You have always been a responsible poster.

I do wonder why you had to post this. While I have never been able to afford bespoke tailoring, I have met Chris and talked with him extensively over a weekend.

I have never had this impression of Chris. I don't know what went wrong with your meeting, but I can assure you that there is a good side to him.

 

You have always been a responsible poster.

I do wonder why you had to post this. While I have never been able to afford bespoke tailoring, I have met Chris and talked with him extensively over a weekend.

I have never had this impression of Chris. I don't know what went wrong with your meeting, but I can assure you that there is a good side to him.

I don't intend to malign the man as evil/satan, nor do I wish to impugn his reputation for fine tailoring (by all accounts, he is masterful). However, being lied to is something that I do not appreciate, particularly when it is by someone who I am considering paying money to for something. Perhaps he was having a bad day, I don't know; it doesn't change the fact that I was looked at in the eye and lied to. Throughout the approximately 5 minutes that I
spoke with him (maybe even less), I was polite, and was not even planning on pushing the issue with him. Had he simply said "I don't accept alteration jobs" I would have shook his hand with a smile and bid him a good day and not thought twice about it (though I did wish him a good day with a smile on my face); why he couldn't simply say that, I have no idea and it is distressing to me.

In no way is this meant to be sarcastic or snide, but I don't quite understand why this post is in conflict with being a responsible poster. I posted my experience with a business, which led me to question the proprietor's integrity/honesty. I can only go off of my personal experiences. I believe that businesses deserve to be evaluated based on customer experiences, and honesty is an important part of that to me. If a million people want to tell me he is upright and honest, I am more than willing to listen. But I do believe that my experience is no less important than the experience of anyone else.

 

Whether Chris is nice or not is irrelevant. Scotch & Cigars is relating his experience and there is absolutely nothing irresponsible about that.

 

S&C,

You should have said that so and so, your source, had some work done, and that is why you are asking. No need to be rude, and no need to pussy foot around.

 

S&C,

You should have said that so and so, your source, had some work done, and that is why you are asking. No need to be rude, and no need to pussy foot around.

I did mention that I had heard that he had done work in the past (without mentioning a name), but I didn't want to press the issue after it became clear that he was uninterested in accepting the work. That, and I saw no additional benefit to calling him out on the fabrication; it surely wouldn't have changed his mind in any case.

I try to save the verbal warfare for my profession ;-)

 

Your post was your impression and not irresponsible.

You just had not ever posted anything quite like that before and I was surprised by it.

I did want to mention there was another side to him. Maybe you just caught him on a bad day.

 

I agree with Alex. Just because Despos has been around a long time and because he has a solid reputation does not mean he is without reproach. Sadly I have seen this kind of attitude all my career when dealing with a lot of older tailors. I think they get to a critical mass with clientele, become fairly wealthy and start thinking they are on a par with their extremely "important" clients. In short I think it goes to their head talking to aristocrats and politicians.

Scotch and cigars If you can venture to New York Myself and Rory would be happy to have your business. I don't want to be opportunist about this or throw Despos under the bus, but I really find it annoying as someone who bends over backwards in dealing with clients. When I was a store manager I used to tell the "kids" that we are always polite to clients because it makes good business sense, and also because we are decent human beings.

DAVID REEVES MODERN ENGLISH TAILOR

Check out My Blog:

https://davidreevesbespoke.wordpress.com/

 

Your post was your impression and not irresponsible.

You just had not ever posted anything quite like that before and I was surprised by it.

I did want to mention there was another side to him. Maybe you just caught him on a bad day.

Well, I do try to shy away from things like that, I generally try to let most things in life slide. But this was so blatant and so disappointing given the man's reputation, that I felt the need to share. I'm more dismayed and disappointed than anything.

I do appreciate you pointing out that there is another side to him; I realize that my impressions, while justified, may not accurately represent reality.

 

Chris Despos is a bespoke tailor. He is not an alternationist. I think it is a huge insult to demand petty alterations work from a bespoke tailor. This is like ordering a Big Mac with fries at a top class restaurant, and getting upset when the order is refused.

I think the blight is against the OP's name for this behaviour and not against Chris Despos.

 

Chris Despos is a bespoke tailor. He is not an alternationist. I think it is a huge insult to demand petty alterations work from a bespoke tailor. This is like ordering a Big Mac with fries at a top class restaurant, and getting upset when the order is refused.

