I question, upon reflection, if you can go to Spain and Italy (and India via W & S) might we see a time when you take into consideration the many fine UK tailors at points outside of London. After realizing what such refined raiment can do for him both physically and psychologically, it is the rare man who does not become a convert for life. She corrected my trousers and identified there was an issue straight away. Was planning to do so with W&S during their next trunk show. Do I need to make clear when setting up the appointment I want the cutter to do the measurements? Cheers. There is a tremendous amount of added value in their product the Savile Row cache, the fact theyre actual tailors and not salesmen which I dont think is being communicated in the price. This one, or good value english tailors (for example grahame browne)? It is as good in cut as most other Savile Row suits, and almost as good in make. Should the button and buttonhole align when the jacket is unbuttoned? How about the Huntsman 100 product? Any other recommendations? I think theyd certainly do a very good job. Ill reflect more on the overall style of Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, and where it sits relative to other tailors I have tried, when I publish the pictures of the Savile Row Bespoke suit. if you have any other suggestions of tailors for morning wear (through word of mouth) I would be super grateful for the input Thank you very much for your assistance. hi Simon, very interesting article. I personally think Airforce Blue can look business appropriate in the Summer months, but more for Belgravia than Broadgate perhaps. how many weeks from measuring to first fitting, from first fitting to second fitting, etc. I hope that makes sense. Important stitching unfinished and then came undone. Looking at the second photo the silhouette appears to show a wider hip then shoulder and quite large flaps. There is Mori, which Maslow So is trying to do out of China but thats not fully launched yet. Hi Simon. Apr 11, 2018 - Whitcomb & Shaftesbury final suit - great value bespoke. Whitcomb & Shaftesbury is based on George Street in Mayfair, just a few paces from Savile Row, and offers two bespoke services: its Savile Row Bespoke service, which is made in the conventional fashion in on-site workrooms, and Classic Bespoke, which is cut in London and made in the brand's workshop in Chennai, India. Is sufficient to have the master coatmaker in the fittings or you absolutely need to see the cutter? Thanks You could also look at Kent Haste & Lachter, who would be more similar to that style. If you are buying off-the-rack clothes, they are tailored to fit you. These Tailors Are Doing It Anyway. The shoulder fit looks (to me) the best of your suits on here. And quality is quality, no matter where its sourced. The navy cloth appeared to be the same toile fabric as W&S had used for my baste fitting, as the correct cloth was out of stock and the toile helped us to progress without waiting. The coatmaker, Bob, is also coming on trips that John isnt. Im looking forward to stopping by! ), Simon if you have any influence on this company (and I suppose you do in a way because clearly they wanted you see their quality and write something about it) for the love of God make them hire somebody who redoes their website. B.) Brilliant. Thansk, Yes, although they are differences, such as less drape, leds of an extended shoulder. Whitcomb & Shaftesbury Artisanal Bespoke The Whitcomb & Shaftesbury suit epitomises the idea of slow fashion, a backlash against the disposable trends of recent years. They seem stylistically similar (soft w some drape), and affordable. new to bespoke), but i would certainly be interested to know more about 1) what to realistically expect from bespoke, and 2) how to get the most from the process. At Maison Bonnet, for example, the process would be a lot more involved. Wonderful. Or take in some pictures of styles you like. Hi Simon. So, the duo determined that theyd fulfill the role of giving clients good, honest guidance, before recruiting a team of Savile Row trained cutters and tailors, including John McCabe and Bob Bigg, highly experienced stalwarts of the Row with close to 120 years combined experience. (Living in Paris and only going from time to time to London, difficult to sync with the neapolitan tailors). The fact this has happened with two tailors is odd, and the only thing I can think of is that maybe you stand rather unnaturally during fittings, eg very erect? Black mens jeans: how to choose and with what to wear? We now turn to the problems I believe the suit has. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. All chests are hand felled and lapels and collars are hand padded. However, am i expecting too much? Ask them and theyll show you the various options. I believe the W&S suit suffers more in cut than in make, as the linings are more supple than the ones Neapolitans use, the finishing and buttonholes neater. Theyre reasonably flexible, but I wouldnt ask them to do Neapolitan. Thanks for your time, JK. Could you give more information on the stitching point and the fit? Every aspect of the garment from the fabric to the style is customized and tailored for your unique body. sorry if its a silly question. They will often try to cater to different styles, but without a lot of experience of doing so. My advice would be, as with any bespoke, to start simple and classic. Thank you and