Why doesn't more clothing makers go with a retro line up?

[John in Covina]

It seems to me that there are enough peopl that have expressed a like of style of the 1930's and 40's that there should be more places looking to do retro styles.

John in Covina

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The demand isn't quite high enough to make it cost effective for "more places". Unfortunately!

 

[Matt Deckard]

/\ What he said.

If we want them to start doing more repro we have to start more demanding.

I write letters to companies like Stetson and Brooks Brothers and J. Peterman when they make something right, or when they make something close and when they stop making something and I want to see it back. there are times the companies forget they have a client bas that buys these things and if we are silent they have more of a reason to forget.

The last letter I wrote was to Brooks about how they shoudl stop carrying Borsalino hats and start carrying something that can at least hold it's shape through more than one rain shower like an Akubra. THey sent me back a personal response... at least someone their noticed. My next gripe is the low waisted pants. then a few hundred letters to them about how the armholes need to be higher.

 

[Wild Root]

It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s not just having a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìRetro style?¢‚Ǩ? it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s having it made ?¢‚Ǩ?ìretro?¢‚Ǩ?. I have seen suits that look retro but, because of the large armholes and low waisted pants, they tend to just look like a modern suit.

I feel that if a suit is made well and made with nice trim armholes and high waisted pants then, suits will just look older fashioned just because they were made correctly. Another gripe I have is how pants are so ill fitted to most men and they don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t flatter the figure. Not only are they not high waisted but, they have such stingy cuffs and the lack of a full cut is really annoying. I mean, to have pleats that don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t hang right and creases that fall out of the fabric after sitting down for a minuet, come on, can you call that tailoring? Or a garment that you would be proud to sell?

The average male today could careless about these details. A man cant stand to keep his coat on when driving or in a building. Ever notice how so many males today that do wear a suit leave it unbuttoned? Ugggg! Such a slovenly look! When I served my mission in Canada, it was a rule that a missionary had to keep his coat buttoned! I did all the time because I was used to it and also because my suits were made to be comfortable. So many young missionaries griped about keeping their coat closed. Well, I figured out why! It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s because they never fit right and they do all the things that Matt Deckard has griped about modern suit coats.

Any way, a company doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have to make a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìVintage?¢‚Ǩ? or ?¢‚Ǩ?ìRetro?¢‚Ǩ? line of suits, they just need to make them the way they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re supposed to be made then, every man will look sharp! Well, it also helps to have some nice heavy fabric to complete the deal.

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Fair enough ... but remember that the '30s did produce lightweight suits in tropical worsted. I've had two, and they both were as light as can be.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Part of the problem is also the pricing issue. You can find some great cut suits but they won't be cheap. Most Americans simply don't know anything about cut or fit. But when you start looking at some of the more expensive Italian makes you can find some great styles at least for jackets Many of the Italian companies actually make a more British 1930s cut than the Brits do anymore. The pants are still going to be a problem, however. I think the only place to get decent pants is either vintage or bespoke.

But look at this jacket for instance. You won't find anything styled like this made by an American brand, and the cut is quite similar to the British jackets being made in the Duke of Windor's day.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-6350-Attoli...oryZ3001QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Wild Root]

Fair enough ... but remember that the '30s did produce lightweight suits in tropical worsted. I've had two, and they both were as light as can be.

True but, (I know you'll agree) even the light weight fabric of that time had more body to it thus, giving it some what more weight. The modern light weight stuff is so fake feeling I want to throw up. Give me something that lets me know I have something on!

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Once upon a time, every major U.S. city had its handful of Italian tailors who catered to millionaire clients. Some of these tailors are still around, but they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re disappearing fast. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve seen Savile Row suits from the ?¢‚ǨÀú30s, and I have to say that none of them compared to the quality of suits made right here in the U.S.A. by immigrant Italian tailors. Once in a while, I run into these pieces in thrift stores. Many of them are from the ?¢‚ǨÀú70s or early ?¢‚ǨÀú80s, but the cut, fabric and tailoring details are straight out of the Golden Era (if not before). One thing I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve noticed is that these tailors paid enormous attention to the cut and fit of trousers. Darts were strategically added to make sure that the seat didn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t ?¢‚Ǩ?ìbag?¢‚Ǩ?. (It is said that the mark of a great portraitist is his/her ability to successfully paint human hands; I think the mark of a great tailor is his/her skill in making beautifully-fitting trousers.)

 

[Wild Root]

Agreed!

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And as you know, these tailors (the last of whom are 80 or 90 years old) got their start in the '30s and '40s. Many were trained by older tailors from the 1920s and before, who learned the trade in Italy.

 

[John in Covina]

So for the true style is it strictly vintage suits, have there been any modernmakers doing the true retro or does one have to go to tailor made only? For me I figure i will never find a suit in vintage to fit me it leads to tailor made.

John

 

[Marc Chevalier]

J. Peterman has done some retro suits. I'm not too fond of the quality of their construction, but they do look pretty authentic.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

For me I figure i will never find a suit in vintage to fit me it leads to tailor made.

John

I think you probably will find a vintage suit that fits, or can be made to fit with slight alteration. All sizes are around in the vintage market. Just keep on trawling the thrift stores and vintage stores and eBay. I thought i'd never find vintage suits in my size (34S - just as rare as the larger sizes, no matter what people might tell you ). Now i have a number of them, and an overcoat. I typically don't spend over $50, and not more than 1.5 hours a week searching (pickings are slim in Lafayette, IN). The last one i got was $5.30 at the Goodwill and made in 1940!! :cheers1:

Keep on searching. You'll find something in the end.

bk

 

[Senator Jack]

Over the years I've seen nearly every fashion designer nick a design from the past but they never get it right. People who are busy trying to design for what's going to be 'hot' tomorrow will nevery intrinsically understand yesterday. They can look at it, and try to copy it, but whatever they come up with is nothing but an imitation of what it's supposed to be. I might have written the following here before, but it's worth repeating in this thread:

There's an old vaudeville bit where a huckster tries to sell George Washington's hatchet. 'I had to replace the handle, and the head too, but it occupies the same space as the original.'

That's how I feel about places like Banana Republic when they try to sell a 40s/50s suit. Or when Crosley makes an imitation bakelite radio. There seems to be something fake about it all, and I have to give the public credit, because they generally seem to shun such items. (Thus the surplus of Crosley imitation bakelite radios with digital readouts that are marked down at the nearest Marshall's)

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Twitch]

About all we can see is lapels being cloned on a double-breasted suit for the retro look which is about as much as most folks care about in authenticity. There have been some high quality retro-style suits made in good wool blends since the 40s. I for one am not into buttons instead of a zipper in pants.