rtd01
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I haven't posted any message or comment on the Forum in many years, but want to recommend a couple of tailors in Dallas, Texas. (This message is unsolicited, and I'm not receiving any financial or other benefit for it. I also apologize in advance for its length.)
I recently faced the prospect of purchasing some new suits and sportscoats to replace some that were worn. I realized, however, that I still had some suits and sportscoats purchased between 15 and 20 years ago, which I hadn't worn in some time. Although my size hasn't changed in years, those suit jackets and sportscoats were too long, both because of the way they were cut 15 to 20 years ago and because I've shrunk a bit as I've aged.
I wondered if those suit jackets and sportscoats could be shortened from the top, or at the shoulder seam. A couple of older tailors in Dallas, who've made custom or bespoke suits and sportscoats (but who had retired or were no longer accepting new work), explained to me that most of those garments could be so shortened by up to an inch and how the work could be done.
Those old suits and sportscoats were of high quality, like Kiton, Brioni, Ricci, and Ralph Lauren Purple Label; made of luxury fabrics, like cashmere, "15 micron" wool, and Escorial wool; and originally purchased at Neiman Marcus, Stanley Korshak, or from certain sellers on the Forum.
I discussed the possible alterations with at least ten highly skilled, reputable tailors in the Dallas area whose work included custom or bespoke suits and sportscoats. Only two were confident that shortening the suit jackets and sportscoats could be done so that the garment would fit correctly and look good. In general, the work included opening the garment at the shoulder seam, detaching and reshaping the collar, and detaching the sleeves and adjusting the armholes and the sleeves.
The shortening would result in raising the gorge and the chest pocket from the lower stance on my garments -- in accordance with the style when purchased -- about an inch, to a position that's consistent with the higher stance on recent suit jackets and sportscoats (in accordance with the current style). Of course, the shortening wouldn't be appropriate if the suit jacket or sportscoat already had a higher gorge stance.
As you'd expect, the cost of the alteration of each garment was higher than other, more typical alterations -- from about $300 to $500, depending on the garment. But the cost was much cheaper than the cost of replacing the garments with new similar ones. (For example, the current retail price of one of the garments, a Kiton double-breasted 100% cashmere sportscoat, exceeds $10,000!)
I engaged each of the two tailors on a few garments, Orlando Morales at The Tailor Shop in the Dallas Design District, and Mike Akache, the Regional Manager of Alterations for Neiman Marcus at the NM Northpark store. Each tailor did a great job, both in advising me what could and couldn't be done and in performing the alterations. I highly recommend each of them. I'd be happy to discuss this with anyone who's interested.
I recently faced the prospect of purchasing some new suits and sportscoats to replace some that were worn. I realized, however, that I still had some suits and sportscoats purchased between 15 and 20 years ago, which I hadn't worn in some time. Although my size hasn't changed in years, those suit jackets and sportscoats were too long, both because of the way they were cut 15 to 20 years ago and because I've shrunk a bit as I've aged.
I wondered if those suit jackets and sportscoats could be shortened from the top, or at the shoulder seam. A couple of older tailors in Dallas, who've made custom or bespoke suits and sportscoats (but who had retired or were no longer accepting new work), explained to me that most of those garments could be so shortened by up to an inch and how the work could be done.
Those old suits and sportscoats were of high quality, like Kiton, Brioni, Ricci, and Ralph Lauren Purple Label; made of luxury fabrics, like cashmere, "15 micron" wool, and Escorial wool; and originally purchased at Neiman Marcus, Stanley Korshak, or from certain sellers on the Forum.
I discussed the possible alterations with at least ten highly skilled, reputable tailors in the Dallas area whose work included custom or bespoke suits and sportscoats. Only two were confident that shortening the suit jackets and sportscoats could be done so that the garment would fit correctly and look good. In general, the work included opening the garment at the shoulder seam, detaching and reshaping the collar, and detaching the sleeves and adjusting the armholes and the sleeves.
The shortening would result in raising the gorge and the chest pocket from the lower stance on my garments -- in accordance with the style when purchased -- about an inch, to a position that's consistent with the higher stance on recent suit jackets and sportscoats (in accordance with the current style). Of course, the shortening wouldn't be appropriate if the suit jacket or sportscoat already had a higher gorge stance.
As you'd expect, the cost of the alteration of each garment was higher than other, more typical alterations -- from about $300 to $500, depending on the garment. But the cost was much cheaper than the cost of replacing the garments with new similar ones. (For example, the current retail price of one of the garments, a Kiton double-breasted 100% cashmere sportscoat, exceeds $10,000!)
I engaged each of the two tailors on a few garments, Orlando Morales at The Tailor Shop in the Dallas Design District, and Mike Akache, the Regional Manager of Alterations for Neiman Marcus at the NM Northpark store. Each tailor did a great job, both in advising me what could and couldn't be done and in performing the alterations. I highly recommend each of them. I'd be happy to discuss this with anyone who's interested.