have a pleasant weekend. Let me know if that doesnt answer your question I remember you recommending MTM for those building a trouser wardrobe, but im not sure if this company would follows ideal fit, considering they outsource their labor and the cutter is not in consultation with you. So basically I will be sad 4 days a week for a while! Although I agree, Simon, about expecting no artists or artisans, tailors or otherwise, to takes bribes that stretch their natural styles beyond zones of comfort/ experience but with W & S I clearly wasnt asking too much. They wont move the button or buttonhole, but they might open the shoulder seam and pick one side up slightly. I think there is often a risk with bespoke that people expect perfection, and everything to have been considered for them, when it is more interactive, and does have most benefits over time. Hi Simon I would second that cloth ref. John doesnt go on all the trips, but I wouldnt worry too much about that as long as hes there for one or two of the fittings. The fabric will be high quality and the stitching will be precise and flawless.Secondly, a bespoke suit will always be perfectly tailored to the individual. I hope someday to access (and afford) some pure Neapolitan tailoring but in our globalized world, even from a post-modern perspective purity is a questionable concept regardless. As a more extreme example how does it compare to your C&M and Cifonelli suits: if you say its nearly as good that may change everything!! One of the reasons rate Whitcomb is the presence of cutter John McCabe. Henry Poole etc.) It seems to have a bit of drape, and the shoulders arent too military? Much more Italian style, soft and more curved. Dear Simon, Let me know what you think of these points, and whether this might be worth a full post at some point too. No, not necessarily. If youre into your clothes, you might well know the name Whitcomb & Shaftesbury. I chose the Holland and Sherry 892004 slate blue Harris tweed and plunged in. What I also find interesting and perhaps would be an interesting point of discussion with a tailor is that even though my right shoulder drops, I dont think my right armhole should be lower. Congrats on the blog. Could you also compare the house styles of both tailors? Interestingly, there is also quite a lot of drape to the chest something I like on my Anderson & Sheppard suits both for their comfort and impression of a bigger upper body. With over 400 years of accumulated experience on Savile Row, our master cutters and tailors take care of ensuring a perfect fit, creating the ultimate collaboration of design and craftsmanship. Very best. The feeling I got when discussing some of these details with the team at W&S was one of denial of some of the problems. Id still call them an English tailor But its hard to say Id say buy whichever of the two you can stretch to. Do you think their house style could work in a deep navy seersucker SB? The result may be due to specifics in my case. And no, it wouldnt be vastly different from KH&L, More importantly, for that price range this is certainly the best value suit out there, and it sounds like one that would suit your style as well. How strange, and to deepen the mystery further it was a pair of trousers which I had seen. And even if she were a bespoke cutter, Id still have confidence saying W&C is better value for money. Can one bring the suits in for complimentary sponge and press, for example? Simon, I note your enthusiasm for W&S. 2. At this stage of your life, I wouldnt stretch to one of the others. I notice that they have recently taken on a new cutter called Sian Walton. Great width and shape of the lapels with a nice roll, and well balanced gorge (dont you think the modern gorge placement is too high?). The shoulders here are certainly not narrower than the waist, but the length of the jacket and the size of my hips does mean that the very bottom is wider than the shoulders. Still strikes me as cracking value though. (Which one imagines is the standard 6-9 weeks. Are there any other tailors in the Milan/Northern Italy area that I should consider as well, that would be great starting points to the high-end bespoke world? I have large shoulders, am tall and have a relatively slim waist, but dont feel comfortable looking bigger. ), That means 3-4 visits for the first suit. That was more specific to Rubinacci. And a pair of flannel trousers? Between them, this trio can bring to bear a huge range of different skills. Im attracted to the Classic Bespoke offering from W&S for a wedding suit but think I favour two button and slightly stronger shoulders. Hi Simon, quick follow up on the cloth and finding the right shade of navy for business. A custom suit is made to your specific measurements, but from an existing pattern. It is just one mans opinion but going in I was definitely expecting more. Thats a really great question, and very useful experiences of bespoke too. (And which?). Back in October there was a lot of interest around my post on the bespoke service at Whitcomb & Shaftesbury. Simon are you familiar with Redmayne 1860s MTM service and, if so, between Redmaynes 1860 Acclaim MTM and W&S classic bespoke, which would be better quality? Simon. Thanks! Hi Simon. Those two are often the best ways to communicate style, I really only wear white, which is why we launched with this. Full disclosure: I did weigh 6kg more when I ordered the suit than I did at the first