Having a bespoke Mod suit made

Gone are the days when a Mod would walk the back alleys of Carnaby Street and have a tailor made suit for his next allnighter at The Marquee or The Flamingo. Having a bespoke suit made by a Saville Row tailor, following strict guidelines, for the discerning Face with means, is a thing of the past. The early sixties were the heyday of the Mod suit with its attention to details and its ever-changing and adapting style.

Today is a different day. Tailors are a dying breed and casual wear is now the norm. Two weeks ago, I attended a friend's wedding and the best man was wearing jeans. Last Saturday, my friend and I went to the Mod Club and only two people in the place were wearing suits. I will let you guess who they were. I think we all get the point here.

For those of you who think that wearing a suit is like having a second skin or that a suit, a M-51 parka and a 1964 Lambretta TV175 is a match made in heaven, then this post is for you.

Although you can find a very smart looking, ready made, mod suit from a reputable shop or a the occasional authentic vintage threads out there, nothing will surpass the hand made example. The thing is, they are bloody expensive! I have a very skilled Italian tailor situated a few blocks from my place that will charge an average of a 1000$ for a bespoke suit. I recently had a pair of Ben Sherman slacks tapered by him at a cost of 45$. I find it a bit out of my price  range if you consider the fact that I paid around 100$ for the pants.

But do not despair my Mod and Suedehead friends from across the globe! I have the solution for you! I present to you: Prince Henry tailors. Based in Thailand, Mr. Sethinamvong travels, twice a year, to all the major cities in Europe and North America to meet you in person and dazzle you with all the possibilities. He will greet you in his hotel suite with a wide variety of fabric samples.

Your basic Mod cut suit will start at 250$ US. At that price, your choice of fabric is somewhat limited. But you can have a stunning 3 or 4 button, black or navy jacket and pants for that unparalleled price. How can you go wrong with that? The last suit I had made ran me 275$ and that included the shipping costs. Can I hear you say: "That's a steal!”

Once you have chosen your fabric and discussed all the intricate detailing that will make your suit a true Mod work of art, Mr. Sethinamvong will take all your measurements. Then, all you have to do is pay with your credit card. A few weeks later a well-known international courier will deliver your one of a kind suit. With that, your Ace Face status will be cemented forever!

Searching for a perfectly fitting shirt? They will make that for you also. Can't seem to find a sharp looking one-inch tie anywhere? Why not have one done to your liking? I haven't had the pleasure of having any of the two done before but I'm certain I will tempt the experience the next time they visit. At a cost of 39$ for a shirt and 19$ for a tie, it's hard to resist.

One thing is unfortunately missing from their wide variety of quality fabrics: the popular tonic or sharkskin. Aside from that, I highly recommend you do business with them. You won't be disappointed. I invite you to check out http://www.princehenry.biz/ for all the details.

If you ever decide to pay the very cordial Mister S. a visit during his next trip to your city, tell him Parka Avenue sent you. He'll understand why you are asking him for such narrow lapels and why you want so many buttons on your jacket sleeve.

For more ideas on how to customize your suit to make it a true mod statement, have a look at the February 25 post, What is the perfect Mod suit?