thread: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=189479

As she said, she works with each client individually but there is a house style, it is the Neapolitan coat that you see from the other tailors that are popular here, it's wide lapels, very soft shoulders (whether they are manica camicca or not), very swooped/open quarters, a shorter jacket, big sleeves. Now obviously you can add your design elements to it, get smaller lapels, a longer jacket, smaller quarters etc but you should be going to see her if you want a jacket/suit in the Napoli style to begin with, if you are going to change the style entirely and micro manage, there is a good chance that neither you nor her would be happy. Mina is an excellent fitter, my first jacket was pretty much spot on the first fitting and the only thing we have changed has been the length.

Do others have anything to add?

2) Since the tailors cut big sleeves, can I, or rather, should I request for the forearm area to be tapered?

3) For those that have worked with her, were there any surprises (details that differed from the original thought) with the end products?

4) Any extra details I could add to the jacket? Request extra hand-stitching? Unlined?

5) I think it was Tom Mahon that said the lapel button holes should be straight, but I think Edmorel's jackets are all key-holed. Is there a difference?

6) Lastly, I wouldn't mind reading more discussions about the fit and all else in general.

Thanks!

P.S. Edmorel, your jackets are beautiful!

Originally Posted by Maverick972

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I'm fairly new to bespoke, so I do apologize if my questions sound ignorant. Anyway, I want to commission an odd jacket to wear casually -- a nonchalance look on the weekends. I'm open to all suggestions.

1) I think Edmorel described the house style/cut well in this thread: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=189479

As she said, she works with each client individually but there is a house style, it is the Neapolitan coat that you see from the other tailors that are popular here, it's wide lapels, very soft shoulders (whether they are manica camicca or not), very swooped/open quarters, a shorter jacket, big sleeves. Now obviously you can add your design elements to it, get smaller lapels, a longer jacket, smaller quarters etc but you should be going to see her if you want a jacket/suit in the Napoli style to begin with, if you are going to change the style entirely and micro manage, there is a good chance that neither you nor her would be happy. Mina is an excellent fitter, my first jacket was pretty much spot on the first fitting and the only thing we have changed has been the length.

Do others have anything to add?

2) Since the tailors cut big sleeves, can I, or rather, should I request for the forearm area to be tapered?

3) For those that have worked with her, were there any surprises (details that differed from the original thought) with the end products?

4) Any extra details I could add to the jacket? Request extra hand-stitching? Unlined?

5) I think it was Tom Mahon that said the lapel button holes should be straight, but I think Edmorel's jackets are all key-holed. Is there a difference?

6) Lastly, I wouldn't mind reading more discussions about the fit and all else in general.

Thanks!

P.S. Edmorel, your jackets are beautiful!

Sleeves don't have to be big. The cut is clean, and as close as you'd like it. You should know whether you like soft shoulders. Unlined is a matter of preference, but it looks awesome. The only surprise will be how well your coat fits with only one basted fitting - and the selection of fabrics she has.

Check my posts in that thread for more examples.

..banned..?

Originally Posted by alliswell

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Sleeves don't have to be big. The cut is clean, and as close as you'd like it. You should know whether you like soft shoulders. Unlined is a matter of preference, but it looks awesome. The only surprise will be how well your coat fits with only one basted fitting - and the selection of fabrics she has.

Check my posts in that thread for more examples.


Thanks, Alliswell. That's what I like to hear!

Originally Posted by Butter

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..banned..?

Yes; why was she banned???

Originally Posted by Maverick972

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5) I think it was Tom Mahon that said the lapel button holes should be straight, but I think Edmorel's jackets are all key-holed. Is there a difference?

The lapel buttonhole on Ed's jackets is not a keyhole. A keyhole looks like a lollipop.

The typical handsewn lapel buttonhole that you see on Italian numbers is a teardrop buttonhole, often quite short. It is as much a stylistic feature of such jackets as a curved or boat-shaped breast pocket.

A "carnation" lapel buttonhole, which is typical for Savile Row, is wide and straight. It is made to take a big flower with aplomb. It is out of place on an Italian jacket, just as much as a teardrop would look pretty off on an English jacket.

The both look great in their own contexts.


- B

Originally Posted by alliswell

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Sleeves don't have to be big. The cut is clean, and as close as you'd like it. You should know whether you like soft shoulders. Unlined is a matter of preference, but it looks awesome. The only surprise will be how well your coat fits with only one basted fitting - and the selection of fabrics she has.

Check my posts in that thread for more examples.

I thought there are usually 3-4 fittings, am I wrong?

Originally Posted by Maverick972

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Do others have anything to add?

2) Since the tailors cut big sleeves, can I, or rather, should I request for the forearm area to be tapered?

4) Any extra details I could add to the jacket? Request extra hand-stitching? Unlined?


6) Lastly, I wouldn't mind reading more discussions about the fit and all else in general.

Thanks!

P.S. Edmorel, your jackets are beautiful!


Thanks for the compliment. Here are my thoughts on these questions:

2) slim sleeves would not look good with this type of coat. The chest is big, the shoulders "round", slim sleeves would look incongruent in my opinion. You could also ask for a slim chest, but then what is the point of going to her?

4) not sure what extra details you would want to add and the stitching is a function of what needs to be done along with some decorative touches. You are not going to get more handstitching and I guess you could dial down the decorative stitching. I typically just specify patch pockets, other than that I don't add any flourishes such as colored linings, wacky buttons/pockets etc. The fit will show that it is bespoke, no need for the extras.

5) discussions are helpful but at the end of the day, nothing beats having the product in hand. Go see her when she is here in November, look at the product, try something on and go from there. If you decide to go with her, don't micromanage.

Originally Posted by forex

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I thought there are usually 3-4 fittings, am I wrong?

The first time there are 3-4 fittings, after an order it two you get done in 2-3 fittings. What Alliswell meant is that at the first fitting, you rarely have to adjust anything.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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5) discussions are helpful but at the end of the day, nothing beats having the product in hand. Go see her when she is here in November, look at the product, try something on and go from there. If you decide to go with her, don't micromanage.

No personal experience with her, but this sounds like a solid game plan (for most tailors, really).

Originally Posted by edmorel

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The first time there are 3-4 fittings, after an order it two you get done in 2-3 fittings. What Alliswell meant is that at the first fitting, you rarely have to adjust anything.

I got one fitting. She told me my body type was easy to fit. For me she made a very fitted coat with slim sleeves. Much more fitted than chan. I left the style up to her and the coat is quite short and quite distinctive look.

Originally Posted by poorsod

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I got one fitting. She told me my body type was easy to fit. For me she made a very fitted coat with slim sleeves. Much more fitted than chan. I left the style up to her and the coat is quite short and quite distinctive look.

Please post pics, this is something that I would have told someone to go to another tailor to achieve, would like to see how it looks.

Ed-

My experience was closer to poorsod's, and the sleeves and chest are pretty slim. Mina knows her customers well.

We could do a side by side sometime, if you existed IRL.

-J

Originally Posted by alliswell

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Ed- My experience was closer to poorsod's, and the sleeves and chest are pretty slim. Mina knows her customers well. We could do a side by side sometime, if you existed IRL. -J
So why was NSM banned? I liked her pretty pictures.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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Please post pics, this is something that I would have told someone to go to another tailor to achieve, would like to see how it looks.
I'm meeting Mina the next time she's in town. You are welcome to drop in and see it for yourself. It is interesting that the coat seems very fitted but still has drape.