Pure silk dupioni has been around forever as a suiting material. I don't think that silk adds much to the strength of a wool suiting. For sheen, I'd prefer mohair blends.

 

Why is it used? e.g. in the Zegna Trofeo Silk range?

 

Silk suits were very popular in the 1950s.

I had three made in Hong Kong in 1956 from Italian material. Red China did not export anything in those days. The current long runway had not been built, and no jets could land at Hong Kong. In fact the airport in Kowloon closed daily at 4:30 since modern navigational equipment was not installed. But oh what fun with the Chinese girls at night at the Diamond Horseshoe bar at the Miramar Hotel. And my hotel bill at a first class Kowloon hotel was only $3.50 US per night. Plane fare was on the US Air force. But I digress.

I bought the silk in Hong Kong as stated and two suits did not have a sheen. but the third was made out of shantung and you could really tell it was a glossy silk. I took the material back to Japan where I was stationed and had them made by a Japanese tailor. They were bespoke with three fittings, and they draped beautifully. I wore them for ten years or so, moving several times, so I don't rember where I parted from them. Total cost per suit: $39 for material, $15 for tailoring and lining. They were 100% silk since they couldn't weave two different materials together as they can now. I remember they were hard wearing, and I don't believe I've seen a shantung suit since then. Ah, for the good old cold war days!

 

Shantung/dupioni is a nice suit fabric. I have one in cream and am thinking of another in navy or gray. It is more of a specialty item than a useful suit material.

 

It's not a business suit in the U. S. but dupioni is great for Spring and Indian summer. It wears too warm for hot days, in my experience.

 

I have a SB silk suit from the Zegna soft range, bought about 12 or 13 years ago, and it shows no sign of sheen or wear, I wear it occasionally, but frequently enough that if it had any major weaknesses I'd have found it out by now. It also seems to avoid stains - I've had beer and coffee spilled on it.

The only style observations I'd make is that IMO the construction is too soft for a DB (though they did sell them), but that may not be due to any inherent properties of the silk, and that the trousers looked and draped better without turn-ups (cuffs).

 

I had three made in Hong Kong in 1956 from Italian material. Red China did not export anything in those days. The current long runway had not been built, and no jets could land at Hong Kong. In fact the airport in Kowloon closed daily at 4:30 since modern navigational equipment was not installed. But oh what fun with the Chinese girls at night at the Diamond Horseshoe bar at the Miramar Hotel. And my hotel bill at a first class Kowloon hotel was only $3.50 US per night. Plane fare was on the US Air force. But I digress.

I bought the silk in Hong Kong as stated and two suits did not have a sheen. but the third was made out of shantung and you could really tell it was a glossy silk. I took the material back to Japan where I was stationed and had them made by a Japanese tailor. They were bespoke with three fittings, and they draped beautifully. I wore them for ten years or so, moving several times, so I don't rember where I parted from them. Total cost per suit: $39 for material, $15 for tailoring and lining. They were 100% silk since they couldn't weave two different materials together as they can now. I remember they were hard wearing, and I don't believe I've seen a shantung suit since then. Ah, for the good old cold war days!

What a delightful story.

Yes, as Will alludes silk has a reputation for being a summer fabric, but in fact the weave tends to be quite tight and so breathes less well than is ideal.

 

Before the French Revolution, nobody who was anybody in Europe would dare to wear wool clothing!

As for Japan, nobody would dare to make a kimono out of dupioni except poor peasants. Hence one of the reasons it may have been favored for export for making into European clothing.

Here, the ironies of dress.

It is possible to make a regular non-shiny silk, but fabrics are expensive...

 

Shantung/dupioni is great for dinner jackets and trousers. In my case the material was bought in Thailand and tailored in London in the 70's and the suit is still going strong.

 

...My guess is that it might make them more prone to wrinkles but that it could also increase strength and durability, along with a nice sheen.

Several responses in this thread attest to the durability of silk, as a suiting material. Also, I'm not sure if this should be attributed to the suiting material or the manufacturer but, I have had two silk/wool blend HSM sportcoats, both of which exhibited significant pilling under the arms (read armpit!) of the coats, as they were being worn. I have not seen this happen with any of my other suits or sportcoats. Is such pilling characteristic of such blends or is this more likely an HSM issue?

 

Several responses in this thread attest to the durability of silk, as a suiting material. Also, I'm not sure if this should be attributed to the suiting material or the manufacturer but, I have had two silk/wool blend HSM sportcoats, both of which exhibited significant pilling under the arms (read armpit!) of the coats, as they were being worn. I have not seen this happen with any of my other suits or sportcoats. Is such pilling characteristic of such blends or is this more likely an HSM issue?

More likely cheap cloth than the blend itself.

 

Zegna makes a fabric they call silkskin, which is a blend of silk and cotton (51/49 for the most part). The jackets I've seen drape very nicely and seem quite durable (and more versatile imo) compared to pure sik.

 

I think that's what they use for their "Trofeo Silk" line.

 

I think that's what they use for their "Trofeo Silk" line.

The Trofeo Silk fabric is a blend of silk and wool and not the same as Silkskin AFAIK.

 

Oh, yes, sorry you said Silk and Cotton.