Hydrophobic Fabric.

I have been in tailoring business for the past 37 years and never have I come across a fabric that has got me thinking, ” How could they do that?”. Aquaplan is a summer weight, super 130 fabric that thinks it’s a macintosh ( The fabric not the computer. We still dont have a fabric that can check your email for you.). It is a very fine merino wool suiting fabric that has all the usual qualities of a Dormeuil fabric (softness, comfort, lightness etc..) but it has one important characteristic that makes this fabric very special, it is “Hydrophobic” just like a dog with rabies, it doesnt bite though. Instead of absorbing water like most of the usual fabrics, it allows water to roll on and the fabric still breaths.  

So now you can walk in the rain without worrying about your umberella or maybe use your suit jacket as one to protect your lady friend from rain. And the news just keeps getting better, you might be thinking that a water-repellent fabric like this will be rubbery, funny looking but you will be amazed when you feel the fabric, it is soft very soft as I said earlier it’s merino wool Super-130. There are so many patterns this fabric is available that you will find one you like to be made  a custom suit out of. 

I have been spending days testing this fabric for its hydrophobic qualities and have been quite surprised at what this fabric is capable of. Yes, with coffee there was a slight milky stain left but i think it will wash off. And it surprized me with wine. I will try to upload a few videos soon.

We have a wide selection of designs in Aquaplan fabric and a lot of other fabrics from Dormeuil, Zegna, Loro-Piana, Scabal and more. We are located at 48th street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue in New York. NY. 10017

Author-

Mr. Kelly Ramchandani

La Rukico Tailors

Building a Man’s Work Wardrobe.

“How to Buy a Business Suit?”

As you begin to flourish in the workplace, your wardrobe must expand along with you. Always consider the atmosphere of your office, what your position is, and the long-term goals you have as you choose your business attire. And remember that what you see on the following pages needn’t be accumulated immediately or even one year. A wardrobe, like a career, tales time to build.

DO MY CLOTHES MEAN BUSINESS? 

Navy Interview Suit + 3 Suits = Work Wardrobe

As with your interview suit, the suits you buy should be the best quality you can afford in classic styles. 
Following these guidelines will allow you versatility and will make your budget go further.

Dark gray suit

Just like a navy suit, gray is basic but vital. Everything looks good with gray and everything mixes with it. The fabric should be worsted wool that can be worn nearly all year-round. A two-or three-button style is best there button is just as traditional and can often be more slimming, either with a single rear vent or without.

The world, of course, is not black and white, it’s gray and with good reason. It’s elegant and formal. A man in gray is serious and unassailable. The tailoring on this suit should be the same as with the navy suit .Make sure the trousers are cuffed, and if they have little buttons on inside of the waist, they’re for suspenders.

Light Gray Suit

For a third suit, light gray is a smart option. It is just as versatile as its darker cousin, and can be worn further into the summer months. A khaki suit is an alternative for this as well.

Opt for some variation between your gray suits. For instance, if the dark one is two-button, make this one there.

Khaki Poplin Suit

A warm weather essential for any man, the khaki suit is like navy for the summer. Split this suit in half when on the road and you have a pair of khaki pants or a khaki pants or a khaki jacket.
The khaki suit is slightly more casual than darker suits, Dressy and polished poplin is also lightweight, which makes it ideal for summer. Because the fabric is so lightweight, be sure the suit is pressed (or at least steamed) often. Otherwise, you can look like an unmade bed.

Bullet proof ideas that help you make a statement !!!

The most formal sport jacket there is, a blazer is appropriate for any work environment and arguably the hardest-working item in your closet. A blazer with a little bit of structure in the shoulders and lining will fit more like a suit jacket than a more casual coat. Traditionally, the blazer has gold buttons (it began as a nautical uniform), but almost any store will offer dark navy buttons as well, or replace them free of charge. Go for this option.The Blue

Blazer

The blue blazer is like the remote control: Quite simply, man cannot live without one. Perfect for the office, business lunch’s travel, and weekends, a blazer can dress you up and take you anywhere. 
As with your suits, try to get a wool blazer that’s enough for summer and heavy enough for winter. 
Two-button single-breasted is best but three-button is perfectly acceptable.

