[UPDATE 4/26–take 10% off MTO, including summer tweed, using code MTO10 until Monday night 4/27/2020 at 11:59pm EDT]
A few years ago, Derek (who is an editor at Put This On and runs probably my favorite menswear blog Die, Workwear!) did a fabric run with a mill attempting to recreate a beautiful vintage fabric worn by Taka of Liverano & Liverano (pictured above). The resulting fabric, which is a 60/40 linen/silk blend was dubbed “Summer Tweed” for its resemblance in texture to tweed. Individuals could send Derek their order for the cloth to have made up themselves, while tailors and shop owners alike bought lengths to be made for themselves or their clients. Greg from No Man Walks Alone bought enough to make a run of jackets with Sartoria Formosa (of which there are still a couple sizes left). It was so popular, and he had so much demand, Derek ran another length the next summer, and again a couple years after that.
Rick, the founder and CEO of Spier & Mackay, ordered a length last summer to be able to make made-to-order jackets this spring. It will be available at 12 p.m. EDT March 19 on a first come first, served basis. Only sport coats can be made, not full suits. The made to order system works online (no phone calls nor do you have to make an appointment in person), and gives you a few options beyond simply choosing a size (things like jacket length, sleeve length, waist width, and shoulder point to point can be adjusted). Pricing at Spier & Mackay for the jackets will be $698 for the base price, with extras (like having it made full canvas, instead of half canvas, which costs an extra $150) on top of that. If I were commissioning this jacket, I’d clearly go for the Neapolitan cut, with hip patch pockets (normal chest pocket), quarter-lined, with non-functional cuffs, and 1/4-inch inset pick stitching (aka a swelled edge). I’d probably go half canvas and not worry about it, but if I had the cash, full canvas makes it a bit more of an heirloom piece in my mind.
When he ran it the second time, I asked Derek to send me a swatch of it, and even ordered the Formosa jacket from NMWA to try on, to decide if it was for me. I didn’t pull the trigger on the fabric itself, because at the time I had no tailors I could have it made with (well, I technically could have but the idea of using this special limited run fabric as a first commission was a bad one and I knew it); and the Formosa cut just isn’t to my taste. But, the fabric is great: it’s slubby, has a great visual and tactile texture, it’s a versatile and very wearable shade of brown with yellow undertones, and it’s fairly lightweight for the warmer weather. So many very stylish men own a jacket in it, you just can’t go wrong.
Click here for Spier & Mackay’s made to order page linking directly to the fabric. If it doesn’t come up first, to find it, filter fabrics by “Texture” and select “Tweed.” Screenshot below to help you find it:
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