Oh, I also told him I want a back which dropped straight down and not follow my lumbar curve. He nailed it, but I think a slight inward curve there would give the back more shape. Just a bit.

Why? I don't find that shape in the back detracts from comfort at all. Within reasonable limits of course.

I think you need to rethink your newfound obsession with comfort.. you seem to be drifting over to the dark side of the drape camp. That's probably what is causing the fuddy-duddy too big comments over at SF!

On an Italian website that is somehow connected to Rubinacci, there were scanned pages from an old English guide to suits. One of the pages says a back which dropped vertically down is to be preferred for aesthetic reason over one which follows the lumbar curve. Apparently, it gives a man a more upright bearing. I tried implementing this with my beige linen jacket but AL didn't know how to handle it so we did it curved.

I remain unconvinced, but maybe you can prove me wrong in the end.

Why don't you wear a thick sweater during the fitting?

Your shoulder width might appear right when worn over a sweater.

I am unconvinced myself, but the other pages in the guide were spot on, so I thought if ever there was a time for blind faith this is it.

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Added on August 18, 2010, 1:11 pmI did, a Tommy Hilfiger no less. I just didn't take pics with it. Will do this Saturday. But the jacket is supposed to look good even without a sweater.

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Added on August 18, 2010, 2:30 pmJust called AL to shrink the shoulders back a tad, to reduce the padding by half, and to shorten the front by 1/2".

This post has been edited by kotmj: Aug 18 2010, 02:30 PM

How much time was spent negotiating with AL to get your way ( & entertaining the pair of galley slaves )?

The engineering in a DB is more complicated to get right as compared to a SB

AL was 100% compliant. It was the smoothest fitting session ever. He let me have my way. (I am surprised myself.)

Wait.. so you had your way with AL, and found him to be very compliant? And the fit was smooth?

It may be too late for even me to try to salvage your soul.

Just got back from the final fitting of my 3 piece. Please don't ask for any pics.

I'm surprised with how soft the shoulder padding is.

The final revelation will be somewhere around mid October. Exact date and time TBA...

This post has been edited by bloke1: Aug 18 2010, 07:58 PM

That's so fast, it felt almost like yesterday that you commissioned the suit.

Please don't blame me.

R: Gor jor raya sin hoi gong!

Me: WTF?

By the way, there are still minimal divots on the shoulder. However he assured me with his life that it won't be there once the sleeveheads are finished properly. I don't think I can sleep for this month. And the next.

This post has been edited by bloke1: Aug 18 2010, 11:24 PM

Only a Special Customer would be allowed to do that without being shooed out of the shop.

I have been having all my woolen bespoke trousers cut with DOUBLE forward pleats for a while now. I think I have been a drapist/comfort freak all along. The trick to double pleats is to make the thigh roomy. With a tight thigh, the pleats open up and the top blooms. Like a carrot.

Speaking of forward pleats, R likes making a deep pleat.

On my recent 'linen'...

[attachmentid=1734079]

I wonder if it's too late for this, but the tailor has not recut the right back panel to compensate for your dropped shoulder. You'll notice the back balance is too long on the right side, which causes more folds in the right lower back. The left panel looks fine.


About choosing tailors: Many people do not interview well. They do not know how to say the right thing, they are totally ignorant of your specific vocabulary, they may not know how to behave in polite company, they have non-symmetrical facial features, etc. The previous mod of the forum rejected Bespoked because the did not use the term MTM the way he understood it. He went to Lord's, with results the Tan Sri and I discuss with much humour during out meetups.

When I interview people, I ask them to bring along a portfolio of their work. It may be design projects they have completed in their previous companies. It may be a thesis they wrote. PowerPoint slides of previous projects. I want to see their results, not only their oral presentation thereof.

With tailors only one thing counts: How their completed suits sit on their customers. Service may be bad (initially). They may be absolutely ignorant of current fora preferences. They may work exclusively with polyester. I overlook all these and concentrate on trying to discern if he is a skillful pattern manipulator and a conscientious fitter. His house cut be damned: none have a fora-approved house cut.

Look, the pool of tailors with real talent, especially in SE Asia, is so shallow you will find no tailor to work with if you concentrate on anything else in your evaluation.

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Added on August 18, 2010, 11:08 pmI feel an urge to unzip it. POV indeed.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Aug 18 2010, 11:08 PM

I hope you'll enjoy it as your new avatar.

If you unzip it and let it hang out I'll use it as my avatar immediately.

Thats ghey..

He's quite a tease.