Post: #1

I've been looking for one in my area and it looks like the only tailors within 20miles of me are women.

Not that I have anything against a woman measuring my in seem and her asking me if I'm a lefty or a righty but for some reason it seems like the best tailors should be old men who have been in the business for decades.

Post: #2

There's still some around. I work with several on a regular basis.

I don't know how big your city is, but where I live, there are a half-dozen Italian families that have lived here since the 1950's, running combined tuxedo rental/custom tailoring shops. Search for something similar in your area.

Post: #3

There are plenty of them in London, even a lot of young around working as tailors. I know guys who were working as lawyers and bankers respectively who decided to quit and become tailors instead. They're really dedicated to learning the craft and doing it well.

But then London has the strongest tailoring tradition in the world - it's probably different elsewhere.

Post: #4

They're definitely a dying breed in the States. I have one regular tailor and two other cats who have worked on my stuff. All three are over 65 and have no replacement. Believe it or not, I asked one of them to apprentice with him a while back and he agreed, but I realized it wouldn't be worth it. You don't learn this shit in a few months. One of them--the oldest guy--closed his shop a few months ago. I honestly think he may have died; he was a fucking mummy. Talented still.

I've talked about it with them at length and we agree: In a throw-away society--where you can buy a shitty five-dollar t-shirt made in China at H&M--guys who make custom stuff, and alter existing stuff, simply aren't very useful to average person.

Post: #5

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/magazi...wanted=all

I stumbled on this piece just couple of days ago about some of the struggles faced by tailors. Years ago in Esquire I read about one of the few older, Italian tailors still working in NYC. It was a piece written for the September 2005 issue by Tom Junod called "The Last Tailors," about Salvatore Ragusa and Vincent Nicolosi, who work out of an office building on 53rd & Madison Avenue in NYC, and they were believed at the time to be the last two old men plying the trade in the city:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0905L...ck=main_sr

Post: #6

My uncles are successful tailors in their towns. In my town, which is a mid size American city, there are several tailoring shops.

A lot of tailors work in-house at high end department stores. Check those out if you're having trouble finding an independent.

Post: #7

(09-08-2012 01:15 PM)Deif Wrote:  My uncles are successful tailors in their towns. In my town, which is a mid size American city, there are several tailoring shops.

A lot of tailors work in-house at high end department stores. Check those out if you're having trouble finding an independent.

There are a lot of older tailors working on doing alterations on already made garments, but not too many that are making suits from the ground up, which is what I think the OP is really getting at.

Post: #8

(09-08-2012 01:18 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 01:15 PM)Deif Wrote:  My uncles are successful tailors in their towns. In my town, which is a mid size American city, there are several tailoring shops.

A lot of tailors work in-house at high end department stores. Check those out if you're having trouble finding an independent.

There are a lot of older tailors working on doing alterations on already made garments, but not too many that are making suits from the ground up, which is what I think the OP is really getting at.

You can get basic alterations done at your local dry cleaners. Any seamstress will do for taking in shirts and tightening trousers or whatever.

Building a suit from scratch takes immense skill and dedication though.

Post: #9

(09-08-2012 01:25 PM)Caligula Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 01:18 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 01:15 PM)Deif Wrote:  My uncles are successful tailors in their towns. In my town, which is a mid size American city, there are several tailoring shops.

A lot of tailors work in-house at high end department stores. Check those out if you're having trouble finding an independent.

There are a lot of older tailors working on doing alterations on already made garments, but not too many that are making suits from the ground up, which is what I think the OP is really getting at.

You can get basic alterations done at your local dry cleaners. Any seamstress will do for taking in shirts and tightening trousers or whatever.

Building a suit from scratch takes immense skill and dedication though.

I wasn't stating differently, but not everyone with the skills can simply go into business for themselves, so most of these men have been relegated to doing alterations. Some at dry cleaners.

Post: #10

This is part of the problem. The random Korean lady at the dry cleaners is--in most cases--not a legit, master tailor or seamstress. They're people who have picked up some basic sewing skills along the way. I've had several brand-new (with tags), expensive articles of clothing fucked up by people like this. They do a hem by cutting one leg, kinda-sorta folding the pants in half, then cutting the other leg the same. Their stitches are sloppy and crooked. Even if they are good, someone who does alterations is not necessarily the same as an outright tailor. A tailor is trained in making an entire article of clothing from scratch, patterns included. They're often relegated to doing alterations--in today's economic realities--but they understand clothing on whole other level. Don't get it twisted.

The people who work in-house at Bloomingdale's, Saks, or other high-end department stores are different. They tend to know what they're doing. I trust leaving stuff I bought there with those guys. For one, they're good. And, they'd be responsible if they mess up.

Post: #11

I doesn't matter if a tailor is male or female, it just matters if the tailor has passion.

