Searching the right shirt around London

[Nat Jag]

Hi Nat, I got a shirt from Lanieri and I am very pleased with the quality at the price I paid.

I am thinking of ordering a few more, unfortunately they don't have much choice of fabrics.

I looked into Apposta and they have a wide selection, do they have stores in London?

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Apposite have an office. There was a button on the bottom right of the screen (more noticeable on a phone browser) which takes you to a booking form. I'll let you know how I get on. https://apposta.youcanbook.me

Lanieri do seem to be slightly better value, but lack a few options I would like. I will also be ordering a few more from them as well.

 

[Oligarch]

Apposite have an office. There was a button on the bottom right of the screen (more noticeable on a phone browser) which takes you to a booking form. I'll let you know how I get on. https://apposta.youcanbook.me

Lanieri do seem to be slightly better value, but lack a few options I would like. I will also be ordering a few more from them as well.

Any feedback on how it went with the two? I'm also London based, and had a poor experience with my Luxire shirt, so looking for another option.

 

[Nat Jag]

Any feedback on how it went with the two? I'm also London based, and had a poor experience with my Luxire shirt, so looking for another option.

They cancelled the appointment. I haven’t re scheduled yet.

 

[Frog in Suit]

May I jump into the discussion with a (perhaps only marginally) relevant question? If there is a more suitable forum, I would appreciate being directed there.
I plan to order some bespoke shirts from my shirtmaker, Sean O’Flynn, whom I have used for many years, first via New and Lingwood, then directly.
I live in Paris and visit London three or four times a year. Rather than deciding on the spot, I would like to be able to view pictures of shirt fabrics from reputable makers (Thomas Mason / Albini, Alumo…) ahead of my visits, so as to plan my purchases more efficiently, and spreading them out as my finances do not allow me to place large orders. The ideal would be an on-line catalogue which the firms in question do not offer.
Many cloth merchants make that possible for suits. Are there any similar sources for shirting material?
Thank you for your help.
Frog in Suit

 

[RJman]

May I jump into the discussion with a (perhaps only marginally) relevant question? If there is a more suitable forum, I would appreciate being directed there.
I plan to order some bespoke shirts from my shirtmaker, Sean O’Flynn, whom I have used for many years, first via New and Lingwood, then directly.
I live in Paris and visit London three or four times a year. Rather than deciding on the spot, I would like to be able to view pictures of shirt fabrics from reputable makers (Thomas Mason / Albini, Alumo…) ahead of my visits, so as to plan my purchases more efficiently, and spreading them out as my finances do not allow me to place large orders. The ideal would be an on-line catalogue which the firms in question do not offer.
Many cloth merchants make that possible for suits. Are there any similar sources for shirting material?
Thank you for your help.
Frog in Suit

The websites of sartoria Margutti and a few others make pics of swatches from many of the books of TM, DJA and some others available. But otherwise there’s no great resource.

 

[Bullitt]

A lot of good advice already.
Have a look at what Trunk has to offer and, for casual shirts, Oliver Spencer might be of interest. I quite like the fabric they use.

 

[Frog in Suit]

The websites of sartoria Margutti and a few others make pics of swatches from many of the books of TM, DJA and some others available. But otherwise there’s no great resource.

Many thanks, RJman. I shall check the Margutti website.

 

[Evergreen88]

I have more feedbacks on Lanieri. I got my second shirt, a red stripy one. Once you got the measurements right the process is very straightforward and I think most of their shirts are very good value (mine was 85€ full price).

The only complaint I have is around the measurement process. I invited a friend to try Lanieri and since he was in Milan he went to the atelier to get measured. He just got his shirt but the end result was worse than my first shirt, that was produced with self measured values!
His body type is less standard than mine but I was expecting a good fit at the first try.
Luckily he is able to go back to the atelier next week, I am very curious to see if they will manage to get the right fit with the second attempt.

 

[Frog in Suit]

The websites of sartoria Margutti and a few others make pics of swatches from many of the books of TM, DJA and some others available. But otherwise there’s no great resource.

Simone Abbarchi show good pictures of quite a few shirt fabric samples (Thomas Mason and Albini). What I find confusing is that the reference numbers given do not seem to match what I photographed on my last visit to Sean O'Flynn. Further research seems to be called for...

 

[xpander001]

Santamaria shirtmakers in Notting Hill got it right for me the first attempt, and the shirt was £125, made in Spain.

 

[comrade]

EDIT: seems like OP was asking about RTW shirts. H&K RTW's changed over the last few years - new management moved manufacturing back to Britain but changed the cut and raised prices (same management brought in David Gale), a year later they moved manufacturing to Italy for the RTW. My old H&K RTW is mostly holding up, some after almost 20 years. Haven't tried the new stuff and probably never will.
[/QUOTE]

I have some of the old RTW- 15 years old. I also have them from last few years.
They seem comparable, except that buttons on the old are a bit thicker.

