Big name doesn't always mean good tailor.

[Matt Deckard]

Big names don't always equate to good tailors. This should be known. I can argue with a well known tailor for hours and he won't understand what I want let alone make what I want. It goes back to the the quality versus luxury and and knowledge of an art versus making suits as a job.

Jorje Avalos in Long Beach knows his craft and won't argue unless he knows the suit will be awkward.

Joe Hemrajani Has all his construction outsourced though will listen measure and listen somemore to make sure he makes for you what you want.

I can give you the horror stories of made to measure and bespoke that I have had (and you can look back to old threads for those) though I today prefer to tell you the good tales like the beltback suit that came out just right with the perfect pleats and the highwaisted trousers as ordered.

What are you tales?

 

[Benny Holiday]

Hmm, where do you want me to start?

I've been going to the same tailor for 14 years, he's local, very skilled and reasonably priced. In prior years I'd gone to tailors in the city, one of whom does costumes work for many major theatre productions, and who enjoyed doing work different than the normal narrow-legged suits. But driving more than an hour for a fitting can be quite a hassle, so I began going to Mario Valenti in my hometown of Liverpool.

These past fourteen years have been a big learning curve for him and me; for him in that he's had to learn to listen to different ideas and get the prevalent 70's ideas of style out of his head, and for me in that I've had to learn how to persuade, cajole, and at times bully him into following my design. In short, I've had to learn how best to motivate him to make the jacket, trousers, suit etc the way I want it.

Oddly enough, much as he complains about a job when I first present the idea to him, in the end he always enjoys seeing the end product and is proud of his work. The best example is my black zoot suit I had him make for me in 1995. The jacket was no problem, but when I told him I wanted the trousers to measure 30 inches at the knees and 14 at the ankles, he could scarecly believe his ears! When the suit was finished and I put those drape pants on, though, he loved the look.

The last project I gave him was a DB jacket in a great blue-grey wool gabardine, complete with beltback and patch pockets with triple knife-edege pleats (pics to be posted soon). He complained all through that process too, but was, as always, proud as a peacock of the finished item.

The main issues I have to be on top of with Mario are the horizontal separation between buttons on the front of DB jackets (on the beltback he swore he followed my instructions to a T, and that the buttons were 5.25 inches apart as I stipulated, which I could see they were not - they were 4 inches apart), and ensuring that the waist of a jacket is well "nipped-in" to ensure the hourglass shape. Minor issues are getting 4 buttons, not three, on the sleeve cuffs, and getting a buttoniere hole sewn in each lapel of a DB jacket, rather than ending up with one or none.

The fit and quality of workmanship of his garments are superb, however. Now I've got a digital camera, there will be plenty of pics coming soon.

 

[jamespowers]

My problem with tailors---especially big name ones is that they try to tell you what you want rather than listen to what you want. I dumped all those. I have a local tailor who works wonders for far less and will do exactly what I want for half the price of the others. Now that is a tailor.

Regards,

J

 

[manton]

My favorite suits were made by a guy who doesn't even have a shop. Fittings are done on an ad hoc basis. Yesterday, he fitted a friend of mine in the middle of Grand Central. People didn't know what the hell to think.

I used to scoff at the big name Savile Row firms, but lately Poole and A&S have been turning out good things.

Some tailors have red lines that they won't cross. Others will say "Sure I can do that" and then they just don't, for whatever reason. The latter is really annoying.

I've mostly stayed away from the big names over the years. Of course, in New York, there aren't very many. Fioravanti is the biggest. Nice man, very gracious, but his style does not appeal to me. Maurizio is another biggish name; same issues apply. After them, the others are quite a bit less famous. The only one that even comes close the Savile Row level of exposure is Fioravanti.

I don't know if you consider Giacomo a big name or not, but I had good results from him 10+ years ago. He was not 100% flexible, but he met me halfway. I still wear the stuff.

 

[manton]

james, I was never able to find even an aspirant bespoke tailor in SF. Would mind telling me who you use? Purely academic at this point, but I would be interested to know.

 

[jamespowers]

james, I was never able to find even an aspirant bespoke tailor in SF. Would mind telling me who you use? Purely academic at this point, but I would be interested to know.

The place is called LA Tailor. Angel is a great guy and really knows his way around a suit. He is also in the city I live in. I wouldn't go to Frisco for a tailor. Maybe that was your problem.

Regards,

J

 

[manton]

So he's in LA and not the Bay Area? That makes sense. I have always found LA to be stocked with tailors.

 

[Martin Stall]

My problem with tailors---especially big name ones is that they try to tell you what you want rather than listen to what you want. I dumped all those. I have a local tailor who works wonders for far less and will do exactly what I want for half the price of the others. Now that is a tailor.

Regards,

J

Indeed, hear hear. All I can say is: I wish I were that kind of tailor. I have a small name, though, does that help?

 

[jamespowers]

So he's in LA and not the Bay Area? That makes sense. I have always found LA to be stocked with tailors.

No, actually he is in San Leandro--right here in the East Bay. I think he might have come from LA though.

Regards,

J

 

[Lincsong]

Powers, Angel named his tailor shop LA simply because he likes Los Angeles. He's from Oakland. By the way all, LA Tailors is located on Estudillo Avenue in San Leandro, CA. Angel is a great tailor, knows his stuff and a hard worker.