Vienna (Austria): Suiting, Adjusting and Cleaning

[freedom_fries]

Vienna is as we all know famous for schnitzel, schubert, shoes, and perhaps some other sh/sch words. I haven't seen anything here on the dusty old place for awhile, so a refresh post.

I've been wondering, also, if there are any good suiting tailors that might fall somewhere between the clearly heinous rotknopf (http://rotknopf.at/), and places like Knize and Niedersuesz? I had a very nice telephone conversation the other day with Johanna Kastner, but at EUR 3200 for a two-piece without cloth, still quite up there. I have read some very nice things about Michael Possanner, but can't find any information about pricing (if anyone here has visited him). Any experiences or suggestions?

If anyone is looking for decent alterations tailors, I can recommend Schneider and Maurer (schneiderei-innenstadt.at), but be prepared to wait longer than anticipated.

Also, I've been looking for a half-decent dry-cleaner, and Sylvia's Textilreinigung seems to be the best I've encountered (in 1060 just off Mariahilferstr.)

 

[Ratomir]

In Vienna a must visit store is Jungmann und Neffe, a cloth merchant on Albertina Platz. They have in house/visiting taylors that do bespoke suits using cloth bought in the store. They carry all of Harrisons, Dugdale and H/S.
Of the three the utmost, very best is Antonello Visone from Napels. This is old style craftsmanship of very high standard. Like in no padding, half length lining, pants with buttons fitted for suspenders, etc. A suit with two pants costs 1800 euro plus the cost of cloth and lining and buttons.
I have five, and am having two more in the making, as I write.

For shirts, please do not look in Vienna but go straight away to Graz to the workshop of Elisabeth Dresler. This quality beats everything.

For cleaning I use Gisela in Wipplinger strasse, which is adequate but I would not be surprised if there were a better one.

 

[freedom_fries]

i've walked past jungmann & neffe a million times and never gone in - is there a schedule one can find for the visiting tailors? i have seen a few suits from the primary house tailor and the style is not quite what i'm looking for.

 

[Martingale]

I used to live in Vienna as a university student. I made a suit at Jungmann und Neffe with S120 Holland & Sherry wool, thick pin stripe. I had it made 8 years ago and the suit is still in perfect shape. The cloth has not shown any shinning so it looks pretty new. It took about 6 weeks to have my suit made and i had three fittings with the slovak tailor. All at a cost around 900 euros, including cloth.

The quality of the garment is better than the usual off the rack designer's suit. It looks pretty sturdy and "heavy". It is not cutting edge fashion, but cutting edge classic. Definitely not in the class of Kiton/Brioni but again for 900 euros you get a pretty decent trully bespoke suit far better than Brooks Brothers, Armani etc. The tailors usually show up on Saturdays. No appointment needed. Just show up and the salespeople will help you choose the right fabric, linen, buttons etc. Do not forget to buy their wonderful ties which i trully miss since they do not have an online shop.

The premises are fantastic, there is a smell of burning wood of the heating stove, coupled with an incredible choice of cloth. Regarding adjusting and alterations i used Sharma at Wipplingerstrasse. I had some simple tasks done, such fixing pockets etc.

 

[freedom_fries]

that is a good tip. i'm a bit surprised you spent 900 euro on a suit as a student - I studied here and upon getting my first job after uni thought i was being embarrassingly extravagant in buying a hugo boss suit in the 1st district for 400.

anyways, i have vowed to stop buy j&n this week to buy some cloth and find out when the neapolitan tailor is in town. i will report on the schedule if there is one.

 

[Martingale]

It is cheaper to buy sth that lasts for many years and remains wearable, rather than fashion that stylisticaly fades away or the material is not as high quality as it should be. As a student i was saving a small amount every month for some clothing luxuries. I was making my shirts at zum Jockey Club in Vienna for 150 euros and they have lasted at least for 6-7 years.

 

[freedom_fries]

i 100% agree with you; I was rather surprised that you knew this already as a student, rather than having to experience it first-hand (that boss suit didn't last more than three years, incidentally!).

 

[Martingale]

If Vienna did not have these absurd tax rates it would be fun to live and work at.

 

[freedom_fries]

if we didn't have absurd tax rates, we wouldn't have probably the world's cheapest and best public transport, free child care and parks/playgrounds on every other corner. i'm totally OK with the taxes here.

