Made To Measure Suiting at Stephan Shirts: Part 1

I’ve praised Stephan Shirts on this website and BespokeMe for the last few years now – and justly so. Quite simply they make a great product to a great standard and charge a fair price for it – the Holy Grail in clothing terms.

When Erlend Norby took over the running of this family business he came with years of experience and training as a Savile Row Cutter. The aim was to continue serving a loyal client base with fine, fairly priced shirts but expand that service to suiting.

Erlend is perfectly honest about calling what he does Made to Measure, and certainly doesn’t try to pass it off as bespoke. But considering the price tag of £495, the range of cloths, Erlend’s experience as a Savile Row cutter and just what he’s able to offer, in terms of cut and modification, a better definition would be Made-to-Measure-plus.

M-to-M suiting comes in for a bad rap, and in many cases that’s entirely deserved. Too many retailers offer less than convincing quality with minimal adjustment for your physical attributes, whether that is a matter of posture, a drop shoulder or barrel chest. Even things like soft shoulders or a floating canvass can be beyond the possible with most M-to-M retailers. Neither should we forget that the skill of those taking the measurements is all important, an enthusiastic shop assistant is no substitute for a trained tailor or cutter.

The status of poor relation to bespoke, and even in some cases better off-the-peg suiting, is exacerbated by the fact that many retailers use the terms made-to-measure- and bespoke interchangeably; a line blurred by a very public court case in which the tailors on Savile Row lost (you can read about it here). Throw in a myriad of high-street retailers and online providers, some visiting some not, and it’s difficult to know just who to trust or what you’re getting for your money.

I’d be the first to confess that I’m weary of MTM precisely for these seasons. But having been a devoted fan of Stephan’s shirts I decided it was time to invest in one of Erlend’s suits. I trust the man and I trust the product.

The key difference between bespoke and M-to-M suits is that with bespoke a pattern is cut specifically to suit your body shape, whereas M-to-M uses a block pattern to which adjustments are made. What Erlend offers is also based on a block pattern. However, owing to his skill and training as a cutter and the system he uses, whereby he can manipulate each aspect of the pattern to the smallest fraction via computer, he is able to make the most detailed adjustments. The pattern is then cut by laser following his exact pattern. This means that each pattern is cut to the individual client and their physical demands (it should be pointed out that even bespoke tailors have to work within the boundaries of certain ratios). The degree of personalisation far exceeds what one might expect from normal M-to-M retailers and comes as close to that available from bespoke, without actually going bespoke and doubling the price.

Another key difference between bespoke and M-to-M is the amount of handwork involved. It’s this which provides for a very fluid and soft suit, and the most important aspect of that hand work is the floating canvass (see an explanation of floating and fused canvasses here). Until very recently this was something that could only be done by hand. However, Erlend uses one of the few manufacturers in the World equipped with a machine capable of stitching a floating canvas - the vital ingredient for a soft roll lapel.

For me the fact that Erlend is an experienced Savile Row Cutter and is able to provide a suit with a floating canvas are the most important details. But you also get the usual individual aesthetic choices; horn buttons, coloured linings and he carries an impressive range of cloth books. These range from heavy tweeds to lightweight Italian cloths. However, he prefers to deal in more substantial English fabrics – I went for a 13oz Holland and Sherry navy cloth with grey windowpane over-check.

Deciding to put my trust in Erlend was the easy part, the next more difficult stage was to decide just what style of suit I was going to have, which will be the topic of my next post.

Swaine Adeney Brigg Document Case

My lovely and generous wife gave me this beautiful Swaine Adeney Brigg document case for my 40th birthday. After much anticipation, it finally arrived last week (my birthday was in December).

London’s Swaine Adeney Brigg has been a celebrated maker of equestrian and leather goods since 1750. The company is a Royal Warrant Holder appointed as “Whip and Glovemakers” to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and “Suppliers of Umbrellas” to HRH The Prince of Wales. My Dark London Tan document case was ordered through Sterling & Burke in Washington, DC.

