CRAFT
80 HOURS: THIS IS THE TIME IT TAKES TO MAKE A TAILORED SUIT BY HAND
The technique of making the jacket is as important as the choice of cut and material. The process of making a jacket includes many stages, including sewing the pockets, making the collar and sleeves, and sewing the lining.
Each of these steps can be performed quickly (which usually means lower costs), or using more time-consuming techniques, often involving manual work, which translates into significantly higher quality. It is the precision of workmanship that distinguishes standard clothes from those of exceptional quality. Here is a short guide.
CANVAS: SKELETON OF THE JACKET
The framework of a traditionally made jacket is made of inserts made of special canvas and hair fiber (elastic fabric containing horse tail hair). This insert is sewn to the fabric in only a few places to ensure softness and flexibility. This is the so-called full canvas construction. In addition to ensuring comfort and nice draping of the fabric, it makes the jacket much more durable than mass-sewn products that use glued inserts, which unpleasantly stiffen the fabric and peel off over time.
COLLAR
The collar is a key element of every jacket. Its improper cutting or sewing may cause the entire jacket to fit poorly and cause discomfort. To perfectly fit the shape of the neck, it requires careful shaping with an iron.
PATTERN FIT
Pattern matching is another requirement in a tailor-made jacket. As far as possible, the pattern should not be disturbed.
600 SITCHES: THIS IS HOW MUCH A TAILOR MAKES WHILE HAND QUILTING THE LAPERS OF A JACKET
Every detail in the process of creating a luxury jacket has its importance, and the number of 600 stitches may seem surprising. This is approximately how many stitches an experienced tailor makes when hand quilting jacket lapels. This process, although time-consuming, is crucial to ensuring the unique appearance and structure of the material.
Quilting jacket lapels by hand is a real art that requires not only precision, but also patience and extensive knowledge of fabrics and sewing techniques. Each seam is applied with the greatest precision, which allows for obtaining a unique texture and shape of the flap, impossible to achieve with machine sewing. This is one of the elements that distinguishes hand-sewn suits from mass production.
Hand quilting not only increases the aesthetic value of the jacket, but also affects its durability and the way the material fits on the body. Thanks to this process, the jacket lapels retain their shape for many years, and the suit looks equally good at the beginning and after many uses. It is an investment in quality that translates into exceptional wearing comfort and self-confidence.
This process is proof that traditional tailoring methods, despite the passage of time and the development of modern technologies, still remain irreplaceable in creating high-class clothing. Hand-quilting jacket lapels, although demanding, is one of those elements of tailoring that make the work unique and luxurious, emphasizing the individual character and attention to detail.
POCKETS
This is a fragment that perfectly shows the craftsmanship of the tailor. The slats (called pasplas) should be narrow and perfectly even. The flaps should adhere to the body. To ensure they are always thin and smooth, their edges are hand-sewn with a decorative seam.
HOLES
In all sewn clothes, the holes are sewn by hand with a special thread. It is a difficult and time-consuming job that takes many weeks to learn.
FABRIC
The best work will be pointless if it is made with poor quality materials. That's why I use fabrics from leading English and Italian producers such as: Holland and Sherry, Scabal, Loro Piana, Cerruti, Caccioppoli, Fratelli di Delfino, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, Dugdale Bros.