Bespoke Cutter And Tailor

Quote from: Greger on Today at 05:58:19 AM"That ethos is all but extinct with today's youth, who are materialistically richer and don't care about such things."

Tailors should be reaching out to these that have enough money.

When they enter the workplace, a high percentage of our current youth will require a suit, whether they like it or not. That has been the experience of my eldest nephew. A small percentage, the high earners, will eventually buy bespoke.

I doubt we'll ever see a return to those mid-century days when tailors were aplenty, but I don't see the profession going into decline either. There will all always be a small percentage of the population that wants the best.

The difference now, and most likely in the future, is that outside of work young people only dress casually. Which is why we're seeing more tailors offering high-end casual wear alongside their normal fare.

Quote from: jruley on Today at 06:24:32 AM"Comfort" today seems to be equated with oversized, loose and sloppy, or stretchy.  How is a tailor supposed to compete with that?

When you see someone in a well-fitted garment they simply look elegant. And many people would want to buy into that. Vanity is alive and well. 

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:27:00 AM

Quote from: Greger on Today at 05:58:19 AM"That ethos is all but extinct with today's youth, who are materialistically richer and don't care about such things."

Tailors should be reaching out to these that have enough money.

When they enter the workplace, a high percentage of our current youth will require a suit, whether they like it or not. That has been the experience of my eldest nephew. A small percentage, the high earners, will eventually buy bespoke.

I doubt we'll ever see a return to those mid-century days when tailors were aplenty, but I don't see the profession going into decline either. There will all always be a small percentage of the population that wants the best.

The difference now, and most likely in the future, is that outside of work young people only dress casually. Which is why we're seeing more tailors offering high-end casual wear alongside their normal fare.

Same here, and more so since the end of Covid... Frankly, I think since then mainstreet ready to wear has relatively suffered more than tailoring. And that is not all; demand for ceremonial is also increasing. It is clearly obvious in the offerings of fabric suppliers. True, there is a huge gap between what is worn casually or formally. And let's face it; how is wearing streetwear, in whatever form, a statement anymore? The only exception is the boom in bodyconscious athletic stuff and oldschool running shoes. "Sophisticated" casualwear or "refined sportswear" is also doing well, call it "dinner-proof" if you will. Prices in that segment are steadily crawling northward by the way (think of labels like Stone Island or CP Company for example). Anyway, there will always be formal moments and that includes above all business situations...

Cheerio, Hendrick

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:37:29 AM

Quote from: jruley on Today at 06:24:32 AM"Comfort" today seems to be equated with oversized, loose and sloppy, or stretchy.  How is a tailor supposed to compete with that?

When you see someone in a well-fitted garment they simply look elegant. And many people would want to buy into that. Vanity is alive and well. 

Couldn't agree more; freedom is a great thing, but it shouldn't hurt the eyes...

Cheers, Hendrick

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:37:29 AMWhen you see someone in a well-fitted garment they simply look elegant. And many people would want to buy into that. Vanity is alive and well. 

Nice sidestep, but I meant how does a tailor compete on the basis of comfort?  Yes a well fitted jacket can be more comfortable than off the rack, but it's not more comfortable than a sweatshirt.

The last popular fashion statement, as demonstrated repeatedly in the James Bond movies, and copied endlessly by footballers in Australia and my own sons up until recently, was the wearing of undersized jackets. This was the fashion in order to emphasise ones "Gains" in the gym.

As is always true the fashion suits those individuals who are in the peak of fashion readiness. Wearing undersized jackets quickly became as ludicrous as seeing a row of half a dozen young women waiting, seated on a bench at the hairdresser, with their backs to the glass window - all wearing low rise jeans. A sight previously reserved for the bar at a plumbers conference.

Quote from: jruley on Today at 09:46:22 AMYes a well fitted jacket can be more comfortable than off the rack, but it's not more comfortable than a sweatshirt.

I'm just not convinced that this is at all true. I get people occasionally commenting about this when they see how I normally dress outside of work (which is basically how I dress at work) and I think it's really all about perception and biased expectations.

People are so accustomed to slim fit poor fitting off the rack suits, often with polyester in the mix, that they simply do not know what an ok fitting jacket feels like. They see a jacket and can only think of that much less than satisfactory experience they had with a Men's Wearhouse suit that they needed for a wedding or some other such rare occasion. I have a couple jackets that I wear constantly. They're not at all a perfect fit. But the shoulders are right, the amount of ease is good, and I don't overheat in the half lined one until I am being active in 80 degree weather. My cotton chinos that actually have enough fabric to fit right are as comfortable as any jeans, and rolling up the sleeves on a half decent cotton buttonup shirt is as comfortable as any tshirt. And so I am as comfortable in my slightly elevated outfit as anyone in a sweat shirt and sweatpants.

Quote from: jruley on Today at 09:46:22 AM

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:37:29 AMWhen you see someone in a well-fitted garment they simply look elegant. And many people would want to buy into that. Vanity is alive and well. 

Nice sidestep, but I meant how does a tailor compete on the basis of comfort?  Yes a well fitted jacket can be more comfortable than off the rack, but it's not more comfortable than a sweatshirt.

It wasn't a sidestep Jim. People who go to tailors aren't in the market for sweatshirts. They might own them and wear them around the house, but that's not the reason they're going to a tailor, is it. Someone who wishes to buy a vintage Porsche isn't going to be swayed at the last moment by an e-bike.

Formal wear still has its place in society; and many have to conform to the dress code of the workplace (or classroom in the case of British schoolkids). For office workers, politicians and those in business, their uniform is still the suit. Catch the London rush-hour sometime and you'll see that to be the case. Dress codes have changed over the years of course, and perhaps formality has been eschewed more in the States, but the UK is still a very traditional place.

The market for bespoke bottomed out long ago. It's now small, niche, but healthy. And to return to my initial point, when you see someone well-dressed they can inspire a sense of awe; even feelings of inadequacy and envy. That's what fuels the bespoke trade: a desire to join the club and be that person.