The StyleForum Working Hierarchical Suit Quality List (SFWHSQL!)

[classicman]

Emporio suits are fused. A sales associate there told me that canvassing is an old technique to make suits that last longer. At Emporio styles keep changing over a period of time and so should one's suit. Hence there is no point going for full canvass construction etc.

At same price Brooks Brother will sell you a full canvassed suit. But of course if you are an athletic guy with drop 8 cut emporio suit will accentuate it better than even most fitted (Milano) ones from Brooks brother.

Fabrics have become better over period of time at EA. They use something called Supreme at least a year ago. It was pretty nice for those price points.

I would never spend $2000 on EA suits. At that price you can get fully canvassed GA (normally $2500 - $4000) suits on 40% off sale. But again in this price range ($2500-$4000) nothing beats Zegna in terms of range and quality of fabric, fit and quality of construction.

 

[Made in California]

^ Yeah I'm a drop 8, hence my affection towards this brand. Other brands I've been looking at but haven't purchased are Prada/Jil Sander and Gucci for the slim cuts. Are Jil Sander and Prada synonymous or are the JS suits a tier above? Which other brands on this list have similar cuts? Since it would be nice to have it all: high quality, fully canvassed AND super trim silhouettes.

 

[classicman]

Hmm nice. I guessed that because EA Jude line size 50R was my first suit that I bought myself. And I am a drop 8 so it fits very nicely on me. At that point in time being ignorant about quality of construction etc I could care less about it being fused etc....

Now here are some tidbits on brands from the list that I am familiar with. Although, you may read this but honestly go and try out these models in boutiques. The athletic V shape that a jacket can accentuate for you depends on how shoulder fits and looks on you, drop of the jacket and button stance. So I would recommend going and trying these models.

Armani:

I don't consider EA suits super trim. If you want Super trim model from Armani try Tokyo model. Its offered in GA black label line and is especially directed at Asian silhouette. Try it if you can find it. I think Las Vegas GA boutique carries it and so does 5th Ave one.

If you are Armani fan you can try Soho model in GA black label line. Fabrics are ok to decent and cut is drop 8 but construction is half canvassed only. For the price you will pay for this you will be better off buying from Zegna.


Kiton:

My current drop 8 love is AD2 model from Kiton. NM in San Fran carries it in drop 8 while Kiton store near by has drop 7 version of it. It fits like a glove. I love it.

This jacket linked below is definitely a drop 8 AD2 model from Kiton. If you are 50R in EA try 48R Kiton AD2, if you are 52R in EA try 50R Kiton AD2
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Kiton-T...nts%3D334&eItemId=prod170100290&cmCat=product

You can try their LASA model as well. It's their slimmest. I own AD2 and am pretty happy. LASA is so light that you won't even feel you are wearing it unless you look into mirror. And if you go for LASA you have to really look out for your weight. There is little margin for error. Its as handmade as it gets in OTR RTW suiting/sport coats. With Kiton you get full canvass construction, luxury fabrics(14 micron wool/Pure Cashmere/Cashmere & Silk) from Carlo Barbera mill, nice slim fitting jacket with high arm hole, slimmer sleeves, slimmer lapels, very light weight canvass, natural looking shoulder etc. In LASA you can try the same size as EA.

LASA is exclusively carried by Kiton boutique. You won't find it in Neiman, Saks, Barneys or Wilkes. So to try out you will have to visit their boutique. Since you live in LA two nearest boutiques for you will be SF and Vegas.

Check this video here on making of LASA model from Kiton lab. Takes about 40 hours to make this jacket. Only a few tailors can make this at Kiton. It is made by a single tailor from start to end.


Read more about this here:
http://kiton.it/en/content/mod-lasa

Brioni:

Now coming to Brioni they have Gaetano model which is drop 8 fit. The only thing I don't like about this jacket is that I find it a little shorter from my ideal preferred length. And at that price I am extremely stingy about meeting my requirements or else its a no buy.

Gaetano model from Brioni has notch lapel but same cut with peak lapels is marketed as Brachiano model by Brioni. Besides these two Brioni offers a 3rd fit called Brunico model. Its drop 7 and little longer than Gaetano and Brachiano. My ideal Brioni jacket would be length of Brunico and Slimness of Gaetano.

You can see one of their Brunico model suit here:
http://www.brioni.com/us/shop-produ...ts-brunico-two-button-suit_cod49145155bq.html

These are three models you will mostly find in Brioni boutiques now. Colosseo which is currently their fullest cut model is available at Saks, NM, Barneys & Wilkes. Brioni boutiques won't be carrying it going forward.

E Zegna:

As far as Zegna is concerned their Mila easy model I think is drop 8 or drop 7. I like that model. Torino model from Zegna is drop 8 for sure. But I prefer shoulder of Mila easy over Torino anyday.

