Vintage Suits Reproductions

[Hershy]

I searched reproductions on AAAC, London Lounge and here.

Since I only know Matt Deckard, i just wanted to know are there any other great vintage reproductions. if so, what is your favorite?

[John in Covina]

Magnoli did some suits. Do a search for Magnoli in the lounge.

[John in Covina]

Senator Jack did Jamaica 66 suits too.

[Baron Kurtz]

I've never been all that impressed with any mass market* vintage reproductions I've seen. Magnoli's are so far away from being period accurate it's not even funny. Hideki Okisaka produced suits that folks here rave about, but on further reflection, they seem almost pastiche to me. There's something of the stage about them. Deckard's are getting close, and Jack's are better. But still, they're not quite right. I think Jack's 60s suits are the best repros I've seen - they are closer to his aesthetic, after all, so I think his creative input was of great help in developing the repro.

I did feel the fabric Jack was going to use on his 1930s repros one of his trips to London, and it was heavy, but not quite heavy enough, IMO.

bk

*Wes (why can't I remember his user name?) in Sydney has a very good tailor who does very good repros, and I don't include that here as it's not really accessible to those outside the Australian east coast.

[Chasseur]

I am newbie in this realm. I have had Magnoli make some trousers for me, and I've talked in some detail with Matt about getting a suit done. So those are both options and I've had good experiences with both of them.

Another option I would recommend:
(1) Find a good tailor who you can spend time with to get fitting down pat (so either local or a place you visit often). There will be many aspects to a vintage suit/jacket that most modern tailors will not "like" and they will recommend against them so you'll have to spend some time on this ("why so wide on the DB button placement?" "No sir you do not want armholes that high it'll cut into your armpit," "No sir, its not recommended to have skeletal lining in your jacket" etc.).

(2) Then ask to see if they can copy some vintage pieces you like that you've bought. Try it with cheaper fabric first to see how things turn out (will not be 100% first time... maybe second too).

(3) Then if you like things then try again with a fabric you really want. As the Baron says the fabric will be a major issue. Most fabric today will be too light, and many of the cool choices of back then will either be hard to fine, limited in choice, expensive, or not availible (try finding good cream/off white flannels for tennis/cricket trousers...). Its hard to find good fabrics outside of overcoat and thick tweeds heavier than 12-13oz today, where most of my vintage suits are heavier than that in weight.

not cheap or quick but you'll eventually get good results.

[Two Types]

Finding the balance between someone who immediately understands what you are looking for, and who has the talent to pull it off, is the real issue. Many years ago i was lucky and found such a person. Then she retired.

I know it might not be easy, but I would recommend finding the ideal suit - even if it is absolutely ruined (moths etc). Then have it copied by a trustworthy tailor.

I have been using 'Bookster', a UK based online company. They have copied a pair of trousers cut from a 1930s pattern. And they will tweak their basic jacket shape, offering details such as peaked lapels and belt backs. If you are very nice to them, they will even make a jacket with a higher armscye (though I have yet to see the results of this option). Again, this is not ideal and will not produce the perfect vintage repro, but it can be an affordable option.

Good luck.

[Two Types]

Further to my previous post, the examples of my repro suits from the 1990s are here:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showt...highlight=blax

[Chasseur]

I know it might not be easy, but I would recommend finding the ideal suit - even if it is absolutely ruined (moths etc). Then have it copied by a trustworthy tailor.

Spot on Two types!

[herringbonekid]

i don't like the term reproductions when it comes to suits, because i think a reproduction will only ever be a pale imitation of something better. for a modern made suit to have the quality of a vintage suit it has to be made with the integrity of the original rather than just copying (usually badly) the surface appearance. this can only happen when the maker knows vintage suits inside out. it can't happen in a suit factory in Turkey.

[John in Covina]

I am newbie in this realm. I have had Magnoli make some trousers for me, and I've talked in some detail with Matt about getting a suit done. So those are both options and I've had good experiences with both of them.

Another option I would recommend:
(1) Find a good tailor who you can spend time with to get fitting down pat (so either local or a place you visit often). There will be many aspects to a vintage suit/jacket that most modern tailors will not "like" and they will recommend against them so you'll have to spend some time on this ("why so wide on the DB button placement?" "No sir you do not want armholes that high it'll cut into your armpit," "No sir, its not recommended to have skeletal lining in your jacket" etc.).

(2) Then ask to see if they can copy some vintage pieces you like that you've bought. Try it with cheaper fabric first to see how things turn out (will not be 100% first time... maybe second too).

(3) Then if you like things then try again with a fabric you really want. As the Baron says the fabric will be a major issue. Most fabric today will be too light, and many of the cool choices of back then will either be hard to fine, limited in choice, expensive, or not availible (try finding good cream/off white flannels for tennis/cricket trousers...). Its hard to find good fabrics outside of overcoat and thick tweeds heavier than 12-13oz today, where most of my vintage suits are heavier than that in weight.

not cheap or quick but you'll eventually get good results.

That is one of the difficulties: the fabrics of 60 or more years ago are no longer made by the big manufacturers. Today's Super woolens don't hang / drape and hold up the way the heavier fabrics do. Even if you take a 1940's suit to the tailor and have them deconstruct it to make a copy the fabric today just isn't quite right. There are some technics that were lost and need to be rediscovered for the spot on reproductions. (The arm holes controversy!) One can't simply adapt surface designs of say a belt back or lapels or pockets to a modern suit. There are major construction differences that many tailors today don't know about.