An excellent suit is not only about the label. It is about attention to details that are not always visible to the naked eye. The difference between a run-of-the-mill product and a true sartorial masterpiece lies in the materials and the techniques behind them. A wardrobe with several suits raises an obvious question: which of them are worth keeping? Based on our experience, we set out below the criteria for judging the quality of a suit.
1. What makes a cloth hold its shape and resist creasing?
Fabrics come in many kinds, but suit cloth is mainly wool. Men have always wanted cloth that is as fine as possible and drapes well. That is why mills came to select the finest fibres and process them in ingenious ways.
The fineness of a cloth is measured by the diameter of the fibres used to make it. A cloth is considered fine if its fibres are thinner than 18.75 microns in diameter. This fineness was designated Super 100s. In luxury cloths, fibres drop below 17 microns and go as fine as 13.75 microns. Beyond a certain point, however, very fine cloths become notably hard to care for.
A cloth’s ability to hold its shape comes from the way it is processed. In crease-resistant cloths, the yarns are twisted from two, three, four, even five plies. After twisting, they are set at high temperatures. Europe is home to many renowned mills that have preserved tradition while innovating constantly for over a century, including Loro Piana, Ermenegildo Zegna, Scabal, Holland & Sherry and Drago.
2. Fused or canvassed: which suit has the better structure?
Like a building, a suit involves both structural elements and details. A suit has several layers: the cloth (the main fabric), the lining and, between the two, the interlinings (which provide the structure). These can be put together in three ways.
The first is bonding, known as fused construction. The interlinings are made of synthetic fibres coated with adhesive and heat-pressed at high temperatures. In effect, they are glued to the cloth of the suit and stiffen it. The method is simple, and it shows: durability is low and the body cannot breathe.
In the second method, known as half canvas, a canvas is sewn into the chest of the jacket, while the remaining parts are fused. This method has established itself as a high standard of quality, with excellent structure where it matters most.
The third method, full canvas, sews the inner canvas to the cloth throughout. This technique is found in the finest suits in the world and is often done by hand.
3. MTM or bespoke: how does one decide?
Technically speaking, the cut is a stage of garment making that covers the drafting and cutting of cloth ahead of sewing. As it is decisive for a suit, its different kinds deserve a mention. The cut of a custom suit can be adapted from the pattern of a base suit. Or it can be drafted strictly from measurements taken on the client’s body.
The first technique, in which the client tries on the ready-made suit that fits him best and asks for certain changes, is called made-to-measure. It is a solution built on efficiency, for reasons explained in another article. It does not, however, suit men with a highly atypical build.
The second, in which the client is measured and the tailor drafts a unique pattern from scratch, is called bespoke. It is an art, and involves a great deal of handwork. It shows in details such as handmade buttonholes, hand-sewn linings and much more. The traditional method of making such a suit is far from anything that could be called efficient. A flawless bespoke suit demands a great deal of time and attention, from tailor and client alike.
Between the demands of traditional bespoke and the drawbacks of an overly commercial MTM, our Simplified Bespoke by ZAVATE service is the method that meets every requirement in an age of speed. For a quality suit, the invitation stands: coffee at Strada Frumoasă 52.
