Matt Deckard Apparel

[Lamplight]

Ooh, I really like that one. :eusa_clap

 

[Fletch]

I'm going to tell you right now that tailoring is a funny science. I've been to plenty of tailors that have years and years of experience , yet that never means they'll do what I want them to do, which 99 percent of the time is tequnique from before they started tailoring.

Isn't it amazing what happens when a trade is passed on entirely by word of mouth and doing and silent apprenticeship?

On the one hand, the learners really learn. On the other hand, what they learn is limited by factors and decisions that are none of their business. What the master will not teach is utterly gone. And the learner would be disrespecting the master, and even the trade itself, to ask after it.

My former trade of music is a lot the same. There is a relentless positivism. What is, is - what was, never was, or else there's a good reason it no longer is. Never mind what the reason is - just the fact that something isn't done anymore is reason enough. Look into it and you cross the line between doers and "experts," people who know, but don't do, and are, as such, suspect.

Where do you think you belong, Matt? What do you suppose your tailors think of you and your "outsider" knowledge of their craft? I say outside because there's obviously no chance of your educating them in their craft - even in a part of it you know about and they don't.

 

[Paul Crowley]

Wow, 16oz wool, a perfect winter suit. I'll keep this in mind for next winter.
How would you describe this style? Vintage inspired? The blazer seems closer to `60s than `40s.

I sent Matt a photograph of a British-made suit from the 1930's that I saw posted on the Lounge a few years back. I saved the photo because I thought it was exactly what I wanted. It's also quite similar to one in a photograph that I have of Jimmy Stewart prior to WWII. It doesn't have the flashy elements that you see in some of the more interesting suits from the period, but it's pretty much what a guy working in an office or a government ministry would have worn any time from 1920 through to today. It has some period elements, including high-waisted trousers, wide legs and half-lining in the jacket, but it's fairly "classic" overall. I'll probably go crazy and have him make a white linen Palm Beach double-breasted for me next time.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Where do you think you belong, Matt? What do you suppose your tailors think of you and your "outsider" knowledge of their craft? I say outside because there's obviously no chance of your educating them in their craft - even in a part of it you know about and they don't.

Today anyway, today I don't belong in tailoring. Obviously something has gone awry... have you seen the suits men wear in movies or on TV lately? Not always my cup of Diet Coke.

I just miss the styles and balance in tailoring that was available generations earlier, the looks that appealed to me; dissecting the details, studying the anatomy of the wearer. I have the instruments and the musicians. I write the songs then conduct and listen to make sure no one is off key or beat. I love music.

 

[Paul Crowley]

Ooh, I really like that one. :eusa_clap

Not as much as I do.

 

[mike]

I'll probably go crazy and have him make a white linen Palm Beach double-breasted for me next time.

I was just thinking this would be a great idea! Matt, what are you plans for summer suits? I know we spoke about this last summer but nothing reminds me of summer more than snow and sleet Any ideas for specific summer versions of your suits? I see you are offering blue linen, I dont think I've ever seen that in action. What would be a good option as a person's default summer suit that could take a lot of wear and not look like an abstract expressionistic art piece come September?

 

[Lamplight]

Not as much as I do.

I bet, it looks great on you!

 

[Fletch]

Today anyway, today I don't belong in tailoring. Obviously something has gone awry... have you seen the suits men wear in movies or on TV lately? Not always my cup of Diet Coke.

I just miss the styles and balance in tailoring that was available generations earlier, the looks that appealed to me; dissecting the details, studying the anatomy of the wearer.

So do I. What seems to make it such a problem is that the craft ethic - timeless as they say it is - is meant to serve the market, and the knowledge is passed on only in person.

Once the market is gone, the knowledge is buried in the mind of the master, not to be used again - that would violate the ethic of the market, "you don't want that." Then once the master is gone, the knowledge is gone. Not even buried anymore, just gone. And all this is part of a tradition very deeply invested in.

So unless you happen on a super-specialist or ultra-high-end purveyor, there's no way to break out of what is acceptable today.

That's a curse of the industrial age. When the craft ethic adapts itself to the need for infrastructure and specialized training and mass marketing, yesterday's commonplace becomes today's luxury.

 

[John in Covina]

Yesterday's commonplace becomes today's luxury.

************
Fletch, this maybe the most concise statement regarding vintage versus modern in almost every type of item produced by business today! Bravo!:eusa_clap

 

[Creeping Past]

"Yesterday's commonplace becomes today's luxury."

An inverse relationship with technology, then?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"Yesterday's commonplace becomes today's luxury."

It's also the inverse when it comes to certain foods. Take chicken, for example. In my grandparents' memory, chicken from a market was a relatively expensive luxury. So were bananas. Not today.

.

 

[John in Covina]

I have been asking Matt to do a few more videos of his other suits.

 

[skyvue]

It's also the inverse when it comes to certain foods. Take chicken, for example. In my grandparents' memory, chicken from a market was a relatively expensive luxury. So were bananas. Not today.

.

Some time ago, I read that back in the day (the 1920s? The '30s? Not sure) you could get five shirts tailor-made for the price of an hour-long long distance phone call.