I think the blight is against the OP's name for this behaviour and not against Chris Despos.

I'm (obviously) going to have to disagree here.

1) The only reason I went to Despos was because I had heard from people who had "petty alterations" done by Despos that he was marvelous and that I should without question use him. If it is a huge insult, it is one that Despos himself invited by previously accepting such work. One can't fault someone for wanting the best possible man altering his clothing, when he has a reputation for doing that sort of work to begin with.

2) This was no "petty alteration" work to begin with. It was an expensive jacket, that has great sentimental value to me. I knew what I wanted done, and I wanted it done by someone I trusted not to destroy a piece of clothing that I hope to pass down to my future son (should I be so blessed). If it is an insult to wish to entrust something like that...

Regardless, even if I were to accept your proposition for argument's sake: does it excuse dishonesty? When one is the proprietor of a business, reputation is key. I would never wish to cultivate a reputation for dishonesty, no matter how petty, in the course of owning a business.

 

All RTW alterations is petty work. Even the best "high-end" RTW garments are pretty crappy.

I also know that from internet chatter that Chris Despos has done alterations work as a special personal favour for some long-standing bespoke clients of good repute. Heck, I know this and I live on the other side of the planet and have never met Chris! I've never even been to Chicago. How someone can live up the road and still not know that he is a bespoke tailor baffles me.

The other thing you need to know is that in a busy bespoke workshop alterations work messes up the schedule. It means that it slows down delivery of garments to your real clients. It is important to throw time wasters who demand alterations work out onto the street. Otherwise, you end up losing money.

David Reeves will correct me if I am misinformed but please keep in mind that David is not fully trained as a bespoke tailor or cutter able to make a suit from start to finish on his own. He is, from my understanding, mostly a front man and salesman who contracts out his work to other parties. He is probably happy to take your garments to an alterations man to whom he contracts out, while charging you an additional handling fee. If David were a tailor doing his own work in-house, he would refuse or staunchly avoid alteration work. That is, David and Chris work in different set-ups and no fair comparison can be made.

 

All RTW alterations is petty work. Even the best "high-end" RTW garments are pretty crappy.

Explain to me exactly how it is you know the nature of the garment to be altered?

I also know that from internet chatter that Chris Despos has done alterations work as a special personal favour for some long-standing bespoke clients of good repute. Heck, I know this and I live on the other side of the planet and have never met Chris! I've never even been to Chicago. How someone can live up the road and still not know that he is a bespoke tailor baffles me.

I know that he is a bespoke tailor (and never claimed not to know). That doesn't change the fact that he has taken alterations work in the past, including from someone I know firsthand (who, I do not believe, was a bespoke customer).

The other thing you need to know is that in a busy bespoke workshop alterations work messes up the schedule. It means that it slows down delivery of garments to your real clients. It is important to throw time wasters who demand alterations work out onto the street.

A true proprietor doesn't treat some people like "real clients" and others like "not-real clients" (whatever the hell that means anyway). My pro bono clients get the same amount of effort and time from me as my paying clients.

And all is well and good if Despos sees me as a "time waster" to be "thrown onto the street." The fact of the matter is that sooner rather than later, I will be in the market for bespoke clothing. And being treated like such does not much make me want to patronize his business when I am in that market. And it is likely to cause me to steer others I know in the market toward other options. A savvy businessman will treat every person that walks through his door as a potential customer to be had, and accordingly, act with grace, class, and unimpeachable integrity.

My father once taught me to speak to every person with respect, because you never know when you'll need something from that person, or even be their subordinate. The same, in my opinion, goes for business owners, in a manner of speaking.

I prefer to patronize individuals who know how to act toward human beings, regardless if someone just wasted a measly 3.5 minutes of their time.

 

I agree with those who think the post is proper. It points to something that would be a sore spot for me if I did not always walk away from situations where it occurs or begins to occur. At the higher end, I believe we are really buying or paying more than we actually need. For whatever reasons, it gives some of us pleasure to have the best - or nearly the best. Many of the craftsmen, artists, sales associates and others involved in these transactions understand that process as well as product is part of excellence. Some few do not. Nobody expects fawning or obsequiousness, but a pleasant, businesslike attitude that demonstrates respect for the customer's role - bringing in money - is appropriate and, I think, deserved. Everybody has bad days, but nobody who deals with good customers, or those who could become good customers, should have a bad attitude.

 

All RTW alterations is petty work. Even the best "high-end" RTW garments are pretty crappy.

