Ongoing Bespoke Projects

[ppk]

I'm planning on meeting with Sexton at their NYC trunk show next month for a Tuxedo for my wedding. Should Nina's departure as head cutter make me reconsider my choice?

My answer is yes. I personally will not go back to them. No disrespect to the organization but in my opinion, she is the talent. She is amazing and you can see her work in my pics above.

She is doing a trunk show as well.

A good option might be to meet with both and make a call.

Good luck! Sounds like an exciting project.

Her email is [email protected] and her schedule is:

New York LES
Thursday 30th PM & Friday 31st January AM
The Ludlow,
180 Ludlow St, NY 10002

Nashville The Gulch
Sunday 2nd February AM & Monday 3rd - Thursday 6th February, Evenings Only.
Kasa The Gulch,
1200 Broadway, TN 37203

Los Angeles Nichols Canyon
Sunday 9th - Monday 10th February 9am - 6pm.
Private Residence in Nichols Canyon, Hollywood Hills

 

[classicalthunde]

I'm planning on meeting with Sexton at their NYC trunk show next month for a Tuxedo for my wedding. Should Nina's departure as head cutter make me reconsider my choice?

No, if anything I think its probably a net positive...[sorry read the question wrong, thought it was about being hesitant to see Nina after her departure from Sexton not the other way around]


The cutter is the designer and IMO probably the most important part of the equation...most of the actual outworkers who make the garment are all probably of a similar background and technical ability. So the only thing you're likely shedding is the original branding and the associated costs.

Sometimes a cutters style will shift slightly when they break out on their own but for the most part it seems to be pretty close to their roots (see Thomas Mahon and Edwin DeBoise from A&S, Qemal Selimi from L&L, and Ralph Fitzgerald and Richard Anderson from Huntsman)

If you loved her work with Sexton, I'd just have a convo with Nina about how her style will differ and if she is willing to do the old Sexton cut if that's what you were after

 

[ppk]

No, if anything I think its probably a net positive...[sorry read the question wrong, thought it was about being hesitant to see Nina after her departure from Sexton not the other way around]


The cutter is the designer and IMO probably the most important part of the equation...most of the actual outworkers who make the garment are all probably of a similar background of technical ability. So the only thing you're likely shedding is the original branding and the associated costs.

Sometimes a cutters style will shift slightly when they break out on their own but for the most part it seems to be pretty close to their roots (see Thomas Mahon and Edwin DeBoise from A&S, Qemal Selimi from L&L, and Ralph Fitzgerald and Richard Anderson from Huntsman)

If you loved her work with Sexton, I'd just have a convo with Nina about how her style will differ and if she is willing to do the old Sexton cut if that's what you were after

You are much more articulate. Exactly this.

 

[othertravel]

My answer is yes. I personally will not go back to them. No disrespect to the organization but in my opinion, she is the talent. She is amazing and you can see her work in my pics above.

She is doing a trunk show as well.

A good option might be to meet with both and make a call.

Good luck! Sounds like an exciting project.

Her email is [email protected] and her schedule is:

New York LES
Thursday 30th PM & Friday 31st January AM
The Ludlow,
180 Ludlow St, NY 10002

Nashville The Gulch
Sunday 2nd February AM & Monday 3rd - Thursday 6th February, Evenings Only.
Kasa The Gulch,
1200 Broadway, TN 37203

Los Angeles Nichols Canyon
Sunday 9th - Monday 10th February 9am - 6pm.
Private Residence in Nichols Canyon, Hollywood Hills

What's her pricing like?

 

[ppk]

What's her pricing like?

I will ask when I see her on Monday. However, I'm sure you can drop her an email. She is very responsive.

 

[tim_horton]

After putting in a new commission with my tailor and walking through some of the details I wanted, in retrospect I thought to myself that I may of been too particular about things such as a higher collar, Longer length, slightly more shoulder extension, etc compared to my previous suit.

At what stage do you guys think its “micromanaging a tailor” vs being particular about details you want?

What I tell my tailor is the kind of fabric I want, and the style of suit (DB, SB, vents, pocket type, pleats on trousers, cuffs, etc.) I don't dictate how they execute that style. I.e. I wouldn't tell an A&S alumni to cut a Neapolitan style jacket or a Henry Poole style jacket.

At fitting stages, I tell them what is comfortable and what isn't. You won't wear a suit if it's uncomfortable. They want you to tell them if you need more room in the chest or waist (they should, anyway.) A suit should not be uncomfortable. Even a Henry Poole or Cifonelli suit of armor should be comfortable.