 

[Ratomir]

Dear FrFr,

I ignore what you mean by their prime taylor.

At the present moment Jungmann and Neffe have three visiting tailors. One is from Bratislava and his work is OK, just, not more. He did a nice tweed jacket for me. Another is from Prague and it as a certain style: very heavy padding, thick shoulders, wide pants. Not my thing.

The guy from Napoli - Visone - is what you want. He visits once a month or more if there are many customers needing attention.
I recommend you drop by, ask for the boss, Mr. Gaugusch, and ask for the schedule. Or e-mail the Visone family directly under [email protected] for their upcoming visits.

Would be nice to have your comments on Visone

 

[freedom_fries]

Thanks!

I stopped by the shop last night. It is really quite imposing. It is very Viennese, in that one is immediately given the feeling one is in the wrong place at the wrong time upon entering - totally empty.. shopkeeper scampers out from behind some boxes.. "gruess gott?" in a questioning tone .. "yes is there something you want?" Even though the woman is clearly not Austrian, it seemed she had taken up the Viennese aversion to customers with gusto

In any event, she warmed up a bit as we began to go through some of the cloth. the store has as I said a strange vibe, but wow, some beautiful fabrics (and ties). I almost bought a couple meters of soft brown donegal tweed on the spot, but think i'll go back in daylight to re-consider. too much selection, perhaps - i felt like i could spend a long time going through fabrics but don't really know what i'm looking for and don't have that much time in general, so that was somewhat frustrating.

the napoli gentleman (i'm assuming Mr Visone) does still visit once a month, so i've got his next visit (19 November) in my calendar. She has some other local tailors (such as Johanna Kastner) in her little book, but the prices were way out of date and she said e.g. Ms. Kastner does not make regular visits; only on customer request. She also mentioned a Simon Skottowe who visits from Budapest and was said to be a traditional English tailor. I am looking for more of a Napoli style, so will likely stick with Visone.

 

[Ratomir]

Glad to read you passed the first hurdle.
Some of the ladies in the shop have certain manners and attitude. Try to speak to the boss, Mr Gaugusch.

Just one word of caution.
Maestro Visone does not speak English nor German. The only reliable way of communicating with him is through his daughter (and business supervisor).

 

[iconologist]

[QUOTE: I have read some very nice things about Michael Possanner, but can't find any information about pricing (if anyone here has visited him). Any experiences or suggestions?]

I am currently having my third 3pc suit made from Possanner along with a cream linen patch pocket jacket from antique linen. He was a master cutter at Knize and his suits are everything they are, in terms of construction and workmanship, but at about half the price. The details are amazing. The fit is indescribable. Best value ever.

I also had four bespoke shirts made from him — they are not MTM but truly bespoke. I designed my own .75cm longer collar for a slightly more elegant tab-collar look, and they are magnificent. From the buttons to the button holes, the bulletproof collar and cuffs, they are amazing to wear.

It should be all you need to know that I am into my third suit, first jacket, and seventh shirt — all bespoke. The way I look at it, it is about the same price as MTM in NYC, and the cost of going to Vienna a couple times a year is about the same as twice as many trips to Manhattan.

By the bye, if you are going to Vienna for Possanner, be sure to check out the bespoke shoes at Materna, right behind the Bristol Hotel at the corner of the Kaerntnerstrasse and the Oper. My exquisite bespoke full brogue oxfords — with an orthotic and metal sole tip — were less expensive than an entry-level pair of Edward Green Derbys. In fact, on my last trip I picked up a pair of handmade pebble grain Norwegers that are superb.

Five stars for Possanner. Am thinking about posting a lengthy article about his work, his look, and the Viennese sartorial culture as a whole. Hint: it's all about natural fit, round shoulders, and magnificent craftsmanship.

 

[GBR]

Why has this been dredged up? Strange first post, I often wonder about first posts praising this that or the other...

 

[iconologist]

[Why has this been dredged up? Strange first post, I often wonder about first posts praising this that or the other...]

It was "dredged up" because I noticed that my tailor was mentioned but once, and that Viennese tailoring seems to get short shrift. I was merely adding to the discourse.

But by all means, wonder.