Same as a hair stylist for men's hair, it doesn't matter if it's a guy or girl, it just matters if she/he fucking loves working with hair.

Post: #12

(09-08-2012 01:25 PM)Caligula Wrote:  You can get basic alterations done at your local dry cleaners. Any seamstress will do for taking in shirts and tightening trousers or whatever.

Sometimes the seamstress makes my pants tight. jajajaa.

I used to use an Afghan tailor near my hometown. The guy took immense pride in his work, and was the best I've ever used. The Middle East also has a lot of tailors that can build from the ground up.

http://www.godwinsq8.com/braving-the-fabric-souk/

The link above is to the tailor I've used in Kuwait. Funny, as the guy writing the article also used the King of Wools. Amazing quality and craftsmanship. Fitwell is popular among expats. The article even has pics of the places. Enjoy.

Post: #13

(09-08-2012 01:46 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  This is part of the problem. The random Korean lady at the dry cleaners is--in most cases--not a legit, master tailor or seamstress. They're people who have picked up some basic sewing skills along the way. I've had several brand-new (with tags), expensive articles of clothing fucked up by people like this. They do a hem by cutting one leg, kinda-sorta folding the pants in half, then cutting the other leg the same. Their stitches are sloppy and crooked. Even if they are good, someone who does alterations is not necessarily the same as an outright tailor. A tailor is trained in making an entire article of clothing from scratch, patterns included. They're often relegated to doing alterations--in today's economic realities--but they understand clothing on whole other level. Don't get it twisted.

The people who work in-house at Bloomingdale's, Saks, or other high-end department stores are different. They tend to know what they're doing. I trust leaving stuff I bought there with those guys. For one, they're good. And, they'd be responsible if they mess up.

Yep. Because they know how to construct a garment from scratch, they can also take one apart, alter it, and reconstruct it so that it never looks like it was altered in the first place. Someone that can't actually make a garment probably won't be as good at doing a major alteration. I've long hemmed my own slacks, and done cuffs too, but I would never attempt to do more than that.

Post: #14

Hey, first post after lurking for awhile.

I'm 21 and have been learning the tailoring trade from my grandfather for almost 4 years now. He's over 70 now (still in good shape) and I know he wants to retire but he's sticking around to teach me.

Our trade is dying. I don't even want to mention the city I live in, because you'd be able to narrow down exactly who I am, there are that few left. We were talking to one of our material suppliers a few months ago, and asked approx how many tailors were left doing their thing in this town. We figured 100 or so, give or take. The man said "No way. Try less than 20." Less than 20 legitimate tailors in a city >1 million people.

To echo some of the comments in this thread, you're almost better off watching YouTube videos and attempting the alterations yourself, than taking them to a cleaner. Often times, it's the wife/mother/aunt/sister of the cleaner operator that picked up a few sewing skills over the years. You should see some of the disasters I've had to fix. One guy had to throw out the suit jacket because they fucked up the shoulders so badly it couldn't be saved. Even the simple alterations, I'm astonished how many bad shortening jobs I've come across.

I know tailors are more expensive than cleaners to have work done, and there is a reason for that. We spend years learning how to do everything. That experience has a price. And also, there is a guarantee it will be done correctly. Every time you take your stuff to a cleaner or amateur, there is a risk you won't be able to wear your stuff, or you'll have to come to me and have it corrected and paying twice (initial poor job + correction).

Timoteo, I read that article this week as well. It's very informative and casts a grim light on the state of our industry. In the past, the imported suits coming from China, India, EE, etc, were absolute shit. Terrible fusing (everything glued inside. Two trips to the cleaners and it falls apart), poor craftsmanship, low quality materials, you name it. As time moved on, the quality of the imports have improved. The average person doesn't wear suits anymore (most of our long time customers who used to buy 3-4 suits per year buy maybe one now.), if anything they have one suit they use for weddings and funerals.

Most people think "If I only need to wear it once or twice per year, I can't justify spending $1000, $2000, $5000 on a nice suit when I can get one for $300."

It's a bit of a "perfect storm", to use the cliche. Lower demand for quality garments, rise in casual wear acceptance (my grandfather told me, the introduction of casual Friday was the beginning of the end) so people don't dress up anymore, widespread availability of super cheap, low to mid range imports, and higher cost of living/materials/supplies, really hurt the viability of the industry.

This post is getting pretty lengthy, probably deserves another entire thread.

The article in question has forced me to take a step back and asses the path I'm currently on. Less and less I want to learn the entire jacket making process. I can do almost every alteration at this point, been doing most of them for 3 years, only the really really complicated stuff is out of my league. Realistically, it will be at least an additional 3-4 years of apprenticeship before I can comfortably build a suit from scratch. Not sure if it's worth learning at this point as I watch the market for quality custom suits evaporate with my dying (from old age) client base.

Anyways, here is my introductory post to the forums. Hello everyone.

