When I went to King & Allen Tailors for a suit I had in mind a lightweight suit for three season use. After some thought I decided I'd like one made from that fascinating textured cotton fabric, seersucker. One of the signs of an excellent tailor is that he or she will work with the client to produce something that not only meets the client's requirement, but also is wearable and stylish. Seersucker is rarely used in the UK, but Jake Allen, a founder of the company, didn't turn a hair. I met him at King & Allen's Surbiton branch where, like any good tailor, he talked through my thoughts and made some sensible suggestions for a practical and stylish suit.
Although I'd decided on seersucker I was nearly diverted by King & Allen's huge range of cloths, from lightweight wools, tweeds, flannels, cottons in all designs and colours. As with most tailors, a large market is the man or woman looking for tailoring for a wedding. Many clients are not familiar with the possibilities and Jake Allen's knowledgable and tactful suggestions ensure that the client leaves happy with nothing he or she may regret in future.
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| Jake Allen is overcome by the wonderful suit he's made for me |
As it happened, the navy seersucker I selected was nearly at an end; the mill (Huddersfield Fine Worsteds) had only a small amount left, but careful cutting made it adequate for my needs. A couple of fittings and the suit was perfect; exactly what I'd wanted. The double breasted jacket with slim, but not too slim, trousers with turn-ups makes an ideal suit for formal or smart casual. The seersucker has been cool in summer but not so flimsy that it isn't ideal for use as autumn chills set in. The jacket was, at my request, half-lined - and this has been done beautifully. The quality of the tailoring is high and fit and comfort are excellent. A two-piece suit in similar cloth will cost from £899.
King & Allen have several locations around the country and have to date made well over 30,000 suits. To find out more and to arrange a fitting, contact King & Allen
The cloth was from Huddersfield Fine Worsteds.
The cloth was from Huddersfield Fine Worsteds.
This feature is a collaboration with King & Allen. All views are mine alone.
This reminds me of the Hardy Amies seersucker suit you were wearing a season ago or so. I'm in the US and I love seersucker, esp. the darker solids like this. Great look, will try to duplicate it over here.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, at least one size too small.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful looking suit. One cannot go wrong with double-breasted in my view.
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich von B.
Nice suit indeed, David. A question.. cotton is lighter than wool but definitely less flexible so it may compromise fit... How does this seersucker behave... is it more flexible than an ordinary cotton cloth, so to speak?
ReplyDeleteThanks and... great job!
Juan Manuel
Great choice of cloth GF and fully agree with your comment on the trouser front.
ReplyDeleteWe loved working on this suit with you, David. We're glad that you're thrilled with the result!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks,
The teams at King & Allen
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ReplyDeleteI very much like that suit. The fit looks superb. I checked their website, and the prices seem quite reasonable. How many fittings are required?
ReplyDeleteDo you know if they ever venture to the U.S.? Very nice. I'm looking for a new source for suits, and this may be the ticket. The blog and Instagram feed are outstanding.
Just taken delivery of a seersucker suit all the way from America, for a wedding later this year in a much warmer and more humid climate than the UK.
ReplyDeleteHow does this suit rate given the price? I live in China, where cheap tailoring is abundant, but quality is variable. I have a cheap tailor who can make a suit for around £150 that fits nicely, is fused, but is made from very nice cloth and a more expensive tailor who has canvassed suits, is fully bespoke, used to work on Saville Row and does so for around £450.
ReplyDeleteHow do these suits compare to suits that are double and triple the price?