Spring 2018 fittings

In launching Sicilian Reserve, we definitely pushed the envelope by setting a goal of a single fitting followed by delivery. 

Anyone experienced in bespoke knows this is rare, especially for new customers ordering for the first time. The normal order of business is two or three fittings. 

But I am glad that we pushed the boundaries and am happy to report that single fittings followed by delivery are possible under the right conditions as seen below. 

For some customers, weight and dimensions can change materially in the months following the initial measurement taking. The key to success is being flexible and observe what has changed and adjust accordingly.

This means likely adding a second fitting, especially with new customers, if we continue to use the traditional fitting process. We are also actively looking at improving the process to allow for greater precision. More news to come soon!

2018 delivery calendar

Flexibility is a wonderful advantage and benefit, especially in matters bespoke. 

But it does create greater complexity and this is one of our key challenges as a tailoring brand offering even more flexibility than is usually found among bespoke shops. 

Below is a calendar-based guide to help navigate how and when to place an order with Sicilian Reserve. It lays out the different options and timetable for new and returning customers. 

For those supplying their own cloth, please check out our guidelines on cloth length and sourcing your own cloth. 

For new customers, please consult our guidelines for initial consultations. If you are new to fittings, we also recommend reviewing our description of the fitting process and our fall 2017 fittings. 

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us at contact@sicilianreserve.com. 

Holiday wishes

We thank our customers, supporters and Kickstarter backers for helping us launch this summer. Moreover, we enjoyed meeting everyone in San Francisco and New York.

Best wishes for a fine and elegant holiday season and we look forward to completing your orders soon! 

The Sicilian Reserve fitting process

Ours is both a true bespoke process and product. Sicilian Reserve jackets are made to the workshop’s highest standard: individualized paper pattern, creation of a basted jacket, hand-padded canvas in chest, lapel and collar, hand-attached linings and pick-stitching. In addition, a fitting is included to make any fit adjustments to the basted jacket. 

In preparation for your fitting appointment, the workshop creates a partially constructed or basted jacket that you try on as a basis for refining the fit of your jacket. The body of the jacket is exposed with the internal canvas of the chest, lapel and collar. The sleeves and shoulders are attached with basted stitching which means they can be removed and adjusted as the tailor refines the fit of the jacket.

Before the tailor travels to the fittings, the workshop creates a “fitting pack” for each client containing the basted jacket (and/or pants) and order form to document changes in the fitting process.

Then we set up the room we are meeting in and get ready for your arrival.

When we meet with you, the tailor and I will examine the shoulder, chest, waist and overall proportions of the jacket. The tailor will shorten, lengthen, let out or take in different parts of the jacket, all the while pinning and marking these changes on the basted jacket in real time. These fit adjustments are also subsequently reflected in your paper pattern back in the workshop. 

The pants are a bit more straightforward. We take a look at the overall line and then examine the fit at key spots such as the waist, seat, thigh, leg and length. 

During the fitting you will finalize your preferences for jacket length, sleeve length, shoulder line (padded v. nonpadded), shoulder extension, button point, jacket waist and trouser length.  We typically have a discussion of these features at the time of the measurements and order taking but the fitting will enable you to make a final determination.

It is essential that you are comfortable with your choices and that you fully approve the changes made at the fitting. These choices are often not reversible (e.g. button stance/height).

One of the great strengths of Sicilian tailoring is its flexibility. Although our base jacket has minimal canvas and no padding, our tailor can flex up or down the amount of structure in your shoulder. Although we don’t lock you into a particular shoulder structure, we do make recommendations if you have extremely sloping or over-square shoulders. 

Below are a few examples of fittings conducted in the fall of 2017 in San Francisco and New York City: 

Last but not least, we will discuss lining and button choices that would go well with your commission. We offer bemberg linings and horn, corozo and mother of pearl buttons. The tailor and I will make recommendations on linings and buttons but you are certainly free to make your own choices (or even bring your own linings and buttons). 

Preparing your commission - how flexible is our tailor?

For those who are new to Sicilian tailors or bespoke tailoring, you may be wondering how flexible our tailor is and the kinds of features you can specify for your bespoke commission. That's a great question.

