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.

Earlier this year, I was sitting in this outstanding modern Italian restaurant – literally next door to the celebrated David Burke Townhouse (for the foodies among you) -  and indulging in one of the best pizzas I’ve had in a long time.  Actor Ricky Gervais strolled past me on his way to the table overlooking 61^st Street.  All the diners stare – some text friends.  Fame by proximity; so very New York.

That Mr. Gervais is decked out in nylon running pants, sneakers, a random jacket and an old – or perhaps “vintage” – tee shirt is apropos given that my dining companion was bespoke clothier Jon Green.

Jon is a remarkable guy, both in personality and skill.  Within a certain circle, he is very much a celebrity in his own right – but he’s not a tailor.  He’s a clothier; a distinction he is always quick to make.  Publicly, Jon is perhaps best known for being profiled by Forbes magazine after once crafting a $25,000 suit.  “Not a particularly practical suit,” he told me.  “The fabric was very expensive and no really conducive to daily use.”

Perceived reputation notwithstanding, Jon is actually a very practical and modest man.  Though always impeccably turned out, he owns only a handful of his own make of suits, along with a few blazers.  A multitude of shirts and selection of neckwear round out his work wardrobe.

Should I even have to mention that, with a starting price of around $9,000, no, I do not yet count a Jon Green bespoke suit among my own wardrobe’s holdings?

The level of hand detail in a Jon Green suit is astonishing.

We chatted about a number of things, from his philosophy on dressing well to the possible development of a new, lower-priced line.  All things being relevant, “lower-priced” in this case means in the range of $5,000.00.  He’s a voraciously intellectual guy who is fascinated with everything, not a bad trait when your customers literally include global captains of industry.  He also a counselor and guide, confidant and referee.  Above all he a perfectionist, exactly the trait needed in this highly discerning field.

Jon is a bespoke designer, and that in and of itself is a very specific designation.  The word “bespoke” is derived from the English verb of the 17th century to bespeak, “to speak for something, to give order for it to be made.”

The standards of Bespoke clothing requires the creation of a paper pattern, hand cutting of the cloth with shears, and the highest level and amount of hand, needle, and iron work by a master coat maker, pant maker, and waistcoat maker.  In fact, the cloth used in bespoke is often itself, bespoke.  Jon told me about once traveling to a mill in England to monitor the manufacture of a specific order.

Both made-to-measure and ready-to-wear garments are cut from a ready-to-wear block pattern, with or without alterations, and constructed and finished in the same way as ready-to-wear in a factory.

Jon, in his Madison Avenue studio

The bespoke suit is the gold standard of male dress and the suit to which every other aspires.  The process of crafting a Jon Green bespoke suit starts with taking the measure, rather than the measurements, of the man.

It begins with a conversation about the person – his sartorial likes and dislikes, his personal style.  Within the broad traditions of classic tailoring, one can define their own look.  Jon’s goal is not just to create a garment that fits perfectly, but to create a garment that perfectly fits his client.

The ultimate goal, as with other craftsman of his caliber, is to create a lifelong learning experience where the client at first relies on Jon, but comes to trust their own taste the more they learn about what styles suit them best.

Jon is also occasionally asked to provide his sartorial insights to a broader audience – like the discerning readers of Departures magazine.

So, what was Jon wearing at our dinner?  Jeans, navy cashmere turtleneck and a 15-year old blue blazer of his own make – recently re-lined.

He looked great.

The leading brand in this virtual tailoring universe is Indochino, founded by two Canadian university students only a few short years ago.  Operated out of Shanghai, the company produces a full range of made-to-measure business garments including suits, blazers, shirts, trousers and even outerwear.  The entire operation is web-based and self serviced. The products are of very good quality and the process allows for remarkable levels of customization.  And with an average Indochino suit costing about US$400, it’s hard to argue about cost.

Profiled by several leading media outlets, perhaps the most succinct description of the company’s success comes  from BusinessWeek: “A tailor’s job might seem darn hard to offshore. But two college pals not only have figured out how to do it; they’ve turned it into a dot-com business that attracted backing from former Yahoo! President Jeffrey Mallett and customers in 60 countries.”

