Ermenegildo 100% Silk
That's one expensive suit!
During a recent trip to a certain high end clothing store on 5th ave. in New York, I was shocked at the prices of some of the clothing. The average price of the suits were hovering around the $3,000 dollar mark and while they seemed a little high it was about par, considering that these were suits from tailoring super powers like Brioni, Kiton and Ermenegildo Zegna. The shock came when I stumbled upon a Vicuna suit by Loro Piana which retailed fora whopping $19,675 and a Kiton suit, which I can only assume, is made of pure gold (not really), as it retailed for an unbelievable $45,000 dollars. It made me think about one of the most asked questions when it comes to men's suits... Does a higher price suit really translate to a better suit?
Quality vs. Extravagance
Unfortunately there is no quick and simple answer to that question, but if I were pressed then my answer would be... It depends. Buying a suit for most people is an investment, as it is the first thing the professional world will be able to see and judge you on. While the higher price usually translates to higher quality this isn't always the case. There are a multitude of designers that command a high price simply because of their brand name. The majority of the dollars you spend on their suits end up paying for marketing rather than the actual building of the suit. there are also times where the higher price comes from the brands "flagship" make (such as the extreme examples above) this is where brands create an ultra exclusive version of their production suits and it is really made to be the most expensive suit you can buy. This is really an example of extravagance rather than quality as the "flagship" suit usually will be ten to twenty times more expensive, yet in reality it wont be that much better than the brands standard version.The best quality suits can be defined by a very set and measurable standard and surprisingly enough, can be found for a comparatively, lower price.
What to look for:
- Full canvas interlining. The best quality suits come with 3 layers in the jacket. The fabric, the canvas and the lining. The canvas is invisible to the consumer but it is what gives the suit its shape. To see if the suit has a full canvas in it, flip the lapels over and look for little pick stitches, this indicates that the canvas is hand basted. Next, feel the fabric between the button holes. Roll it in between your fingers and you should feel a piece of canvas "floating" inside. the best quality suits will always have full canvas interlining.
- Natural animal fibers. The best quality suits will always be made with natural animal fibers. Be it 100% wool, cashmere, silk, vicuna, or a blend of any of these, great suits always feature these fabrics. Avoid suits that have any blend of man made materials such as polyester. To see if the suit is made of a quality fabric, check the tag first, then grab a bunch of the fabric and ball it up in your hand. Quality suiting fabric will bounce back leaving virtually no wrinkles.
- Hand made construction. This is a little harder to spot, but a hand made suit flexes and forms to the wearers body, while a machine made suit tends to pucker and twist In a very noticeable way. To spot a hand made suit examine the seams, more particularly the seams in the inside arm holes. they should resemble a zig zag and be comprised of 1 piece of thread. Machine made seams have stitching that resembles a chain and will be made with 2 pieces of thread. Hand made construction is the hallmark of the top suit makers and can be found from off the rack brands or from the best custom suits and their tailors.
Look for these three hallmarks of a top quality suit and ignore the brand name... you will be surprised. There are plenty of unknown brands that carry these qualities and command a reasonable price.
The best quality suit is the one you can afford
Many men's magazines will encourage you to buy 1 really expensive hand made suit instead of 4 cheaper machine made ones. Even though its based on the sound principle of buying quality over quantity, this advice can be very misleading. Every body has to start some where, and it is just not realistic to have just one suit in your closet. Start of by buying the suits you can afford to build a complete wardrobe with. If you can afford to buy all top quality hand made suits by all means do not skimp, but if you are like the majority, a closet full of $1,000 suits might be out of the question. When buying a machine made suit, again skip the brand and look for great fabric and attention to detail. There are plenty of great deals on suits the key is to know what you are looking for.
Chris Vance is the senior trends and fashion spotter for Requisite clothing, a custom clothing design house specializing in custom suits, custom shirts, custom tuxedos and sports wear for both men and women.
http://www.requisiteclothing.com
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