Paul Stuart MTM "CustomLAB" - reviews?

[ter1413]

...

 

[comrade]

this is an example of what I consider slightly weird PS pricing:
https://www.paulstuart.com/sharkskin-suit.html - $1,247.75 marked down from $2495,
https://www.paulstuart.com/paul-fit-super-130s-wool-sharkskin-suit.html $1,097.75, marked down from $2195.

I have not been in the store for four years. I was not aware that PS had strayed so far from its roots.
For this style one can save a lot of money and buy Suit Supply crap. The late Clifford Grodd is probably
turning in his grave.

Clifford Grodd, Chief of Paul Stuart, Dies at 86

Mr. Grodd, who took the reins at Paul Stuart in 1955, counted Mayor Michael Bloomberg and celebrities including Frank Sinatra and Paul Newman as clients.

www.nytimes.com

 

[knittieguy]

I can't speak for Mr. Grodd, but I've seen one of those sharkskin suits in person and it is quite nice.

Interesting obit, by the way. I didn't realize that in the early '50s Paul Stuart was viewed as a budget alternative to Brooks Brothers. As long as I can remember, it's always been higher quality, higher price.

 

[Mothetgoo]

As far as the pricing goes, I know that PS sources their fabrics from different mills, even though they are not branded. For example, I wanted a certain fabric and I learned that, even though if you go to PS and look through a fabric book all the fabrics are PS branded, this fabric was actually woven by Loro Piana. This is fairly obvious, as PS is obviously not making all their own fabrics. Anyway, I would presume that the price difference stems largely from the mill where the fabric is made. It is definitely hard to tell the difference between a VBC and a Dormeuil fabric online, even though the price difference would be thousands of dollars and their feel in the hand would be different as well.

 

[Hard2Fit]

so far it has been a positive experience, although there was a slight snag in that a few days after my order, they called me and told me that my fabric was out of stock, so I had to go back in, look through all the fabrics again, and pick out a new one. I kind of feel like they should have thrown in some sort of free tie or pocket square or something for me having to go back a second time, but not a really big deal.

The true test, of course, will come when the suit comes in. I have gotten regular MTM (Canadian-made Samuelsohn) with PS before, so it will be interesting to compare that with the Chinese-manufactured CustomLab. I am also curious whether the CustomLab is going to hurt their regular MTM program. The salesman admitted that it had probably led some MTM customers to give the lower-priced Customlab a try. It's actually not that much cheaper, though, than what the regular MTM used to be. My MTM from two years ago was $1800, whereas my customlab was about $1600, although I took advantage of a $250-off offer to lower it to $1350. Of course, they now seem to have raised the price of the regular MTM and I think it is over $2200. I always find the pricing at Paul Stuart kind of random. You'll see one blue sharkskin suit for $1850, and a nearly identical one for $1600.

So how did your suit turn out?

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I’ve used Paul Stuart made to measure for about 6 years and have always been pleased. The price does vary but it depends on the fabric.

I’ve heard of Custom Lab but likely won’t use it. I’m happy with the way things are, but I can understand them wanting to leverage something like that into an entry point and capture some of those people who may go the online route.

At least you’re dealing with a real person And have some face to face interaction and recourse should something out of the ordinary occur.

 

[knittieguy]

The CustomLab suit turned out reasonably well, but I would not do again. The cut is quite different than the regular Paul Stuart or MTM cut. It is cut closer to the body and has rounder shoulders and a less distinctive lapel than the Samuelsohn models. The pants are much slimmer. They did say it was based on different form. Overall, I don't like it as much, at least for me. It also doesn't feel quite as comfortable, although that may be because I got a heavier fabric than my other PS suits. But I have no complaints about the overall construction of the suit. It is well made.

 

[Hard2Fit]

Thanks for the update. Nice to hear it was well made. The slim cut is a turn-off for me though.

 

[Brookllew]

Hi there. Wading into the fray.

I have maybe 5-ish Paul Stuart or Phineas Cole suits. Some of them lasted me 15 years until they finally wore out. For context I also have some things from Gieves and Hawkes and The Cad & the Dandy. I get my shirts from Cego here in NYC.

I recently got a Custom Lab suit from Paul Stuart, and here is what I will say:

1. The value is great. $1,800 for a MTM suit is great.
2. The suit fits wonderfully.
3. Does it fit me like my Gieves and Hawkes jacket? No, it does not.
4. But it took 4 weeks and 1/2 the price.
5. It is not made as well as the other OTR Paul Stuart suits I have. The finish is not as nice, the linings not a smooth - but the finish and details are fine, they really are.
6. See Point #2.

It's a good value, and I'll get another. I got mine fitted by a guy named Angel, and I highly highly highly recommend working with him.