The Summer Suit

[Indy Magnoli]

Hey IM, you may be on to something. Can your guys do a Marshall suit in a linen? I think it would look fantastic!

Easily... anyone interested? The pure Irish linen I have available comes in several shades, but costs a bit more than my other fabrics. So the Marshall Suit, for example, would be around $599. If you're looking for a lower cost alternative, I may be able to source some linen blends (say about 75% linen). This would knock off about $100 from the cost.

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Two words: polyester blend.

They stopped making it because poly blend came along? Or because it was itself a poly blend and therefore nasty? Doesn't feel like poly blend to me, so i guess the former.

bk

 

[Indy Magnoli]

So what does fresco look like ? I'd be intrigued to see a photo if anyone has one they could post

Here a link:

http%3a//www.hollandandsherry.com/collections/summer2000/hs247a.html

And a picture:

Kind regards,
Magnoli

 

[Griemersma]

Fresco pics...

It's a little hard to see the weave, but here's a jacket in fresco. Go to http://www.the30sstyle.com/ Click on "dressing" on the side menu and go down to the second listing from the bottom, under "dressing for spring and summer."

 

[Marc Chevalier]

They stopped making it because poly blend came along? Or because it was itself a poly blend and therefore nasty? Doesn't feel like poly blend to me, so i guess the former.

Yes, it's the former. After World War II ended, U.S. textile manufacturers allied with DuPont, the chemical conglomerate, to produce a variety of non-wrinkling "summer" fabrics. Nylon, for instance, was used in mens suits, shirts, underwear, socks, ties, and even mesh spectator shoes. Palm Beach Cloth was a "secret" blend of linen, cotton and mohair. Artificial fibers drove it from the market.

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Interesting! That fresco cloth looks a lot like the old Palm Beach cloth!

 

[Tomasso]

[/I]

So what does fresco look like ? I'd be intrigued to see a photo if anyone has one they could post

The hallmark of wool fresco is its open weave. No other weave breathes like fresco. For instance, I have midweight fresco that is cooler than featherweight Dupioni silk. The best way to judge the openness of a weave is to hold the fabric up to a light source.

Here's some lightweight fresco. It's like you ain't wearing nothing.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Now it looks even more like the old Palm Beach cloth. Hmm ... could it be the same stuff with a different name?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Ferrari Suit

Still have to get some screen grabs from Casablanca. Sr. Ferrari's linen suit looks pretty simple, though, and since Greenstreet and I share a similar build, it ought to work.