Post: #15

I hear you Swanson. On the NYTimes site, if you put "Tailors" in the search field, you get tons of articles from over the years detailing the struggles in the industry. For the tailor that really appreciates the craft, it's difficult to really clear profits. To really clear profits, they have to become the kind of operation that they despise.

The move to casual by much of corporate America has definitely killed suit buying, and by extension, suit making. Only executives, or people in positions that meet clients really suit up every day. It started with casual Fridays. Then that became business-casual during the summer. Then business-casual year round. I have some new suits that I've never worn, because for the past few years I'd been working in a place where it's casual all the time (not business casual, but jeans casual). I still want to get them altered, so I was going to take them back to Men's Wearhouse where I got them to have them fixed up. I seriously wouldn't mind working in a place again where I can put on a suit if I want to, just for the hell of it. It's good to occasionally dress like an adult...HA HA!

Post: #16

I think suits will make a comeback. Fashion changes quickly, and as the depression deepens people will begun to see high-end suits as a prime luxury item to separate oneself from the poor starving masses.

Post: #17

(09-08-2012 07:41 PM)Samseau Wrote:  I think suits will make a comeback. Fashion changes quickly, and as the depression deepens people will begun to see high-end suits as a prime luxury item to separate oneself from the poor starving masses.

Or body armor.

Post: #18

(09-08-2012 06:02 PM)Swanson Wrote:  Hey, first post after lurking for awhile.

Awesome first post. Welcome to the forum. I applaud you for taking on such an honorable and valuable trade, and wish you the absolute best. If my fantasy of an RVF Services Network (thread on this upcoming) ever materializes, I'm sure you'll be making lots of custom suits for us.

Post: #19

(09-08-2012 07:44 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 07:41 PM)Samseau Wrote:  I think suits will make a comeback. Fashion changes quickly, and as the depression deepens people will begun to see high-end suits as a prime luxury item to separate oneself from the poor starving masses.

Or body armor.

Or body armored suits!

I would pay for one of those.

Post: #20

(09-08-2012 11:40 AM)kickboxer Wrote:  I've been looking for one in my area and it looks like the only tailors within 20miles of me are women.

Not that I have anything against a woman measuring my in seem and her asking me if I'm a lefty or a righty but for some reason it seems like the best tailors should be old men who have been in the business for decades.

Saville Row still has a lot of good men tailors. From your profile info, you live in Suriname, so I guess there's no surprise there.

Post: #21

(09-08-2012 09:23 PM)Tuthmosis Wrote:  

(09-08-2012 06:02 PM)Swanson Wrote:  Hey, first post after lurking for awhile.

Awesome first post. Welcome to the forum. I applaud you for taking on such an honorable and valuable trade, and wish you the absolute best. If my fantasy of an RVF Services Network (thread on this upcoming) ever materializes, I'm sure you'll be making lots of custom suits for us.

This might not be a bad niche to try and service. I would totally be down to buy a custom suit from a RVF member, along with other stuff. Generally rule, the more Tailored you are to a certain market (heh), the better you can service that market versus others.

I mean, finding a good tailor can be quite tough, be it lack of tailors, knowing where/how to look for them, or just lack of time time, (hell I haven't gotten around to doing it since I'm always so busy and im in the word's tailor center). But to find a good tailor who knows how to service playboys, that shit is platinum (good tailors are already gold).

Post: #22

If you're in socal, this guy does great work: http://www.jdavids.com/

Elias in Santa Monica does great alteration work. I don't know if he does custom suits, though.

Post: #23

I used Christopher Kim in DC. But I hear Baytok in Georgetown is amazing. You go to Filene's Basement and find a reputable brand, try it on, then search for it on Ebay after sifting through the fake shit and order it. Get your measurements and take it to one of these guys and they'll do a bang up job for a few extra bills.

Post: #24

I'm also convinced that suits, and adult attire in general, will make a comeback. The whole casual office, West Coast grunge (or whatever it's called) movement is played out. I mean someone like Mark Zuckerberg has pretty much taken it as far as it can go. It's likely that the way he dresses now is not materially different from how he dressed when he was 12 years old. What can follow that? People going to work in their "jammies"?

A business for the future is a restaurant with an enforced dress code. Say jacket, and maybe tie, for men and something equally appropriate for women will be a success in a largish city.

As to the OP's original question. In many parts of the world I've found a fair number of Indian and Pakistani gentlemen tailors. Is there a large Indian/Pakistani community in your city? Used to be lots of Jewish male tailors as well, but they are indeed a dying breed. I know of a few, but a lot of them concentrate on various Jewish ceremonial/ religious attire.

As far as suits and other stuff from China and the East is concerned. I find it amusing that most people in the developed world buy cheap Chinese goods, that money then goes to a small number of people in industry and government in China. They then turn around and use that money to buy well made goods from European luxury goods companies like LVMH, Ferrari etc. etc.