I also know that from internet chatter that Chris Despos has done alterations work as a special personal favour for some long-standing bespoke clients of good repute. Heck, I know this and I live on the other side of the planet and have never met Chris! I've never even been to Chicago. How someone can live up the road and still not know that he is a bespoke tailor baffles me.

The other thing you need to know is that in a busy bespoke workshop alterations work messes up the schedule. It means that it slows down delivery of garments to your real clients. It is important to throw time wasters who demand alterations work out onto the street.

David Reeves will correct me if I am misinformed but please keep in mind that David is not fully trained as a bespoke tailor or cutter able to make a suit from start to finish on his own. He is, from my understanding, mostly a front man and salesman. He is probably happy to take your garments to an alterations man to whom he contracts out, while charging you an additional handling fee. If David were a tailor doing his own work in-house, he would refuse or staunchly avoid alteration work. That is, David and Chris work in different set-ups and no fair comparison can be made.

David Reeves the company and the man works hand in hand with an in house Bespoke tailor and cutter namely Rory Duffy. This set up is no different from any number of high end firms as well you know. Bespoke clients need to be looked after, they are usually quite busy and important people. I work full time at this and work very hard, Rory is in his studio making suits because that's his talent. At the end of the day its my name on the garments, I defy you to find a paying client of mine who was dissatisfied with my service or the work that the company produces.

DAVID REEVES MODERN ENGLISH TAILOR

Check out My Blog:

https://davidreevesbespoke.wordpress.com/

 

ughhh. Its late Im staying up waiting to post on my blog about Cleverley. Not figured out how to schedule the blog yet. Goes up around 12.00

......stay up for that one guys.

DAVID REEVES MODERN ENGLISH TAILOR

Check out My Blog:

https://davidreevesbespoke.wordpress.com/

 

S&C no issues with your post.
Bottom line is you were lied to, not what you would expect from someone you might be doing business with.
The individual could have just as easily stated they rarely do alterations and they simply don't have the time at the moment. After looking at what you wanted to have done he could have reassured you that they individual they were recommending could do it.

 

Bottom line is you were lied to, not what you would expect from someone you might be doing business with.

Sorry, it's early in the morning and this made me chuckle. Have you guys done business in America?

 

Sorry, it's early in the morning and this made me chuckle. Have you guys done business in America?

Everyday, as I don't lie to folks I deal with, I expect the same from them.

 

^^
The OP incorporates several assumptions that may or may not be accurate. When Mr Despos is quoted as saying, "I don't do alterations," was he in fact saying 'I don't do alterations on clothing that was not originally crafted by me', or 'that was not presented to me for alteration by an existing customer', or any one of a number of other possible permutations of the attributed proclamation. The OP's declaration that "he lied directly to my face" is perhaps the most unfortunate, and to me at least, offensive assumption of the lot, as it unnecessarily and just perhaps without foundation, impugns a man's good name. Gentlemen, we should all choose our words as carefully as we wish others to do!

 

Some bespoke tailors doing budget class bespoke (there have always been different classes of tailoring) do offer alterations work. In many cases, the shop earns its keep as much from alterations as from bespoke work.

The only time high class bespoke tailors take on alterations work is because they are happy to take the loss that goes with this work in the hope that the client may be persuaded to try the bespoke service. The more a shop is geared towards making a significant output of high end bespoke garments, the harder this becomes. I wonder how many Savile Row bespoke tailoring firms would take on alterations work? Probably not many.

Chris Despos standard of work is actually unusually high - even higher than the majority of Savile Row firms. He has every right to concentrate on satisfying his bespoke clientèle and avoid having his workshop getting bogged down with time-wasting distractions. I applaud Chris for his dedication to true high end bespoke tailoring and to his true clients.

However, because the average person knows no distinction between the local Chinese laundry's alteration tailoring and high end bespoke tailoring, Chris doubtless puts up with lots of idiotic inquiries asking for trousers to be hemmed, waists to be taken in etc. Given how little respect that bespoke tailors get from people, it's little wonder that Chris kicked the OP out of his store.

