For at least the past year or so I have been urging the made to measure and custom suit companies that I deal with to offer more seasonal fabrics; linens, flannels, tweeds and the like. During that time some of them have offered a few fabrics here and there; Indochino having by far the widest variety.
But now I can gladly say that nearly all of them have some form of fall/winter specific fabrics on hand, something I hope continues for all seasons going forward. We are all better off for it. Season specific fabrics are one of the best ways a man can better his wardrobe. In fact, I would go on to say that a man cannot be truly well dressed without the incorporation of them into his wardrobe. They diversify your options for what to wear, better equip you to deal with any given seasons weather and also help you look more in place in any given season.
As I have rambled on about many times in the past, linen is great for summer because it allows air to pass through it which helps keep a man slightly less hot. Flannel, tweed and most cashmere fabrics do just about the opposite; making them ideal for the colder months.
But alas, to my point. Arden Reed, Black Lapel, Dragon Inside, Indochino and Knot Standard are all offering various forms of flannel and cashmere this season. So if you are in the market for a season specific suit, I highly recommend you direct your attention to their offerings.
Arden Reed – Not all of their fabrics are on the site, I went to their tailoring truck and they had a few nice cashmere/wool blends on hand. A review is forthcoming on a nice cashmere/wool brown herringbone suit.
Black Lapel – They have not released their fall/winter collection yet but it will happen soon. There are 4 suiting fabrics and 3 jacket fabrics. There is a nice spread of checks, windowpanes and houndstooths in the mix. For now you can enter to win a free suit from them, I would say you would be remiss to not enter.
Dragon Inside – Although Dragon Inside is only offering one flannel at this time it is a damn good one. A medium gray flannel from VBC. I recently received a suit in it and it is quite nice, a review is forthcoming.
Indochino – As previously alluded to, Indochino has the biggest spread, they are terming it as their ‘Holiday Collection‘. As you you would expect since they are the biggest player in the game, to my knowledge. But what they are offering now is some bad ass stuff including lots of velvet. To say I am tempted to make acquisitions would be a vast understatement. And what gets me nearly as excited is that Indochino also now offers a wide peak lapel option (which is also something I pleaded for as I do not like narrow lapels). They also have some outerwear fabrics on hand that are worth a browse.
Knot Standard – For their part, Knot Standard is offering a chocolate flannel from VBC. It is an exceptionally elegant fabric that would look good on most men, especially those with brown hair. They also have a nice twill offering in blue. Like Indochino, they also have an outerwear option they are calling the Winchester Coat. It is available in charcoal and camel colors. I have a camel double breasted on the way, and yes, there will be a review on it. I am very excited, as you can imagine.
-JLJ
Note: FYGblog received no compensation from any of these companies or associated entities in the production of this post. All photos are from their respective company’s websites.
Nice article! I would like to recommend http://www.studiosuits.com, their make MTM, handmade, tailored suits. The material and styles differ from season to season. And I think there is something for everyone. I have been ordering suits from them for more than a year!