The tailor we’re working with can make clothes for a variety of body types and can accommodate a wide range of style choices. His clients run the gamut from children to adults. He has dressed men and women from across a variety of professions from business and academia to opera and the arts. 

In terms of shape and silhouette, he has done quite a bit of stage/theatrical costume work so if you want retro, eccentric and unusual he can do so without batting an eye. Even more so if you want classic and conservative style.

You might have experienced or read that many tailors have a preferred house style that they are reluctant to deviate from. A house style might typically have a fixed jacket length for a specific height, open or closed fronts, a specific amount of waist suppression, a high or low button stance, a high or low gorge height and a specific lapel width.

If you’re unsure, our tailor will certainly make suggestions for your commission. But you are not constrained by them, especially if you have a clear idea of your commission or are experienced with bespoke. When I was looking for the right tailor to work with, flexibility was one of my top criteria and it's a key reason why I chose this tailor. 

I came to this conclusion after spending hours talking to him and his coworkers in his workshop and viewing multiple examples of his finished work and those in progress. Based on what I saw, the tailor is fully capable of executing your choices technically and attitudinally.

For example, I went with a shorter length on the sample jacket than I normally wear even though the tailor suggested a slightly longer one. I also wanted fairly open jacket fronts. For the sample pants, I let him make his default style which tends to be slim and lower rise.

In addition, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with a local client during one of his fittings. This particular client had very specific and unconventional requirements for his evening velvet jacket. Moreover, he was challenging to fit properly because of his forward abdomen and swayback. But based on what I heard from the client, the tailor accommodated both client preferences and fit without any issues technically and attitudinally.

In sum, you will have flexibility, if you choose to exercise it, in a number of areas. 

For jackets these include (but are not limited to):

• Shoulder type (manica camicia or classic shoulder)
• Length of jacket
• Lapel type
• Gorge height
• Button stance
• Pocket type (patch, flap or welted)
• Number of internal pockets
• Number of sleeve buttons
• Vents

For pants these include (but are not limited to):

• Normal or higher waist
• Ease around seat
• Pocket types and positioning (e.g. slant side pockets, one back pocket on the right)
• Belted waistband v. side adjusters
• Zipper v. buttoned fly
• Pleated or plain front
• Hidden coin pocket (left or right)
• Preferred leg opening width

Preparing for the fittings

The first fitting will last up to one hour. For new customers, the meeting will focus on assessing the fit of the basted jacket prepared by the tailor and his workshop. The featured tailor will make any necessary adjustments to your jacket, pants or other garment being fitted. 

The basted jacket will consist of a partially finished jacket body (sleeves may be attached for returning customers). Pants may be semi-finished except for length, pockets and buttons. Optionally, we may take additional photos or video of you during the fitting as a reference for the tailor. 

Similar to the measurements meeting, we recommend you wear your best fitting shirt, ideally MTM or bespoke, that represents the type of shirt you’ll wear with the jacket you’ve ordered. This is critical in gauging your sleeve length. 

More generally, we will be finalizing key items such as button stance/height, jacket length and sleeve length. It is essential that you are fully comfortable with your choices and that you fully approve the changes made at the fitting. These choices are often not reversible (e.g. button stance/height or sleeve length) once made.

Finally, we can also receive cloth for any new orders you have placed as well as return a bespoke garment you have designated for duplication. 

Preparing for our first meeting - measurements

Our first meeting will take approximately an hour with the following agenda: 

1. Take key measurements and photos for the tailor to draft a pattern
2. Receive and check your cloth for sufficient length and detect and mark any irregularities for the tailor
3. Confirm key features of your order
4. Receive a bespoke garment to re-create (if applicable)

To maximize our time together, we suggest the following: 

1. Wear your best fitting shirt, ideally MTM or bespoke, that represents the type of shirt you’ll wear with the jacket you’ve ordered
2. Bring or wear your best fitting jacket
3. Consider bringing a backup cloth in the unlikely scenario that your cloth is defective or insufficient length

We know that quite a few MTM brands allow you to take your own measurements. Unfortunately, we have looked at this option and believe it introduces too much noise and imprecision into a critical part of the bespoke process.