Here is a picture of Torino, Milano and Capri style jackets from Zegna in 17 micron Trofeo wool. For Mila Easy you will have to walk into their boutique and try. All of these are available in good to great fabrics and are having full canvassed construction. Different models offer different drop so I will suggest go and try them out to see how they actually fit you.
http://www.zegna.com/us/fine-fabrics/trofeo-wool-suits-jackets.html

ZZegna is definitely drop 8 and decent fabrics but its fused.



Amongst the ones which I have seen and tried but don't own:

• Ralph Lauren black label (Anthony model) is a drop 8 cut in good fabrics and is full canvassed (Corrected after feedback).
• Dior is full canvassed construction and has good to great quality wool (considering it now shares same parent company as Loro Piana) and slim construction. Definitely drop 8.
• ISAIA forgot which model but I once saw a drop 8 at Neiman Marcus. Good fabrics, full canvass construction and nice drop 8 fit.
• Brooks Brother Golden Fleece Milano fit is full canvass, good farbic with some hand work like stitching of armhole and shoulder.
  • See Golden Fleece example here
  • http://www.brooksbrothers.com/Milan...ar_MK00528_Color=NAVY&contentpos=16&cgid=0216
• I don't know much about JS. I have tried Prada and don't like their cut on me and doubt if they are full canvassed.

 

[Made in California]

Fantastic info. Thank you.

 

[clee1982]

Pretty sure RLBL is drop 7 and fully canvassed, the isaia you're thinking of is probably base Gregory

 

[smittycl]

I always thought that Ralph Lauren Black Label was fully canvassed. Still made by Caruso, right?

 

[doctorman]

^ Yeah I'm a drop 8, hence my affection towards this brand. Other brands I've been looking at but haven't purchased are Prada/Jil Sander and Gucci for the slim cuts. Are Jil Sander and Prada synonymous or are the JS suits a tier above? Which other brands on this list have similar cuts? Since it would be nice to have it all: high quality, fully canvassed AND super trim silhouettes.

i'm not sure which line of canali some bloomingdale's carry. they're fully canvassed, drop 8 with super 130's and 140's with natural shoulders. the msrp was $1800-2000 and i got two of them at around $600 including tax plus tailoring. they usually have them on steep sale around xmas and fourth of july.

in my book that beats any fused suits.

 

[dreamspace]

Tried on some new Canali last fall, brand new models. They had soft shoulders, were really slim, but had jumped on the short-jacket trend and had a pretty high button-stance, no go for me. Mostly due to being very slim.

The Isaia Gregory fit is very slim, I had one in 52, but could have used 54. I'm normally a 50. Roped shoulder on those though, which I really enjoyed.

I actually think a plain Caruso is the option if you're ever looking for a good Drop 7 or 8 suit with nice and somewhat conservative styling. They're usually a bit cheaper than RLBL, Lanvin and the other brands they produce for.

Soft shoulders, nice lapel width, good button-stance, proper length. They go for around 1200$-1400$ in stores, unless expensive and exclusive fabric has been used.

Oh, and let's not forget Boggi. Both Isaia and Caruso have made suits for them, and they're usually pretty slim too.

 

[classicman]

My info on RLBL is based on my interaction with a sales associate at Stanford mall RL showroom in Palo Alto. Anyways, I will run it via another Sales associate and try doing the pinch test to feel the canvass especially towards bottom of Jacket.

But at the same time I was informed that RLPL is fully canvassed and what not ..... May be the sales guy was trying to sell me RLPL hence all blah blah about that. And funny thing is they don't even carry OTR RLPL in their Stanford mall showroom. He was offering me MTM route which I politely refused.

However, given the price range being similar to EA and ZZegna (which are not full canvassed) I found his statement pretty acceptable that these RLBL are not full canvassed construction.

 

[endless402]

not all z zegna is fused..some are half canvassed

 

[classicman]

Sure they may be half canvassed. But the point is at that price range ($1200 - $2100) even Armani and Zegna don't offer full canvassed suits. So RLBL (whose price range is same) if it is half canvassed its along expected lines.

It will be interesting to see at what price range do most designers/makers offer full canvass construction. And if some designer/maker does it at significantly lower price then it will be nice to explore what is the quality of their full canvassing.

 

[vida]

RLBL is fully canvassed. I have a few and can confirm this is true. Caruso is the maker.

 

[taxgenius]

There is so much contradictory information in this thread as of late. RLBL and Zegna (mainline) has always been known on this forum as full canvased, FWIW.

 

[classicman]

There is so much contradictory information in this thread as of late. RLBL and Zegna (mainline) has always been known on this forum as full canvased, FWIW.

I didn't read anyone questioning Zegna mainline unless I missed some posts. People only expressed opinions about Z Zegna.

As far as RLBL is concerned what I mentioned was on basis of my conversation with a Sales Associate at RL showroom sometime in end of March- early April time frame this year. I am pretty open to being corrected.

 

[endless402]

Must be an uneducated sales associate

RLBL full canvas
Z Zegna mostly half canvas


Z Zegna pricing is usually in the 800-1200 range which is the norm for half canvas