Since it’s inception, Indochino has evolved from an edgy, slim cut insurgent with somewhat cheesy looking models to a smooth and well managed operation sporting a clean and modern Tom Ford-inspired aesthetic, as you can see from the promotional piece above. In fact, the company’s updated image campaign bears a striking similarity to that of THE RAKE magazines’ distinctive high production value look.

The models are still skinny and the target demographic is still the young professional wanting to dress well but still maintain control over his look – and get it all at a really good price point.  But the product quality, branding, logistics, operations and management have improved significantly.  This is no longer a quirky start-up.  It is a company with ample funding, an innovative, tested model and plans to grow.

For purists, Indochino will never be an acceptable option.  These tend to be to the same folks who debate the number of stitches per inch and the merits of hand-felled shoulders.  While these are genuinely useful discussions, that’s not what Indochino is all about.  It is fast fashion taken to the next level for those who cannot, or choose not to, afford a truly custom suit of clothes.

Having spoken with their business development folks at length on several occasions, I am still impressed with the company’s perpetual introspection: who are we, what can we do better, how can we tweak and improve our model, how can we expand our market and retain quality control?  It’s a constant process of innovation and improvement.  Though it may be an obvious point, Indochino is not competing with Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren or Martin Greenfield.  They do not expect you to opt for their suits over, say something from Savile Row.  However, it’s worth noting that some of Indochino’s biggest customers do indeed have Anderson & Sheppard suits hanging right next to theirs.

I have one Indochino suit that founder Kyle Vucko was kind enough send me a couple of years ago.  Actually, it’s the second suit as the first on did not fit properly.  True to their 100% percent satisfaction guarantee, the made a brand new one after my local tailor determined that he could not adjust the suits’ flaws.  When the replacement arrived, it fit almost perfectly and continues to be a great fit and wardrobe staple.

I’ll probably get a few more suits and try out a blazer and some trousers.  That’s the sweet spot for this company: when you get your sizing squared away and find your best fit, the price point takes over.  Once you know it’s going to fit, or you can make it fit at no additional cost, the prospect of building a wardrobe of customized clothing is eminently affordable.

Not only did this Machiavellian individual impact real people’s professions, his wardrobe defined their aspirations as well.  Even yesterday, the simple act of wearing braces with my suit prompted a co-worker to call me…….”Gordon Gekko.”

Without question, he is one of the most sartorially significant movie characters to ever strut or, depending on your disposition, slink, across the silver screen.  The recently released sequel to the original Wall Street, named Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, was anticipated not only for it’s “so, what happened to him…” script, but also because we wanted to see what Gekko would be wearing.

So, how’s he look?  Did his new 2010 wardrobe live up to the globally iconic sartorial legend that is Gordon Gekko?  The person to ask is the man who actually created the clothes.

Legendary clothier Alan Flusser’s vision for Gordon Gekko’s character began and ended with his own house style.  What you see on the screen is what Alan designs and wears everyday.

OTC and its readers have been granted a sneak peek at Alan’s review of the new Gordon Gekko and his wardrobe. For the first time, Alan also gives us the back story about how he came to design some of the most famous clothes in Hollywood history.  In fact, we have a an exclusive excerpt of Alan’s article right here:

“It was with some anticipation that I sat down to view Master Stone’s latest treatise on power and greed circa present-day Wall Street, which I ended up enjoying more than most of my friends. I was pleasantly surprised with the clothes for the film’s new bucks as well as for Michael’s character up until the moment he sheds his transitory garb for the full-tilt Gekko. Until then, his power-in progress threads accorded with his pilgrimage to the comeback alter.

However, finally positioned atop his financial throne, Gordon Gekko turns from behind his desk to leer into the camera and, in that moment, sartorial history hangs in the balance. Will the new Gekko’s dress reflect his celebrated dressing style; will the Gekko sartorial legacy be passed on, or not?”

What’s the final verdict? Alan has just posted the full article on www.BeSpeak.com along with some amazing outfits that he feels Gekko should be wearing today, created just for his BeSpeak iPhone application.  Check it out and feel like a real insider, because the article isn’t even going public until Monday.

On occasion, Off the Cuff welcomes contributions from the eternally elegant Hugo Jacomet, of the equally swanky blog Parisian Gentleman.

Today, we are delighted to publish the English translation of an article written by Paul, a loyal PG reader. Ripense is a Roman bespoke label not widely known in France or the United States, but which, according to our reader/reporter, is worth visiting for the impeccable quality of its work on suits, shirts and even shoes.