 

[hysteria]

Unfulfilled Promises and Disappointing Service at SantaMaria Shirtmakers

As a sartorial enthusiast, I had been looking forward to becoming a regular customer at SantaMaria Shirtmakers, particularly given their high praise within the community. However, my experience has been decidedly underwhelming and disappointing.

I purchased a custom shirt in-store during a trip to London, only to find that the fit was significantly worse than even some ready-to-wear shirts I own. This was despite in-person measurements taken at the store. I believed their perfect fit guarantee, as advertised on their website, would cover this issue, but the actual enforcement has proven to be a frustrating process filled with contradictions.

In my correspondence with SantaMaria, I was met with an unexpected complexity and the prospect of bearing significant shipping costs from Canada, where I live, to return the shirt. I found it particularly disconcerting when Ana, one of their representatives, stated: "Technically you are a client from the store, not from the website." This differentiation between in-store and online customers is not only confusing but also fundamentally unfair.

What adds to the disappointment is the clear discrepancy between the policies advertised on their website and their actual practices. As of writing this review, their website still promotes a perfect fit guarantee and free returns. Yet, these promises were not upheld in my case, with Ana attributing this to changes related to Brexit. It's misleading to continue advertising these benefits when they no longer apply in practice.

Ana insisted on me returning the shirt for adjustments. However, considering the severity of the fit issues, it seems a complete remake would be necessary. The refusal to facilitate a free return, contrary to their website's statement, is disheartening. Moreover, the prospect of paying for the shipping back to London and then for the delivery of the remade shirt back to Canada is unreasonable.

Choosing high-end custom tailoring involves a trust in not just the quality of the product but also the commitment to exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, my experience with SantaMaria Shirtmakers fell well short of these expectations.

As a member of a sartorial community, many of whom have been considering SantaMaria Shirtmakers based on past positive reviews, I feel compelled to share my experience. I would urge fellow enthusiasts to think twice before considering this brand, especially for international customers.

I had hoped to form a long-term relationship with SantaMaria Shirtmakers, but the experience I've had with their inconsistent practices and lackluster service has caused me to reconsider. It's vital to take into account both the product quality and the integrity of service when choosing a custom shirtmaker.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

 

[hysteria]

Unfulfilled Promises and Disappointing Service at SantaMaria Shirtmakers

As a sartorial enthusiast, I had been looking forward to becoming a regular customer at SantaMaria Shirtmakers, particularly given their high praise within the community. However, my experience has been decidedly underwhelming and disappointing.

I purchased a custom shirt in-store during a trip to London, only to find that the fit was significantly worse than even some ready-to-wear shirts I own. This was despite in-person measurements taken at the store. I believed their perfect fit guarantee, as advertised on their website, would cover this issue, but the actual enforcement has proven to be a frustrating process filled with contradictions.

In my correspondence with SantaMaria, I was met with an unexpected complexity and the prospect of bearing significant shipping costs from Canada, where I live, to return the shirt. I found it particularly disconcerting when Ana, one of their representatives, stated: "Technically you are a client from the store, not from the website." This differentiation between in-store and online customers is not only confusing but also fundamentally unfair.

What adds to the disappointment is the clear discrepancy between the policies advertised on their website and their actual practices. As of writing this review, their website still promotes a perfect fit guarantee and free returns. Yet, these promises were not upheld in my case, with Ana attributing this to changes related to Brexit. It's misleading to continue advertising these benefits when they no longer apply in practice.

Ana insisted on me returning the shirt for adjustments. However, considering the severity of the fit issues, it seems a complete remake would be necessary. The refusal to facilitate a free return, contrary to their website's statement, is disheartening. Moreover, the prospect of paying for the shipping back to London and then for the delivery of the remade shirt back to Canada is unreasonable.

Choosing high-end custom tailoring involves a trust in not just the quality of the product but also the commitment to exceptional customer service. Unfortunately, my experience with SantaMaria Shirtmakers fell well short of these expectations.

As a member of a sartorial community, many of whom have been considering SantaMaria Shirtmakers based on past positive reviews, I feel compelled to share my experience. I would urge fellow enthusiasts to think twice before considering this brand, especially for international customers.

I had hoped to form a long-term relationship with SantaMaria Shirtmakers, but the experience I've had with their inconsistent practices and lackluster service has caused me to reconsider. It's vital to take into account both the product quality and the integrity of service when choosing a custom shirtmaker.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I will add that they ended up providing a full refund on my shirt, which I think is still honorable and notable. Certainly, this warms me up more to the prospect of giving them a try at some point again in the future. The fact that in the end, they tried to make it right deserves consideration. Certainly, I think it's much more worthwhile for someone located close to the UK so that any issues with the final product can be more easily addressed.