Duchess Clothier in Portland, OR.

CoffeeDude · Oct 8, 2007

It's been a long time since I've wander through these parts. I'm looking at having a retro custom suit made for me and wondered if anyone has had a suit made by Duchess Clothier in Portland, OR.? I haven't found anyone in the Seattle area willing to make one.

MK · Oct 9, 2007

.

That is odd. I have never heard of them.

CoffeeDude · Oct 9, 2007

Their website can be found here: duchessclothier.com/

Mr. Rover · Oct 9, 2007

MK said:
That is odd. I have never heard of them.

Why does that make it odd?

Matt Deckard · Oct 9, 2007

Pretty find... Edwardian styles.

Baron Kurtz · Oct 9, 2007

another one with drawings only. Make sure to check out their actual product before ordering.

This is an interesting find which should interest those in the pacific northwest immensely.

bk

Mike in Seattle · Oct 9, 2007

And there's always Indy Magnoli at quite a bit less and he provides photos and he's a supporter of the Lounge...

Orgetorix · Oct 9, 2007

Baron Kurtz said:
another one with drawings only. Make sure to check out their actual product before ordering.

This is an interesting find which should interest those in the pacific northwest immensely.

bk

Here are photos of what appear to be their actual product. Not particularly impressive, IMO. Even if you like the styling, the fit on most of them looks pretty poor.

CoffeeDude · Oct 9, 2007

I did a bit more digging and they have their suits sewn overseas. Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather be able to interact with the actual tailor than have a third party make the suit. Retro's in my size are hard to find (44) and the few that I've found in a style I prefer were a bit ragged. Any PNW folks able to recommend a tailor - Seattle / Portland?

Jovan · Oct 13, 2007

Yeah, I'd shoot for Magnoli too. His suits are made overseas as well, but he makes sure everything is up to par with the cut and fit. Make sure you have someone skillfully take your measurements.

MK · Oct 13, 2007

.

The only tailor in Portland who does his work on the premises is Abraham Lee. He used to work for a tailor in Beverly hills. I heard he was involved in making suits for Johnny Carson.

Mr. Rover · Oct 13, 2007

Jovan said:
Yeah, I'd shoot for Magnoli too. His suits are made overseas as well, but he makes sure everything is up to par with the cut and fit. Make sure you have someone skillfully take your measurements.

Not to undermine Magnoli's work, and I don't know if you've bought anything from Magnoli in the last few months and not posted pictures, but if you haven't seen or worn Magnoli's clothing first hand, could you not be promoting him blindly?
I have seen so much of this over at Club Obi-wan for AB, Akubra, Optimo, Peters Bros., etc; all these blind recommendations for hats of which they have never worn or even seen in real life, just to feel like they can contribute to the whirlwind of the forum. Magnoli makes a pretty decent product from what I've seen in pictures, but there have been just as many complaints as raves concerning the quality of construction/fit and details of his suits and other pieces.
I don't own anything from Magnoli, so I can't say anything about what his tailors in Thailand do, but I don't want to sugar coat anyone's reputation and have someone be disappointed and $500-800 poorer.

slicedbread · Oct 13, 2007

Mr. Rover said:
Not to undermine Magnoli's work, and I don't know if you've bought anything from Magnoli in the last few months and not posted pictures, but if you haven't seen or worn Magnoli's clothing first hand, could you not be promoting him blindly?
I have seen so much of this over at Club Obi-wan for AB, Akubra, Optimo, Peters Bros., etc; all these blind recommendations for hats of which they have never worn or even seen in real life, just to feel like they can contribute to the whirlwind of the forum. Magnoli makes a pretty decent product from what I've seen in pictures, but there have been just as many complaints as raves concerning the quality of construction/fit and details of his suits and other pieces.
I don't own anything from Magnoli, so I can't say anything about what his tailors in Thailand do, but I don't want to sugar coat anyone's reputation and have someone be disappointed and $500-800 poorer.

Thank you. Let people who actually own his work promote him if they so wish.

Jovan · Oct 14, 2007

I was going on the recommendations made by owners of his work, and it was merely a suggestion to talk with Indy about it.

Duchess · Oct 25, 2007

About Duchess

Hello, fine gentlemen!

Seeing as this thread is about my business, I thought I'd ring in! I am a clothing historian and love old fashioned styles of suits from many eras. It is true that I work with a tailor in Bangkok. This is so as to get an excellent quality of workmanship from a third generation tailor and to be able to provide custom fit and styled garments for people who cannot afford bespoke. We do made to measure, and I don't mind admitting: we do it very well.

I personally take measurements and make the patterns. I know what I am doing with this endeavor and have spent the time and energy to find a socially and environmentally responsible, excellent tailor to work with exclusively. I am not a tailor, but I AM a patternmaker, and that has a lot to do with fit.

I am not sure what pictures were commented on that the fit wasn't very nice, but some photos of our things have been taken on models, not clients, who wear our suits for fashions shows and the like, but whom the suits were not made for.

I would encourage any of you interested to contact us on our website at www.duchessclothier.com and we can send you any information or answer any questions you may have. Or, you can join our mailing list. We have started embarking on small trips to measure clients in person outside of Portland, and we would love to know where you live.

Duchess, Clothier consists of myself, my lovely associate Lady Ellen, our graphic designer A. Gustav Bayer, and our wonderful tailor. That is IT. (That is also why our website is in a state of stylistic disrepair--this will be fixed shortly.) We are here for our passion and aesthetic mission of helping gents look better in this modern era. It pains me to see flippant judgements of our work on such a specialized and like-minded forum as this, and hope that any of you interested will contact us and judge for yourselves.

Ok, that's all.

Cordially yours,
Seyta Selter
Duchess, Clothier
Founding Duchess of Form

CoffeeDude · Oct 26, 2007

Thank you for the additional information regarding your business. I appreciate it.

Ecuador Jim · Nov 24, 2007

Sounds like someone worth talking to. Next time I'm in Portland, I'll make an appointment.

slicedbread · Nov 24, 2007

Will you keep us posted Ecuador Jim?

jake_fink · Dec 19, 2007

This was the most recent discussion, and while there was another thread on Duchess, it was directed to NYC and became a discussion of land and gentry, so I'll use this thread to ask...

Has anybody seen anything by, bought from or have anything new to say about Duchess?

Pymander · Dec 19, 2007

I'm actually wearing a Duchess Clothier suit today. It's a three-piece "E.B." with a few modifications. It's brown with gold pinstripes, double-vented, single-breasted, 2-button. The vest has a notch lapel. I love it. Fits very nicely, and I get plenty of complements about it. I'd have to say it's easily the nicest suit I own. However, I should point out that I don't have any experience with bespoke tailoring, and this is my first made-to-measure suit.

Getting a suit from them was such an excellent experience that I've made an appointment to get a second one next month, in fact. Seyta and Ellen are both really friendly, knowledgeable, entertaining people.

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