This excellent article also reminds us that there are many, many craftsmen who produce clothing, footwear and other luxury goods equal to, and frankly often superior to, the mass-market luxury brands so familiar to us.  Don’t just opt for a well-financed advertising campaign, look for quality, reputation, detail and dedication to craft.  Yes, it takes time and a little courage. And sometimes it’s more expensive, but sometimes surprisingly less so.

The RIPENSE House in Rome
By Paul F.

A few meters away from the Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps sits the boutique that has impressed me the most since I have become interested in the craftsmanship and making of bespoke clothing.

La Via di Ripetta is not on the itinerary list of the typical tourist, even though it is located only a street away from la Via del Corso.

In fact, my steps were guided to this street by a Christmas present: the excellent Vuitton travel book 2010 for Rome, which includes a section on men’s clothing stores worth visiting.

The article raved about the Ripense house and mentioned it could grant one’s every wish: from shirt to shoe horn or elegant umbrella, a cashmere sweater, or a pair of crocodile shoes.

I may venture into saying that my knowledge of bespoke has increased throughout the years, since I acquired my first JLR shirts and my Handson suit.

I’ve since tried JLR, Tailorstore, Tailormail, Lucca, Courtot, Charvet and Ripense shirts as well as Handson, Smuggler, Marc Guyot, Michael Ohnona, David Diagné, Gieves and Hawkes, Camps de Luca and Ripense suits.

To me, Ripense offers by far the best value for the money spent among all of them. Case in point: A Loro Piana super 160 suit for 2500 €.

Of course one must add Paris/Rome round trips to the bill, but let’s all agree that there are more unpleasant constraints in life than meandering through the steep streets of Italy’s capital.

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.

I rang the doorbell and was greeted by an older man who had quietly climbed the stairs from the basement workshop to greet me in Italian. I knew very little Italian back then and we instantly felt that things could get complicated.

But Gian Luca Bocache, in charge of the shoes, speaks just enough French and English to allow us to talk about their skills and what they could do for me. This is how, 4 hours before I was scheduled to depart from the city, I entered in the small boutique thinking I was only going to spend 30 minutes talking. I left 3 hours later after ordering a double-breasted blazer, a cashmere sweater, a pair of bespoke shoes and an incredibly light ready-to-wear shirt.

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.

Even though Andrea speaks neither English nor French, we understood one another immediately.

When I gestured my preference for high arm holes, very fitted jackets and slim sleeves, his wide smile was enough to convey that the style of the house would fit my taste perfectly.

To show me their work, Andrea guided me through the basement workshop where the Neapolitan tailors created thier magic. I tried on a jacket made for a man whose body shape was close to mine: a royal blue double-breasted jacket with two buttons. Up until that point, I had always been adamant that I would never venture into DB jackets before the age of 30. In only 5 minutes, I understood that I was going to change my mind and order one. I added a su misura cashmere sweater and a pair of shoes to my order.

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.

Pictures are often worth a thousand words and I leave it up to you to assess the first “draft”. It exceeded my expectations, but the length of the sleeves needed to be shortened (please disregard the shirt that I wear on this photo, I had to borrow it for my fitting).

The first shoe fitting revealed the need for more intense work, including in length and in width, and I feared that I would be disappointed at the next fitting. But Gian Luca quickly showed me that the praise from Vuitton was well-deserved: the shoes are perfect and absolutely comfortable.

At my first fitting in Paris, I also ordered a midnight blue wool suit (super 160 Loro Piana) and a zephyr cotton bespoke shirt.

I was back in Rome last weekend, and what I tried on surpassed all my expectations. The suit and vest are pure bliss to wear and they feel like a second skin and give me complete freedom of movement like I have never felt before (my Camps de Luca suit is still not finished).

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.

Prices (indicative)
Loro Piana super 160′s suit:   2500€
Swiss cotton shirt:                          260€
Cashmere sweater:                         380€
Bespoke shoes: from                  1000 € *
Crocodile belt: from                       500€ *
DB Blazer (Holland & Sherry): 1700€

* Since this article was first put on line, Ripense has adjusted some prices quoted by the author, including for shoes and crocodile belts.