When my document case arrived last week via FedEx, I opened the box and began to peel back the layers. The entire contents of the box were nicely wrapped in white tissue paper. Below that was a thick layer of bubble wrap. The case itself was inside a burgundy fleece bag that was wrapped in a clear plastic bag. Inside the box I also found a leather name tag, two brass keys, and a tub of SAB leather feed with a soft cloth applicator.

The document case is an exquisite piece of craftsmanship. The brass three-position lock is thick and sturdy. The beautifully tanned leather exudes a heady aroma that fills a room.

I opted for the machine-stitched document case that is about half as expensive as the hand-stitched model; the machine-stitched case is $1,025.00 and the hand-stitched version is $1,975.00. These document cases are also customizable (interior pockets, shoulder strap, hand-stitched handle, etc.) for an additional fee. The case interior has three open sections; I had pockets added for business cards and my fountain pens (that’s a Pelikan pen in the photograph). That custom option added $165.00 to the price tag.

I have wanted a really nice briefcase for a long time, and I am thrilled with this document case. It is a piece that should last the rest of my career and still be worthy of passing down to my son.

Step Outside Of Your Comfort Zone

These beautiful boots are the latest edition to my wardrobe. You may be thinking this is the wrong time of year to acquire boots, but here in England it’s been known to snow during Wimbledon fortnight. Living in the upper portions of the northern hemisphere anytime is a good time to acquire a pair of boots.

Called the Froswick, they’re a long-wing brogue featuring high grade calf leather with a natural edge and storm welted sole. Ideally suited to those in search of a robust well made country boot, or urbanites hoping to add an English touch to their American work wear look, they’re made by Tricker’s expressly for Herring Shoes.

I’ve been after a solid workman like boot for an age, but couldn’t come to the point of decision. Having test driven these ones all week I couldn’t be happier, and not necessarily for the obvious reasons.

As a kid I was fat and subsequently I’ve spent the better part of my life dieting and gymming – which I hate – simply to maintain an unsatisfactory equilibrium. Everything I buy from suits, shirts, to knits and coats is about making me look slimmer, trimmer, thinner and smaller. This fixation extends to footwear. For example, I predominantly wear loafers as opposed to Oxford’s or Derby’s, and prefer black and brown suede over leather. Both of these things have a slimming effect, black suede in particular makes your feet look smaller.

So to have a boot that provides such a sense of weight and solidity with strong prominent welts is utterly counter-intuitive. And yet I am utterly addicted to these new boots. To give you a sense of what I’m talking about you have only to look at the picture below of fellow Herring Shoes enthusiast, TV presenter and biking best mate of Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman. Both men are well known here for having ridden their bikes around the world and through Africa in two rather enjoyable TV series, Long Way Round and Long Way Down, both worth watching if you have a chance.

After my recent jeans debacle I went out and bought half a dozen new pairs of slim fit and straight leg chinos and jeans. I hadn’t expected these boots to sit well with my new slim trousering, thinking the visual scale would be all wrong. But, the exact opposite has turned out to be true. While providing something of a contrast, the overall effect is to emphasise the slimness of my legs, while providing balance between the legs and torso, which has the overall effect of deemphasising my size. An unexpected and delightful bonus!

We men are creatures of habit. Sometimes those habits serve us well, but other times they can close doors and limit options.

As Messrs. Boorman and McGregor would no doubt testify, it pays for a man to occasionally step outside of his comfort zone.

Harry’s Of London

Saturday was somewhat chaotic here in London. Mass demonstrations against government cutbacks lead to large portions of London, from Oxford Street to Jermyn Street, being pedestrian only zones. I’ll confess it’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more of – pedestrian zoning, not demonstrations.

In a bid to get to from Regent Street to Jermyn Street and avoid the nexus of demonstrators in Piccadilly Circus I took a stroll through the Burlington Arcade. This Regency covered thoroughfare is home to a range of luxury retailers stocking everything from vintage pens and Rolex Watches to cashmere and leather goods. It’s worth a visit when next you come to London.