fitting. Photography: Jack Lawson. I think Im inclined to forego my preferences in that case! Alex Natt. I do think its worth asking, as they are generally quite open to such ideas, but at the same time if they seem hesitant then dont push it. And no, I dont think its appropriate for business. Fit not good. But when in 1760 Read More. Hi Simon, Good suits can look terrible; bad ones good. However even though we probably buy the same brands (and silks) my four-in-hand tends to come out smaller and less tilted. With a business suit I can see the clear value add with the handpadding of canvas and shoulders, but for softer tailoring of less canvassing and natural shoulders, (overall less structure) the compromise should not be as drastic? To be honest I am leaning more towards WS now but cannot make up my mind! The jacket theyve made me has jumped immediately into top place as both my best fitting AND most casually comfortable piece of clothing: the shoulders are just what I wanted, even softer (much softer) than in the suit jacket; there remains, despite the soft structure, a bit of English drape that I love in the chest; and really its the waist that is absolutely sublime a perfect pinch, fitting me so well between the arm holes and waist; most of all, the skirt is truly the most beautiful Ive worn in a jacket, with even the snifter-shaped patch pockets perfectly proportioned for its exquisite lines. And it would look a touch more formal than a Neapolitan, but as long as youre happy with that (and my Gieves is similar in cut) then that would work fine. So the variation in style is house to house, rather than cutter to cutter. Though no, its a noticeable but not huge difference to go for 11oz rather than 13oz, I have suits in both. Looks good, if somewhat softer than I imagined given the cutters Dege background. Yes, for the first-timer expectations can certainly be too high, which was the case for me. Touch device users can explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Would you say W&S would be a sound option for someones first bespoke suit and if so, any advice on a maiden voyage such as this? It is another interesting approach. Thanks Chris, thats always helpful, and yes absolutely, aware of how beneficial it would be. The brand is the brainchild of two brothers, Suresh and Mahesh Ramakrishnan, who both enjoyed long and successful corporate careers in New York City before they decided to open a tailor shop. Also, is it usually preferable to have the person you first meet about a garment also do the pattern and fitting? I had a second basted fitting, in which some of the issues were accounted for. I worry, however, that they might be a bit expensive. vergallo e.2200 for suit, e1750 for jacket Would be nice to see W&S in the style breakdown series. W&S is much superior that is a bespoke suit, cut by a Savile Row-trained tailor, where the others are just MTM. Thanks. Its nice in a sports coat, but frankly its not one I would wear with denim. How many fittings would you say one need to work in to have a W&S suit made, and could these be spaced out over a year or so? The suit was very large in the shoulders, it had no shape in the body, but the first fitting is for the tailor, so I left it to her to do her job and I had lost some weight. An appealing option cost wise compared to what some charge for RTW, and safe in the knowledge that the factory workers have been paid a fair wage. I will take your advice and go with Whitcomb then. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. One of your best suits in my opinion! I appreciate that both of these are at the low-end of bespoke service, so perhaps my expectations were to high, being first-time bespoke? Is your W&S suit cuted with a similar amount of drape or more? Will introduce myself soon when I see you around. Free shipping for many products! Yes, it would be just as acceptable (and in the same way, a little showy). I am new to London and to tailored suits and so have been reading your site obsessively. Was this cloth amongst their offerings at their base price or was there a cost supplement? Youll find a few reviewed here, most obviously W&S, Graham Browne, Choppin & Lodge, and Manning & Manning. When buttoning I believe this creates a line along the right side of the jacket and most importantly pushes the collar up and it doesnt stay flush to my neck. I mean its so majestic, amazing you should do a tutorial on it. I had a strict deadline though. As I showed back in 2016 when I had suits made in both, there is no quality difference between the two. I guess this is relevant to the greatest number of people in the context of a bespoke suit, and it would great to know what are the key points that should be thought about (choice of cloth etc.). Have a look at my posts in the past on Rubinacci bespoke. The only thing youd be looking for is a difference in execution and there are some tiny points there. I wouldnt ask any non-Neapolitan tailor to do Neapolitan to be honest. Updated: Dec 14, 2021. Equally, as Im probably going to take the leap, if youd like any feedback from me on it, Id be more than happy to share. Thanks Simon. W&S was at about the same price point without the extra trousers for a super 100 9/10 oz made in seven weeks in India. Its just that if any bespoke tailor spent as much as designer brands on marketing, advertising, shops etc, theyd be 50% more expensive. 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