Writing (or producing) for the mass market is much tougher than writing for a selected informed audience.

To keep it witty, informative and interesting to the broader scope of reader is tougher than it sounds.

I thought he did a good job.

 

I'm not sure I understand how Mahon disagrees with Manton.

Anyhow, It must be said, Manton you are the man..!

 

I'm not sure I understand how Mahon disagrees with Manton.

Anyhow, It must be said, Manton you are the man..!

It's not that he disagrees but his blog entry suggests he thinks its much ado about nothing, which is a suprising opinion from a tailor.

I personally liked the article (the Roger Bannister line in particular).

EDIT: Yay! I just hit 1,200 posts. I am a fifth of a man AlanC is

 

Good article - but Mahon seems a bit unimpressed

I don't really know Mr. Mahon, but I think it would have been more considerate to at least allude to what about the article he considered nonsense rather than just post a link with a dismissive comment. I don't really see how Manton's article and Mahon's "take on the matter" are incompatible, though they are obviously from quite different perspectives.

I thought Manton's article was interesting and informative.

 

Seems to me (a very uneducated view) that this is a "values" arguement:

Manton's Thesis: Super's softeness against the skin is offset by less wear, higher cost and more difficult tailoring. In the end his values assessment is that it isn't worth the trade.

Mahon's Thesis: Super's softness against the skin is offset by less wear and higher cost (he doesn't address tailoring, so one assumes he doesn't believe it's an issue). In the end his values assessment is that it is worth the trade.

I'm having difficulty finding the "nonsense".

 

I don't really know Mr. Mahon, but I think it would have been more considerate to at least allude to what about the article he considered nonsense rather than just post a link with a dismissive comment. I don't really see how Manton's article and Mahon's "take on the matter" are incompatible, though they are obviously from quite different perspectives.

I thought Manton's article was interesting and informative.

I agree.

 

Job well done for a general interest magazine. It's nice exercise to "out" the label-on-the-outside types that want "the best" without taking the time to determine what that "best" is. The partner/associate anecdote is a classic.

 

Wasn't aware that there was a wool controversy, nor that anyone cared.

Nice to see Carlo Franco resurfaced in the article.

 

Nice to see Carlo Franco resurfaced in the article.

Impressive that he has time for interviews, but not for replying to customers' repeated e-mails.

 

Impressive that he has time for interviews, but not for replying to customers' repeated e-mails.

Don't speak too quickly. Manton could have interviewed him before the recent troubles.

 

Don't speak too quickly. Manton could have interviewed him before the recent troubles.

Fair enough. Although his "recent" troubles by now don't seem so recent.

 

I thought it was an interesting article. Putting all your faith in one measure is usually foolishness. The varied definition of quality is the crux of the issue. Is it the luxurious hand or is it the durability and drape? Depends on who you ask.

 

?

manton is not takeing a stand one way or the other.
i see it as a statement of the woolen fabric situation/business today.
he leaves it to you to make up your mind as to your preferences.

 

I don't really know Mr. Mahon, but I think it would have been more considerate to at least allude to what about the article he considered nonsense rather than just post a link with a dismissive comment. I don't really see how Manton's article and Mahon's "take on the matter" are incompatible, though they are obviously from quite different perspectives.

I thought Manton's article was interesting and informative.

Absolutely. In fact, as others have already stated (but I'll repeat, just for the helluvit), it seems they don't really disagree, but rather simply focus on different aspects of the issue. Such a curt dismissal -- a single word, "nonesense" -- seems completely uncalled for. Perhaps he didn't read manton's article closely and misunderstood.

 

Great article, thank you for posting. I learned a lot.

 

"Other men have learned from hard experience that the Supers are irritatingly prone to become shiny or to wear through. Still others wonder why their $4,000 suits are rippling and wrinkling, and they look with envy on harder-wearing stuff that lies smoothly on the body."

You don't have to wonder why... the wool is just inferior and doesn't wear well. Wrinkles faster, wears through and takes a shine in a short time -- inferior.

Thank you Manton. Well written. Thank goodness people are starting to shine the light on the myth of super wools being super wearing. I'm lucky in having the vintage wears I have and some fabric that is waiting to be made into just the right suit.

Silk should be silk and wool should be rough.

Good job!

Churchilll -- Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

 

Good article - but Mahon seems a bit unimpressed:

As much as he is interested in tailoring, Thomas seems as uninterested in cloth as any tailor I have met. He is the only one I know that travels without what I consider a reasonable set of the major cloth books.

It's a bit of an Anderson & Sheppard thing. Throw some books in the general direction of the client and write down the number when he decides but that's about it.

 

I spoke to Chuck for this in January.

 

I get the impression that Mr Mahon is one of the (sadly rather large) class of people who don't like being taught about suits by an American.

Not a very becoming trait.

 

I get the impression that Mr Mahon is one of the (sadly rather large) class of people who don't like being taught about suits by an American.

Not a very becoming trait.

I doubt very much that Thomas Mahon had anything to learn from Manton's very good article.

 

I get the impression that Mr Mahon is one of the (sadly rather large) class of people who don't like being taught about suits by an American.

Not a very becoming trait.

... +1

 

As much as he is interested in tailoring, Thomas seems as uninterested in cloth as any tailor I have met. He is the only one I know that travels without what I consider a reasonable set of the major cloth books.

It's a bit of an Anderson & Sheppard thing. Throw some books in the general direction of the client and write down the number when he decides but that's about it.

Totally agree. SR tailors are not passionate about cloth.

W_B

 

I spoke to Chuck for this in January.

Fair enough. I enjoyed the article.

 

It's a high quality article. Thank you Mr. Manton for sharing it with the forum.

 

As much as he is interested in tailoring, Thomas seems as uninterested in cloth as any tailor I have met. He is the only one I know that travels without what I consider a reasonable set of the major cloth books.

It's a bit of an Anderson & Sheppard thing. Throw some books in the general direction of the client and write down the number when he decides but that's about it.

Will, is an ego issue?

Great talk of fine fabric takes some of the thunder away from the great tailoring conversation?

They may be missing the boat, just think how much further ahead they would be if they could blend the two. They would be almost as good at marketing as k........