Suit jacket draft from Shanghai tailors, 1986

[OlymposPartizanos]

Here's a suit jacket draft in a suit tailoring book from a Shanghai state-owned clothing company in 1980s.

Little history before this:
Almost all tailors were gathered into state-owned cooperatives in 1950s nationalization in China, becoming "departments" of local government, producing wholesale products or providing bespoke services. In about late 1950s they stopped making "western style suit jackets" (in this term, jackets with lapel), and only producing Mao suits or other similar button-up-to-neck jackets or uniforms. (Although actually they're still making coats with lapel). They start producing suit jackets again in 1980s marketization reform. This book is written by Shanghai Clothing Company, probably gathered all the best bespoke tailors and tailoring shops in the 1950s reform. Actually, most of the best old local bespoke tailors in Shanghai still start from this company as far as I know. I believe methods in this book should be representative for local Shanghai tailors of that generation.

[OlymposPartizanos]

[OlymposPartizanos]

I might upload other drafts from this book after translate it.

This book also contains a construction part. The canvas construction part is actually quite different from any English ones that I've read through, although, interestingly, I've seen a Shanghai bespoke tailor from that generation using this method saying it as "traditional British method" that pass through him from his earlier generations of Shanghai tailors before 1950s. However recently I found some Russian books using similar methods during the Soviet era. I might also try to translate this part too.

[Gerry]

I'd be interested in seeing how the canvas is done. Just a basic shot/overview (if the text is lengthy).

[Schneiderfrei]

What a great thing to share OlymposPartizanos, thank you.

[Steelmillal]

Bet the similarity with Saville row is almost identical, given underarm suppression darts.


The ratios, if any captured, to other gender and racial uniqueness are the only differences that may be incorporated, i.e. arm length ratios, neck points, inseam depths to pelvic pivots.


Be interesting to see more. I've a six-book set from Japan, without a word of English, that looks quite excellent.

[DrLang]

Be interesting to see more. I've a six-book set from Japan, without a word of English, that looks quite excellent.

Would you be willing to copy the jacket section for me? I have been thinking about trying to get a copy of this and make a pass at translating it out of curiosity. Would definitely post any attempt to do so here.

[Steelmillal]

It's only for women's patterns and unless you are fluent in Japanese, and cutting for women, it wouldn't be much help in things. I will look for them, though. They are also boxed out of sight and light. rgds.

[DrLang]

Oh shoot. I'm fluent enough in Japanese, but I thought you had the men's book.

[Steelmillal]

There's a lot of really good Japanese books that appear now and again. When I see one, I'll post something. Until then

https://movsd.com/BespokeCutter/index.php?topic=345.0

UND!

https://web.archive.org/web/20150906224624/http://www.cutterandtailor.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=546

Cheers.

[OlymposPartizanos]

Just updated the canvas construction of this book here:
https://movsd.com/BespokeCutter/index.php?topic=1410.0