Armoury co-founder Alan See gave us a look at some of his favorite bespoke commissions from over the years.
Antonio Liverano always says, "A suit is a suit, and a jacket is a jacket". I’ve been ordering from Liverano & Liverano for almost 10 years now, and, up until now, I've exclusively ordered suits. This sport coat is actually my very first, something I commissioned only last year. It’s made of one of the more luxurious fabrics I've seen. As we hunt for fabric each season for our Armoury tailoring, we happen upon some special swatches, like this Carlo Barbera cashmere/silk. The cloth is very soft, thanks to the cashmere, but quite durable and light because of the silk. This makes for a jacket that is suitable for year-round wear, in a special and vibrant blue which I've found to be very versatile and striking. The slight herringbone weave provides some depth to the fabric, which I've paired with one of our new season Liverano ties and bespoke Ambrosi trousers.
This next suit is actually my first double-breasted suit by Liverano, commissioned back in 2012. The suit has grown and shrunk along with me as my weight has fluctuated. It's a bit large at the moment, but still maintains a great deal of shape, something I think is a testament to bespoke garments and their ability to adapt to your body's shape even with some change in weight. The grey fresco is very durable, as it is a high-twist wool, and has become my absolute favorite double-breasted suit in my entire wardrobe, and I wear it A LOT. The fabric is easy to maintain, great for travel and the high-twist nature of the fabric makes it naturally wrinkle free. I paired it here with a Drake's tie and bespoke shoes by Koji Suzuki.
Staying on theme, this navy DB from Musella Dembech, is actually the first suit I commissioned with Gianni. We used a heavy 13 oz fresco with a lot of shape and structure. I had him make the shoulder slightly wider than usual, making it very striking. The combination of the wide shoulder and the double breasted creates a strong silhouette which makes a big statement. I've worn it here with a Drake's tie, bespoke shoes by Koji Suzuki and a Made-to-Measure Armoury shirt.
Another piece from Musella Dembech, this pinstripe features their classic Milanese shoulder. The fabric comes from the Dugdale New Fine Worsted bunch, which I've found to be very easy to wear even being a louder cloth, the relaxed shoulder makes it more understated. When I think of the classic Milanese suit, I picture the politicians and industrialists of Italy and how they would often present a very striking silhouette. Every one of them had one of these pinstriped suits, so I wanted one as well. Milanese tailors use a much smaller cuff than the Neapolitan trouser makers, which makes them much more appropriate for business.
This last suit is a beige linen by Liverano & Liverano. The linen itself comes from W. Bill, a great choice for the warm climate of Southeast Asia. My dad always loved linen suits and from that I've always felt it to be a very elegant and tropical fabric. Quality linen ages with you, like quality denim It gets sun beaten and fades in different ways, loosing color in areas of friction and movement which adds to the over-all character. “The elegant denim” develops its own patina, something you can only achieve over time and wear with effort.
Many of the fabrics seen above can be commissioned at our bespoke trunk shows.