 

I haven't had time to read all the posts there but
See post #29 in this thread. Of course it's from
a few years back, but the word "never" doesn't
expire.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?62761-Has-anyone-used-Chris-Despos

 

I have no dog in this fight, but I think, Sator, that you may be missing the point. Of course Mr. Despos has the right to refuse any project not to his liking, whether it be a bespoke commission for Osama bin Laden, an alteration to an OTR jacket, or a repair to a toilet in a nearby apartment. Nobody would dispute that. The subject of discussion seems to be the manner in which he declined the project, including his statements as to past work. Now, I suspect that Mr. Despos' understanding of his own words was truthful, just as I believe that the OP genuinely found them to contradict what he knew to be the facts - I express no opinion as to who is right or wrong on that score.

 

But it is true: Chris only does alterations as a special favour to his old clients. It is a favour because this sort of work causes him to lose money.

All bespoke tailors do alterations. They alter they own work all the time eg a client gains weight so you let out the trousers. So if that's what you meant then Chris is certainly a liar.

I still think it is petty to start a thread criticising Chris' precise wording and acting like a lawyer cross examining someone, picking on every word. At the end of the day the OP is just sour because Chris turned him down. I think that Chris is being truthful in that he has never routinely accepted alterations work except as a special favour to someone under specific circumstances.

 

Mr Despos has a right to turn down work and you have a right never to go back. Get over it.

 

^^
The OP incorporates several assumptions that may or may not be accurate. When Mr Despos is quoted as saying, "I don't do alterations," was he in fact saying 'I don't do alterations on clothing that was not originally crafted by me', or 'that was not presented to me for alteration by an existing customer', or any one of a number of other possible permutations of the attributed proclamation. The OP's declaration that "he lied directly to my face" is perhaps the most unfortunate, and to me at least, offensive assumption of the lot, as it unnecessarily and just perhaps without foundation, impugns a man's good name. Gentlemen, we should all choose our words as carefully as we wish others to do!

Please see:

I haven't had time to read all the posts there but
See post #29 in this thread. Of course it's from
a few years back, but the word "never" doesn't
expire.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?62761-Has-anyone-used-Chris-Despos

I have no dog in this fight, but I think, Sator, that you may be missing the point. Of course Mr. Despos has the right to refuse any project not to his liking, whether it be a bespoke commission for Osama bin Laden, an alteration to an OTR jacket, or a repair to a toilet in a nearby apartment. Nobody would dispute that. The subject of discussion seems to be the manner in which he declined the project, including his statements as to past work. Now, I suspect that Mr. Despos' understanding of his own words was truthful, just as I believe that the OP genuinely found them to contradict what he knew to be the facts - I express no opinion as to who is right or wrong on that score.

Right you are.

.
Chris Despos standard of work is actually unusually high - even higher than the majority of Savile Row firms. He has every right to concentrate on satisfying his bespoke clientèle and avoid having his workshop getting bogged down with time-wasting distractions. I applaud Chris for his dedication to true high end bespoke tailoring and to his true clients.

However, because the average person knows no distinction between the local Chinese laundry's alteration tailoring and high end bespoke tailoring, Chris doubtless puts up with lots of idiotic inquiries asking for trousers to be hemmed, waists to be taken in etc. Given how little respect that bespoke tailors get from people, it's little wonder that Chris kicked the OP out of his store.

You are talking past the point, either intentionally or unintentionally.Nobody is arguing that he doesn't have the right to turn down work. I specifically stated that I would have gone merrily on my way had he just said "I am not accepting any alterations work right now" and left it at that; he needn't have even explained himself and I would have been just fine.

If I were a business owner, I would not be disrespectful toward a potential client no matter ho much someone else annoyed or disrespected me. That is NO way to act toward a potential client. The fact of the matter is that he may have lost himself a "real client" as well. Not exactly a desired outcome.

And on an aside, your attitude is one that I find contemptible and which I have little use for.

But it is true: Chris only does alterations as a special favour to his old clients. It is a favour because this sort of work causes him to lose money.

All bespoke tailors do alterations. They alter they own work all the time eg a client gains weight so you let out the trousers. So if that's what you meant then Chris is certainly a liar.

I still think it is petty to start a thread criticising Chris' precise wording and acting like a lawyer cross examining someone, picking on every word. At the end of the day the OP is just sour because Chris turned him down. I think that Chris is being truthful in that he has never routinely accepted alterations work except as a special favour to someone under specific circumstances.

You keep throwing this out, even though I know first hand that it is false, which is precisely the reason I went there in the first place--do you honestly think I would walk into a bespoke tailor asking for alterations without some legitimate basis for doing so? Maybe you do, considering how you apparently like to look down your nose at people...