my visit to Napoli & Mina @ Napoli Su Misura

Guys, if you have pictures, please post them. It would be interesting to see people's garments other than usual suspects posting their stuff.

Originally Posted by ljrcustom

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Beautiful ties. Did you provide Mina with the fabric or did she have swatches with her? Thanks.

-LR

Mina should have about a dozen swatches with her on this trip. I chose three, and Mina and my gf proceeded to select the same 3 different patterns independent of one another. So I ended up with six.

Originally Posted by medtech_expat

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Mina should have about a dozen swatches with her on this trip. I chose three, and Mina and my gf proceeded to select the same 3 different patterns independent of one another. So I ended up with six.

Which were which?

Originally Posted by sellahi22

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What are her prices like for suits from Minnis/Harrisons cloth?

I don't know.

Originally Posted by Lightbringer

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+1

In all fairness, I went with Mina for shirts too despite being reasonably satisfied with my existing shirtmaker. But this is because my existing shirtmaker isn't very good with unfused collars and Mina is. I like a mix of both.

Interesting as I was quite let down with her approach to soft collars and cuffs compared to what Anna M provides. I asked her for "identical," whilst wearing an Anna M shirt, which Mina inspected closely. Sadly, the finished shirt didn't resemble anything what Anna M produces; naturally I'll discuss this further as I believe she can deliver something close to what I am used to.

Originally Posted by poorsod

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Her suite is massive, much bigger than my apartment. She has more English books now including Minnis, Harrisons and etc.

This is great news, and a welcome addition. The previous books wasn't even close to adequate.

Originally Posted by S. Magnozzi

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This is great news, and a welcome addition. The previous books wasn't even close to adequate.

Well, setting aside preferences for English versus Italian and vice versa, if anyone was looking for a "normal" suitings or sportjacketings she has always had books which are more than adequate. I know there is a lot if fabric fetishism here, and I suffer from it sometimes, but there are people that can get the "right" shade of navy after seeing two dozen solid navy swatches. She's always had Dormeuil, she had a great no name Italian book about two years ago that she told me was from a friend and which she no longer brings with her. I am wearing a navy jacket from it today that I ordered way back then and it's still looks magnificent after many wearings. I assume she no longer brings it because people prefer the branded stuff like Harrisons etc but she's always had stuff as good as any of the English stuff she has now and she's always had Loro Piana, which for my money, the English can't touch in terms of colors/patterns/finishing.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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Well, setting aside preferences for English versus Italian and vice versa, if anyone was looking for a "normal" suitings or sportjacketings she has always had books which are more than adequate. I know there is a lot if fabric fetishism here, and I suffer from it sometimes, but there are people that can get the "right" shade of navy after seeing two dozen solid navy swatches. She's always had Dormeuil, she had a great no name Italian book about two years ago that she told me was from a friend and which she no longer brings with her. I am wearing a navy jacket from it today that I ordered way back then and it's still looks magnificent after many wearings. I assume she no longer brings it because people prefer the branded stuff like Harrisons etc but she's always had stuff as good as any of the English stuff she has now and she's always had Loro Piana, which for my money, the English can't touch in terms of colors/patterns/finishing.

It's probably fair to say that people take an overly categorical view of acceptable and unacceptable fabric brands.

However I disagree about your point about "normal" and "adequate" suitings. I have plain grey suits in Lesser 10 oz and H&S Cape Horn Vista 11 oz (with a bit of cashmere), and there is a world of difference. The H&S cloth feels softer and does not look crisp. It also has a bit of a sheen. The Lesser cloth feels much more hard/dry and falls much cleaner. Though they were roughly the same price from Chan, I strongly prefer to wear the Lesser one and would pay a substantial premium to have future suits made out of the Lesser cloth (alas it is out of production I believe).

Originally Posted by edmorel

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don't take this the wrong way but you should stick with who you are using now, don't see what you will gain by trying a different shirt maker.

How do you know they are the best? What if the next tailor he goes to makes better? Or, the tenth next tailor and glad he finally found him? To a certain extent there is a smorgasbord of tailors; at a smorgasbord restaurant would you only pick one item until full or try several? Going to different tailors you learn new stuff, being they all think somewhat different.

Originally Posted by greger

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How do you know they are the best? What if the next tailor he goes to makes better? Or, the tenth next tailor and glad he finally found him? To a certain extent there is a smorgasbord of tailors; at a smorgasbord restaurant would you only pick one item until full or try several? Going to different tailors you learn new stuff, being they all think somewhat different.

I guess part of the issue is that with shirts there is less variation in styling and quality compared to jackets and pants.

Originally Posted by sellahi22

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It's probably fair to say that people take an overly categorical view of acceptable and unacceptable fabric brands.

However I disagree about your point about "normal" and "adequate" suitings. I have plain grey suits in Lesser 10 oz and H&S Cape Horn Vista 11 oz (with a bit of cashmere), and there is a world of difference. The H&S cloth feels softer and does not look crisp. It also has a bit of a sheen. The Lesser cloth feels much more hard/dry and falls much cleaner. Though they were roughly the same price from Chan, I strongly prefer to wear the Lesser one and would pay a substantial premium to have future suits made out of the Lesser cloth (alas it is out of production I believe).

This. It seems to me Mina favoured more modern fabrics (soft, "flashy"), which isn't to everybody's liking. Re: Lesser, IIRC Harrisons have mentioned that they will reintroduce some books, hopefully they live up to it.

A few quick snaps from my brother and my first basted fitting with Mina yesterday. I think that my brother's (first photo) jacket needs less work than mine but all in all things are coming along really well. My sale e peppe is making me wish it wasn't getting so dang nice out...

Those ties are really something else as well.

Congrats, looks like it's coming along nicely!

Originally Posted by NickPollica

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A few quick snaps from my brother and my first basted fitting with Mina yesterday. I think that my brother's (first photo) jacket needs less work than mine but all in all things are coming along really well. My sale e peppe is making me wish it wasn't getting so dang nice out...

Those ties are really something else as well.

Both look great. So She's back to NYC in July, huh? Might have to take the plunge...

Originally Posted by medtech_expat

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Mina should have about a dozen swatches with her on this trip. I chose three, and Mina and my gf proceeded to select the same 3 different patterns independent of one another. So I ended up with six.

Thanks. I'm meeting with her tomorrow, I'm looking forward to seeing the swatches.

-LR

Here's a question about NSM or Neapolitan tailors more generally-- has anyone had braces trousers made successfully from Naples, and if not, what is their protocol for evening dress? I'm assuming that they don't like showing belt buckles under DJs, or do they prefer DB suits where none of this matters?