It was here that I was also afforded my first proper look at innovative shoe designers Harrys of London. I’ve kept an eye on this retailer over the last three or four years and regularly flick through their online store. But until Saturday I’d never taken the time to see the shoes in the flesh. My hesitation comes from the fact I just can’t make up my mind about them.

I’m resolved that I like the designs - classics with a modern high tech twist is probably the best way to describe them. The one that fascinates me in particular is the Downing Loafer in gloss calf skin with the ‘Windsurf’ sole. As the name suggests, the design of the sole is based on the footwear of windsurfers, this is then attached to an elegantly shaped loafer. Quirkiness doesn’t usually deter me; I’m a fairly broadminded sort, and I have an individual style – although I’m still not bold enough to go for the brightly coloured soles.

They’re not cheap, but they’re comparable in price to other shoes I’ve bought. But I just can’t bring myself to part with the cash.

If you tell me a shoe is all leather, bench made, Goodyear Welted and from the venerable shoemaking Mecca of Northampton I know what you mean, I can understand the value and I’ll pony up the dough. And despite being sceptical at first I’m now a convert to Parisian shoemakers Berluti. I can understand the cost see the value and if I had the money I’d spend it. In both cases I can understand the ratio of cost vs value, and of course they conform to classic ideas of style and traditional craftsmanship. Conversely, spending nearly £300, and more in some cases, on shoes with plastic soles goes against every thing I know. Where Harrys of London stumps me is that I’m really not sure whether I’d be buying into some chaps clever marketing wheeze or a genuinely modern high tech improvement to an age old craft. And so I think it’s time I interviewed these people, and settled the matter once and for all.

Amazing what an afternoon constitutional can do for you.

Beau Ideal: Have You Seen These Glasses?

As the advertiser is wont to say, ‘there are some things that money can’t buy.’ When I bought my beloved dark tortoiseshell Wayfarers from Ray-Ban, I had conducted a parallel search for another pair of Wayfarers; the yellow tortoise. Enquiries in even the most vaunted of department stores, including ‘the world’s best department store’ Selfridges & Co, led to embarrassed smiles from staff, furtive gazing at computer screens and the inevitable comments and excuses; ‘current season’, ‘all stock is out’ as well as a feeble attempt at placating an unsatisfied customer with a pair of rather childish bright yellow frames. The conclusion? No money in the world could buy the glasses that I knew had certainly existed but were, for some reason, no longer available.

The idea of the yellow tortoise frames first appealed to me when I watched the splendidly costumed Catch Me If You Can, when a slick-haired Leonardo DiCaprio lurked in a motor car outside an airport wearing a short-sleeved button-down sky blue shirt and a pair of Wayfarer-shaped sunnies in yellowy-tortoise.

Though I have always been a fan of the dark-tortoise Wayfarer, the yellow were happier, more fun. They had a distinctly vintage appeal, reminiscent not only of the original 1950s frames but also the round-frame lenses worn by colonials in Egypt. Though I reasoned that the darker tortoise frames were more versatile – think ‘pool to premiere’ – the yellow were distinctly a daytime, casual frame.

After thousands of searches on eBay and Google, I found a pair of frames in the classic Wayfarer shape at Revolve Clothing that happened to be, painfully, out of stock. The style corresponded closely to that which I had previously seen on a gentleman dashing quickly through the Regent Street crowds one sunny afternoon last year, so I was convinced I had found the pair but, due to the lack of available stock, the ‘beau ideal’ was unachievable. Even the Vintage Frames Shop, recommended by my close friend Barima, offered nothing.

The likelihood was that the glasses were out of production; Luxottica had pulled the plug. The problem was that the paucity of results in the second-hand market clearly indicated they were dearly cherished: something I both hated and admired in the same transient thought.

Disappointingly, an enquiry email to Luxottica did not even generate a default reply. Though initially surprised, dispirited and deflated I have not given up in the search. After all, the hardest won prize is often the most treasured.