Suit Fabrics

[wackyvorlon]

Through my recent reading, I think I may have found a place where one can obtain vintage suit fabrics. The company is called Beckenstein Men's Fabrics, and they are based in New York. Alas, I have as yet been unable to find a web presence for them at all. Is there anyone nearby, who might be able to check them out?

 

[Matt Deckard]

Keep us updated. If something turns up and they can send me some good swatches and the price isn't crazy I'm ready to buy.

 

[wackyvorlon]

I've done some reading to get an idea what I should ask them for... It looks like the stuff we want is about 20 ounce. Upholstery fabric is usually about 15 ounce, and the heaviest weight of harris tweed that you can buy these days is less than 10 ounces. I have seen mention in some places of even 30 ounces... So, I suppose we want worsted wool in 20 ounce weight?

 

[Matt Deckard]

16 to 20oz.

 

[wackyvorlon]

Much to my delight, I have found an e-mail address through which they may be contacted, fabricczar@aol.com

No we get to see if they read their e-mail

 

[Dr. Shocker]

can't wait to hear about this one....keep up the dectective work

 

[Fuente]

Neil Boyarski is the owner of Beckenstein. Most of their business is retail but I do some business with Neil on occasion on the wholesale side.

The weights that are mentioned above are overcoat weights. Vintage suit weights would not exceed 15-16 Oz. Top Coats were 16-24 oz goods and overcoats in the 30oz range.

Rich :cool2:

 

[Matt Deckard]

Your right Fuente. For a good vintage weight I'd target a 16oz. fabric. their is a big difference too in the wool used back then versus wool used today. The fabrics many thimes had a harder, stiffer finish when compared to the softer wools used today.

 

[Fuente]

I was in NYC this week working, rather late, on fabrics for Spring 2006.

I stopped by to see Neil and his son at Beckenstein. Although the space is not as large as their old Orchard Street location they have enough piece goods to meet the needs of any single suit or sportcoat customer.

While I waited to meet with him he was busy selling some woolen tweeds to a hat and cap manufacturer.

If you want it he'll do his best to find it for you.

Rich :cool2:

 

[Film_Noir_Buff]

I used to do a lot of business with beckenstein. They moved and current management is not one Id do business with. They are rude and very money minded, even for merchants. Also, I rarely saw anything that was actually vintage there.

If you want either actual vintage fabrics or wonderful repros, contact Singer textiles in manhattan on delancy street, 212-925-4818 ask for Tibi who is the personable proprietor.

He has old three ply mohairs, Double Plains, antique tweeds, crazy flannels and iron worsteds in older patterns and weights. He is a fabric expert and often supplies vintage fabrics for retro movies and theatrical productions. Prices are reasonable and he'll ship anywhere. I have dealt with him for a decade and find him ethical.

H. Lesser and sons have wonderful vintage fabrics from the 40s and on, ugly in just the way you afficianados like them. Probably could be had for a song, but you must go through a tailor to buy. Still email them your request for swatches to be mailed to you with the understanding caveat that you will buy through their usa distributor. I have seen never to be reproduced suitings from them that have to be seen to be believed.

http://www.hlesser.co.uk

 

[MrBern]

Of all my WWII era US field trousers & ClassA trousers, theyre generally labelled Serge Wool, 18 oz. The service coats & ike jkts are the same. I have two trousers that are different. Both from the last year of the war. One is marked 22oz, the other is 30oz which seems to match the heavy winter great coat.
It doesnt get any better than that.

 

[Son_of_Atropos]

TTT

 

[Tomasso]

Why?[huh]

 

[tjoek]

Agree, unlike today's suits, back then they were made with 15oz+ wool.
It's the heavy weight that made the suits to fall and drape gracefully.

 

[Alucard73]

What about wearing these suits in hot weather. I asked my local menswear/ psuedo-taylor for a 10 oz fabric and he acted like I was crazy and told me noone wears suits this heavy and it would be very hot. Granted this is Texas and it gets hot but it is hot in any suit...even linen.

 

[Widebrim]

What about wearing these suits in hot weather. I asked my local menswear/ psuedo-taylor for a 10 oz fabric and he acted like I was crazy and told me noone wears suits this heavy and it would be very hot. Granted this is Texas and it gets hot but it is hot in any suit...even linen.

Depends on how much you can take. Here in Los Angeles, I wouldn't normally wear a heavy, vintage suit on a summer day, but rather put on a lighter, modern one. Summer evenings are another matter, but even then I wouldn't wear a heavy suit until about 8 p.m. Of course, wearing a lighter color also helps a bit.

 

[Robert Conway]

The closest modern produced fabric to vintage that I have found is by Lesser & Sons. The finish and body (stiffness, firmness) is very, very close. Holland & Sherry looks downright 'flimsy' in comparison... L&S is more expensive than H&S, at least the 16oz is.

Yes, they make some 'interesting' patterns that you could probably only get away with wearing in the UK, but their standards (solids, pin stripes) are outstanding.

 

[manton]

As great as Lesser is -- and I think it is the best cloth being made today -- a couple of years ago, someone who worked there gave me a stack of 3x3" swatches from the '40s - '60s that were unbelievable.

I really did not understand what Matt Deckard was talking about re: vintage fabrics until I got those.

That said, new Lesser is more than good enough for me.

 

[DanielJones]

There is an ebay store that has loads of buy it now items that may have what folks are looking for. It's called 'British Fabrics'. Just type that in under the "Stores" catigory & search by Store Name and it should point you to the only listing. They have some great stuff there.

I always loved the suits that James Stewart & Cary Grant wore. The fabric looked like it has some substantial weight to it and didn't appear that it was going to wrinkle up on you.


Cheers!

Dan

 

[Orgetorix]

As great as Lesser is -- and I think it is the best cloth being made today -- a couple of years ago, someone who worked there gave me a stack of 3x3" swatches from the '40s - '60s that were unbelievable.

I really did not understand what Matt Deckard was talking about re: vintage fabrics until I got those.

That said, new Lesser is more than good enough for me.

In what way were they so much better?