They usually ask how much break I want on the trousers, and how much shirt cuff I want showing at the wrists, but these are minor tweaks, not really a style. Very different from the shoulder. That I leave up to the tailor.

As for things like jacket length, honestly I usually defer to the tailor, but again I've preselected them because I like their style. I know my tailor won't cut a short jacket.

I have realized I just don't like Neapolitan tailoring as much as English drape cut or Florentine tailoring. It's just not as comfortable, things are cut too close. I don't like the spalla camicia. Knowing that, by not going to Neapolitan tailors, the tweaks I have to make are minimal. Unfortunately there is a bit (or more than a bit) of trial and error involved.

I would say don't be afraid to ask for things, you are the customer, you're paying a lot of money. Especially for things that involve comfort. But be realistic about what can be changed, and what would better be fixed by going somewhere else.

 

[tim_horton]

My answer is yes. I personally will not go back to them. No disrespect to the organization but in my opinion, she is the talent. She is amazing and you can see her work in my pics above.

The navy suit she made for you is fantastic. The shoulders are really nice. I will never go back to spalla camicia.

If you had to put her on a spectrum of English tailoring, where would you place her, with Poole (structured) at one end and A&S (unstructured) on the other? My impression is that she's closer to the former. Though at the Poole New York shop, they told me they are not as structured as they used to be.

 

[clee1982]

I think there is different degree of micro managing, there is going to Neipolitan and ask them to cut a English suit (bad idea) then there is also stick to same style but I want 0.5 cm higher somewhere (to me that would be also too overly precise since I don’t actually know anything).


What I person do is within the confines of house style just pure eyeball on what I would like to change and let them figure out the best way to get there (and they might push back which I listen)

 

[mwebb113]

What's her pricing like?

I just sent her an email asking for details and pricing. Trying Bespoke for the first time and being price-conscious, I'm interested to see if she'd be within budget.

 

[ppk]

The navy suit she made for you is fantastic. The shoulders are really nice. I will never go back to spalla camicia.

I'm with you all the way. I am skinny and I have narrow shoulders, the unstructured styles don't suit me as well as English tailoring.

If you had to put her on a spectrum of English tailoring, where would you place her, with Poole (structured) at one end and A&S (unstructured) on the other? My impression is that she's closer to the former. Though at the Poole New York shop, they told me they are not as structured as they used to be.

Overall, you are correct her style at ES is closer to Poole. However, she told me that she tries to accommodate customer preferences, and she has created variations of the ES archetype.

Only time will tell where her new journey will take her.

 

[mwebb113]

Very quick reply from Nina Penlington for those curious. A two-piece offshore dinner suit would start at around 2,250 pounds - 500 less than Sexton starts at. I will see if I have the availability during her Trunk show and maybe set up a call at some point.

 

[epsilon22]

Very quick reply from Nina Penlington for those curious. A two-piece offshore dinner suit would start at around 2,250 pounds - 500 less than Sexton starts at. I will see if I have the availability during her Trunk show and maybe set up a call at some point.

Very attractive price point for bespoke. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tim_horton]

I am skinny and I have narrow shoulders, the unstructured styles don't suit me as well as English tailoring.

It's funny, I have broad shoulders... but I also think the structured style looks better on me. I don't like feeling like I'm wearing a cardigan when I'm wearing a suit. When I joined SF, I really bought into the orthodoxy of the Neapolitan tailoring and shoulder, and its superiority. It took me a while to break free of that and get the kind of jacket I like.

 

[ppk]

It's funny, I have broad shoulders... but I also think the structured style looks better on me. I don't like feeling like I'm wearing a cardigan when I'm wearing a suit. When I joined SF, I really bought into the orthodoxy of the Neapolitan tailoring and shoulder, and its superiority. It took me a while to break free of that and get the kind of jacket I like.

My personal view is that broad shouldered folks look better in English tailoring as well - essentially, everyone looks better in English tailoring.

However, I think they can also look good in unstructured styles, unlike me.

 

[Texasmade]

My personal view is that broad shouldered folks look better in English tailoring as well - essentially, everyone looks better in English tailoring.

However, I think they can also look good in unstructured styles, unlike me.

I've never been a huge fan of the soft Neapolitan tailoring. I get that it's more comfortable but it just doesn't look as good to me.