[Tarquin]

Greetings to you all,

Longtime lurker, first-time poster here. This forum's "Search" function has provided answers to virtually all my many raiment-centric questions over the years. However, the following has me stumped.

I know --I think I know, but perhaps I'm conflating things-- that both Southwick and Samuelsohn have been the tailors behind the throne for suits and jackets from Paul Stuart.

I am confused, though, about the various echelons of PS labels appearing on garments. May I ask you to fill me in on the pecking order of Paul Stuart labels, please?

From what I can tell, the brand offers the Stuart's Choice/St. Andrews, Stuart's Best, Stuart II, Stuart III, and Stuart Classic ... and more? Which is what, quality- and finish-wise? May I ask for your insights on what distinguishes each of these from its siblings, please?

Thank you very much for your time, and for your collective encyclopedic knowledge of all things sartorial.

 

[Tarquin]

My gods have clay feet. I had hoped someone among you would have insight to share on the different Paul Stuart lines. My faith is shaken.

 

[Andy]

Tarquin:

That faith shake was just a small earthquake. We're more use to them in California than Maryland.

Everyone is returning Holiday gifts, sleeping in or :drunken_smilie: drinking black coffee so just give them more time. ☕

I edited in paragraphs to make it easier to read and respond. Plus I've contacted my insider at PS. But the gentlemen and ladies of this Forum are far more able to answer you than I.

 

[Tarquin]

A thousand thanks for reminding my forgetful self there are a host of obligations and diversions this time of year. A thousand pardons, please, for my impatience, which I clearly still struggle to contain. I shall await word, chastened, and grateful to learn.

 

[Andy]

Gentlemen and Ladies: Someone must have a clue to help him with the question!

 

[Flanderian]

Greetings to you all,

Longtime lurker, first-time poster here. This forum's "Search" function has provided answers to virtually all my many raiment-centric questions over the years. However, the following has me stumped.

I know --I think I know, but perhaps I'm conflating things-- that both Southwick and Samuelsohn have been the tailors behind the throne for suits and jackets from Paul Stuart.

I am confused, though, about the various echelons of PS labels appearing on garments. May I ask you to fill me in on the pecking order of Paul Stuart labels, please?

From what I can tell, the brand offers the Stuart's Choice/St. Andrews, Stuart's Best, Stuart II, Stuart III, and Stuart Classic ... and more? Which is what, quality- and finish-wise? May I ask for your insights on what distinguishes each of these from its siblings, please?

Thank you very much for your time, and for your collective encyclopedic knowledge of all things sartorial.

Gentlemen and Ladies: Someone must have a clue to help him with the question!

I was a long time customer/fan of Paul Stuart but haven't shopped them for tailored clothing in 20+ years. But in an effort to possibly offer some context and insight into the OP's question, I'll offer the little I can contribute.

First, unfortunately, I can't answer the essential question as to a hierarchy of labels. But by way of context surrounding the question, I can offer a bit of history. I first purchased tailored clothing from PS in 1971, and at that time their two makers were indeed Southwick and private label by Samuelson. Southwick, of course has bitten the dust, but through much of the '80's these two makers remained either the sole or dominant makers of tailored clothing, then in the late 80's or early '90's Paul Stuart introduced Stuart Choice which were made in Italy and largely hand-sewn. Since then there have been various additions and deletions of both labels and makers.

But more significantly Stuart has become really just another fashion brand, and as such is likely to change makers frequently for various reasons, and labels constitute brands within Stuart that will be either emphasized, or deemphasized as a result of marketing decisions, with likely both makers and quality varying to meet the needs of costs and marketing. As such I'd be very skeptical of trying to assign any empirical hierarchy of quality based upon their labels.

Sorry I can't offer more.

 

[upr_crust]

As a current customer of Paul Stuart, I can only give you my small insight into the makers of the garments that they currently sell.

Those marked "Made in Canada", are, I believe, made by Samuelsohn, and in my experience are well made articles of clothing. Whether those items marked "Stuart's Choice" vs. mainline Stuart's clothing are both made by Samuelsohn or not, I do not know. To be honest, I've never tried any of the very high-end mainline Stuart's suits, as most of my purchases are from their Phineas Cole line. A quick peek at their current offerings shows their most expensive suit, in the Stuart cut (more traditionally proportioned) as being made in the USA (were that to be Martin Greenfield, I would not be surprised). Their second most expensive suit was a Paul cut (trimmer in proportions overall), and was marked as being made in Canada, which I will assume is Samuelsohn.

The offerings in Phineas Cole are made in Italy, and, as per my last conversation with Ralph Auriemma, creative director for Stuart's, the higher end Phineas Cole suits were made in Naples, and those slightly lower in price were made in Parma - by whom, he did not elaborate. Certainly, the cuts are trimmer than traditional Anglo-American tailoring, but the quality of the construction is very high, albeit much less heavily structured.

I will echo Flanderian's remark that I would be skeptical of attempting to assign any empirical hierarchy of quality based on the labels. The main divisions insofar as suitings are concerned at Stuart's today are based on model, not quality of construction.

 

[Tarquin]

Interesting, interesting. Thank you for your insights. This information is gratefully received.

I lived in New York for more than 30 years and pressed my nose to the glass of their store on many evening walks, initially too poor, subsequently too anxious to set foot inside. Now better situated financially and with a growing awareness of the satisfactions attendant one's appearance, I find myself Covid-relocated to suburban Maryland. What luck there is a Paul Stuart outpost reasonably proximal. A trip to I Street may soon be in the offing.