2019 shirtmaker recommendations.

What you always wanted to know about Elegance, but were afraid to ask!
Wasser50
Posts: 210
Joined: Sun Dec 25, 2011 6:47 am
Location: London
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Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:40 pm

My experience at Emma Willis was dreadful rude service bad fitting and make is nearer off the shelf Lewins rather than bespoke.

I’ve used -

Wil Whiting great fit and excellent make but if you want the dogs very expensive
Turnbull great fit great service and make is good
100 being the best I’ve experienced so far overall the best
The made to measure from Lora Piana is as good as any others I’ve had but guess I just fit the pattern
I used to use Dege but they were so slow I gave up
Whitcomb is best I’ve tried for value
davidhuh
Posts: 2028
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Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:13 pm

Concordia wrote:
Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:44 am
Interesting. My guy is Mr Butcher. Not life-changing, but he has arrived at a very reliably good pattern. If MacAuslan jumps, please let the rest of us know.
Same here, Mr. Butcher is my cutter. He must have made something like 150 shirts for me. He is happy to see me as long as I don't want stripes. There has never been an issue - therefore no reason to change. Mr MacAuslan is a a very nice young man and I could well imagine working with him should Mr. Butcher retire.

Cheers, David
Screaminmarlon
Posts: 920
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Location: Milan, Italy
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Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:58 pm

davidhuh wrote:
Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:13 pm
Concordia wrote:
Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:44 am
He is happy to see me as long as I don't want stripes. ...
Cheers, David
Really? :shock:
I love solids and plains but a life without bastoncino would be a hard proposition for an italian guy
Concordia
Posts: 2622
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Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:04 pm

Yet another reason to have more than one maker on the bench.
whyescalar
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:57 pm
Location: Dagobah
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Mon Jul 22, 2019 3:04 pm

Hi, sorry my recommendation isn't in Europe, however since Mr. Alden does have a very global readership, here goes: Charles Nakhle. Mr. Nakhle is in a western suburb of Sydney, NSW. I used him for the three years we resided in Sydney, and really couldn't be happier. Can make french cuffs, button cuffs, french-front, more ordinary, short or long-whatever the client wants. He is Lebanese, however acclimatized to Australian no-fuss culture quite well. More expensive than HK shirtmakers like Ascot Chang, however cheaper than London-based ones.
davidhuh
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Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:32 pm

Screaminmarlon wrote:
Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:58 pm
davidhuh wrote:
Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:13 pm
Concordia wrote:
Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:44 am
He is happy to see me as long as I don't want stripes. ...
Cheers, David
Really? :shock:
I love solids and plains but a life without bastoncino would be a hard proposition for an italian guy
Screaming, the reason is that I want the arms matching the shoulder :roll: - which gives him extra work. He does it, of course. I just know to read his facial expression 8)

Cheers, David
Concordia
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Mon Jul 22, 2019 9:38 pm

That is where 100Hands shines. Not only the workmanship, but the fact that you can't see the expressions of the workmen (or women).
Screaminmarlon
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Mon Jul 22, 2019 10:16 pm

:lol:
Scot
Posts: 568
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Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:35 am

I have been a contented Dege customer for many years. Robert Whittaker made a great pattern for me. Unfortunately he has now retired but his protege Tom has taken the helm and seems extremely competent, and very pleasant.
DavidS
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Tue Jul 23, 2019 1:16 pm

...
Last edited by DavidS on Fri Dec 27, 2019 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Concordia
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Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:04 pm

Interesting. I tried Lachter, but ended up with shirts that never quite fit or have flattering collars. And I didn't enjoy his company enough to try to fix the problem.

As for Whittaker at Dege, he was renowned as the best going and I dealt with him for quite some time. I moved away (a) when he got behind in his work. I would meet him on tour and ask for a small tweak, and by the time he got to things two months later, the note had been lost. I heard chatter around then that he had a multi-thousand order from the Sultan of Somewhere, that was absorbing his attention.

Also (b) he refused to make a taller collar, which made his shirts useless with A&S suits cut by John Hitchcock.

A shame, really, as he was probably the only shirtmaker whose pattern flattered my torso as a tailored garment would. No idea how or why.
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culverwood
Posts: 402
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Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:25 am

I use Sean O'Flynn and have so far been pleased with the shirts he has made for me.
Jimmy9lives
Posts: 78
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Wed Jul 31, 2019 6:29 pm

I am trying Fralbo napoli and camiceria piccolo as well this week. The fralbo shirt I had fitted at Caraceni Rome and the piccolo internet fittings.
Jimmy9lives
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:26 pm

Has anyone tried The famed Battistoni in Rome?
Concordia
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Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:47 pm

BTW, an argument for having some depth in your lineup comes from HK this last week. Not that I need to be in touch personally right now, but I can imagine some serious dislocation happening to the real economy down there in the future. Let's hope not. An excellent option for CMT.
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