OTC recently met with Richard Hall and McGregor J. Madden, co-owners of custom clothier Proper Suit. While there are a lot of “custom” suit makers out there these days, Proper Suit, as a brand and a process, is uniquely impressive.
A near obsessive love of design, fit, quality and style is one of the distinctive traits I’ve observed in many of the legendary designers and clothiers I’ve had the chance to meet over the years. Alan Flusser, Jon Green, Joseph Abboud and Frank Muytjens all live menswear, 24/7. It’s their passion and it’s a remarkable thing to see in action. That kind of dedication also explains why each is so good at what he does.
I bring this up because Richard and McGregor both exude the same level of obsession. Unlike some other nascent suit makers, too often former investment bankers seeking only a new market, these guys absolutely love what they do.
They don’t simply want to sell you a suit, they want to sell you the best suit they can and make you love the process.
One of the things which most impressed me is that these guys have the experience to back up their sales pitch. Both gentleman have spent several years in China, learning the tailoring business – and the language – from the ground up. Working with technical and operations experts, they created a state-of-the-art facility which marries old world hand tailoring with laser guided automation.
Jon Green this is not. But they are not trying to be Jon Green. Proper Suit is geared toward young professionals looking to make a solid investment in a suit tailored just for them. And this is where Richard and McGregor truly shine. It has been a long time since I have been so thoroughly measured and analyzed. They travel with a bag full of sample suits, fabric swatches, linings and buttons and have an organized, tested system.
Of all the custom/made-to-mesure brands we have come across, Proper Suit walks the talk and looks good doing it. After learning about the brand and its founders, talking through the process and picking out all the details, we are seriously impressed. The official OTC suit is in production at this very moment.
We chose a mid-weight three-season worsted in navy, with dark brown horn buttons and a red lining lining for the suit jacket. A complimentary interior trim fabric in a light blue-grey, ads a subtle tweak. We even added a hidden “OTC” under the jacket’s collar. Can’t wait to show it to you in the review post; coming soon.
Want to get your own suit from Proper Suit? Set up an appointment and learn more.
On occasion, Off the Cuff welcomes contributions from the eternally elegant Hugo Jacomet, of the equally swanky blog 
Right from the start, the window display is a delight to look at and hints at all the choices that amateurs of sartoria will find behind the doors.
Then, the pleasant man introduced me to Andrea Luparelli, tailor and in charge of taking measurments: a perfectly tanned Italian with a roman accent. They both had undeniable chic, and I was not surprised to later find them photographed by The Sartorialist during the Pitti Uomo.
A month later, I met with Andrea and Gian Luca in a Paris hotel near the Sorbonne for my fittings. I was pleasantly surprised that they had come all the way to Paris for free, but I still went back to Rome in mid-July for a second fitting.
To describe my Ripense experience, I would simply say that it is what I consider sartorial perfection. I know that bespoke is a very subjective experience, but I probably have found a house that will follow me for a very long time. I simply urge you to go in and talk to these artisans who offer their Italian talent and skills at a very attractive price. Paul F. July 2010.
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