COLLAR
The collar of a jacket or Custom suit should be lined with wool. This will help it lie flat against the neck and shoulders.

BUTTONS
Look for quality stitching around the buttons, meaning the thread is wrapped around itself many times to anchor them.

POCKETS
The pockets should be lined with rayon or cotton. This will help the jacket maintain its shape better. To ensure this even more, don’t open your jacket pockets.

Sports Jacket Patterns.

When a suit isn’t called for, a sport jacket is. While not as dressy, it is certainly appropriate for the workplace. Indeed as dress codes for the workplace have relaxed over the years, the sport jacket has become not only acceptable, but necessary; it provides flexibility and credibility. Paired with nice trousers and a shirt and tie and sometimes without one, the sport jacket still looks extremely polished.

TESTING PATTERNS

Many patterned jackets trace their origin to the hunting and fishing pastimes of Scotland, which explains the names of those sporting-inspired designs: Hounds tooth, herringbone, etc. Sport jackets provide an excellent opportunity to get some color, particularly earth tones, into your wardrobe. Since the patterns are often more casual looking, pay more attention to the therefore preferable.

HERRINGBONE
An excellent way to begin patterns because it’s tweedy without being stuffy. The chevron design comes in large and small, but smaller is subtler, and therefore preferable.

HOUNDS TOOTH
Like herringbone, hounds tooth comes in large and small variations and, again, smaller is better. Black-and-white is classic, but shades of brown are no less traditional.

CHECK
Whereas hounds tooth is more ragged (but not ragged-looking), the square check is neater and usually more bold.

PLAID
In a suit, plaid sometimes knows as a prince of Wales plaid can be formal, but in a sport jacket its well, sportier. Here, variations of brown are more versatile than black-and-white.

TWEED
Whether flecked or heathered, simple tweed adds color and texture to your wardrobe. And some of the other patterns, a tweed is more seasonal, ideal for cold weather

Quality of a shirt fabric?

1. Check the fabric content of your custom shirt. Finer dress shirts are made of two-ply, which make the fabrics stronger, softer and wrinkle less.
2. Inspect the seam running down the side of the shirt for smoothness and make sure it does not pucker. A high-quality custom shirt has only one line of stitching visible on the side seam, while most commercial shirts have two visible rows of stitches.
3. Examine shirt sleeve a couple of inches above the cuff for a gauntlet button that closes up the sleeve. A gauntlet button and a horizontally placed buttonhole also usually indicate good craftsmanship.
4. In Custom striped shirts, check how stripes are aligned. They should match making a straight line.
5. The collar of a great fitting custom shirt should be firm and crisp. It should not be limp and under no circumstances it should have any wrinkles or bubbles (puckering)
6. The design of the fabric should match where any two pieces of fabrics meet. For example where sleeves meet the shoulder.
7. A well made custom shirt should have removable stays or built in stays for a crisper and firm look.
8. The collar of a fine custom dress shirt should be constructed in two pieces and hand turned.
9. The buttons of a high quality custom shirt should be sewn with a cross locked stitch to ensure your buttons stay firmly attached.

Tip:

Two-piece yoke

Top quality custom men’s shirts have a two-piece yoke (the part that covers the shoulders). This creates more work but allows for a better fit and more natural drape.

By – Janine Giorgenti

How to check if your shirt is a good fit.

1. While the custom shirt is buttoned, you should be able to slide two fingers between your neck and collar.
2. When you move your arm in your custom dress shirt, the sleeves should be long enough so that cuffs do not ride up your wrist.
3. The cuffs of your custom made shirt should just be tight enough that they do not hang over your hand. You should not be able to slip into shirt sleeves without first undoing buttons on the cuff.
4. To make sure your custom fitted shirt is comfortable and not too tight, check that the shirt does not pull uncomfortably across the shoulders, chest or waist.
5. Check the buttons of your custom shirt they should be secure, no loose threads and well-placed with no gaping holes exposing your chest or waist.
6. To check the proper shirt length of your custom shirt, raise your arms and make sure that shirt tail does not come out of your pants.

Tip:

 

      It takes up to 9 washings for a custom dress shirt to fully shrink. For this reason, make sure the collar of a brand new shirt has a half inch extra room or it will become too tight.

Author – Janine Giorgenti.