My wife and I like to watch, in old movies and television shows, for references to activities and attitudes that just don't exist today, and you'll often see references in movies and shows to long distance being prohibitively expensive (one particular Leave It to Beaver is built on that premise). I remember, from my youth, a long distance call being kind of an indulgence -- the idea that you'd keep careful tabs on how long you'd spoken because it was a so pricey.

A kid today seeing references like that in an old movie probably would be left scratching his head. Long distance calls just don't cost that much today.

 

[JimInSoCalif]

The cost of phone calls is one of the few 'bargains' I can think off off hand. In 1962 I made a call from London to San Jose, Calif. and the cost was $25.00 for 3 minutes.

My best memory is that $25.00 would buy 3 or 4 OCBD RTW shirts and college graduates starting with one of the Big 8 CPA firms made about $100.00 a week, so long distance calls were rather pricey 45 years ago.

 

[ddcronk]

Hello, my first post here at the Fedora Lounge. Wanted to tell of my experience with Matt Deckard Apparel. I've been in contact with Matt via email for a few months now and scheduled a fitting appointment for today at noon at the Hilton in Bellevue. The last communication I got from Matt was 2/7/09, so I was a bit concerned about what the procedure was. I showed up at the Hilton at noon, and asked at the front desk where I could find Matt Deckard. "We don't have anybody by that name staying here." Uh-oh. I told them that I was there to be measured by a tailor, and they said that they had a guest doing that, but his name was definitely not Deckard. The nice young lady at the desk called him anyway, and told him my name, and the tailor said to send me right up. The tailor's name was Joe Hermrajani, and even though I didn't know him, he knew who I was, what fabric I was interested in, and what kind of jacket I wanted. He didn't have the swatch of fabric that I was interested in, but said that it wouldn't be a problem to send one to me so that I could see it before I placed my order. He was very helpful and made me feel very much at ease. He mentioned "Talking to Matt," about me, and had all of my measurements down swiftly and efficiently. He even picked up on the small things about the sport coat I was wearing that had been bothering me about the fit. A good experience overall.

If I had to have gripes, I'd say that I wish I'd known what was going on beforehand. I was expecting to actually meet with Matt, and when I left the room with Joe, I actually thought, "I hope I met with the right guy, and Matt isn't somewhere in this building waiting for me." Also, the schedule seemed to be a bit cramped. I had to wait past the scheduled time for the gentleman before me to be finished, and there was somebody waiting when I left. It felt like if I wanted to discuss fabrics or fits any longer it would be an imposition on the next customer (and I doubt I was in the room any longer than twenty minutes).

Those are minor complaints though, and I was treated professionally, courteously, and can honestly recommend the experience to anybody.

Assuming I met with the right guy.

 

[Robert Conway]

You need to set up a London branch. There are plenty of people in London who would buy a suit and plenty more on the continent. It's easy to get to London from anywhere in Europe (Germany, France etc).

I'm not sure if any one aside from Anderson & Sheppard, Henry Poole and a few others can get it right over here and they are all priced out of the stratosphere. Were talking 2000 - 2500 GBP to start.

Anything over here that is priced in your range is crap.

 

[Paul Crowley]

Assuming I met with the right guy.

You met with the right guy...and you will be pleased with the result.

 

[John in Covina]

The tailor you met with is the right guy, Matt has spoken very highly of him before.

A break down in suit communications is not like Matt, I am sure he'll contact you shortly.

I am also sure he'll say thanks for pointing out this shortcoming, and he'll take steps to remedy the situation.

Normally I 'd say good luck, but in this case I am sure you're going to get an excellent and amazing suit!

With best wishes,

 

[MrBern]

Deckard's cell# is at the bottom of his webpage. Definitely call him if you have a concern.
http://www.mattdeckard.com/
Keep in mind, he's not the tailor, he's the stylist working with the tailor.

Hello, my first post here at the Fedora Lounge. Wanted to tell of my experience with Matt Deckard Apparel. I've been in contact with Matt via email for a few months now and scheduled a fitting appointment for today at noon at the Hilton in Bellevue. The last communication I got from Matt was 2/7/09, so I was a bit concerned about what the procedure was. I showed up at the Hilton at noon, and asked at the front desk where I could find Matt Deckard. "We don't have anybody by that name staying here." Uh-oh. I told them that I was there to be measured by a tailor, and they said that they had a guest doing that, but his name was definitely not Deckard. The nice young lady at the desk called him anyway, and told him my name, and the tailor said to send me right up. The tailor's name was Joe Hermrajani, and even though I didn't know him, he knew who I was, what fabric I was interested in, and what kind of jacket I wanted. He didn't have the swatch of fabric that I was interested in, but said that it wouldn't be a problem to send one to me so that I could see it before I placed my order. He was very helpful and made me feel very much at ease. He mentioned "Talking to Matt," about me, and had all of my measurements down swiftly and efficiently. He even picked up on the small things about the sport coat I was wearing that had been bothering me about the fit. A good experience overall.

If I had to have gripes, I'd say that I wish I'd known what was going on beforehand. I was expecting to actually meet with Matt, and when I left the room with Joe, I actually thought, "I hope I met with the right guy, and Matt isn't somewhere in this building waiting for me." Also, the schedule seemed to be a bit cramped. I had to wait past the scheduled time for the gentleman before me to be finished, and there was somebody waiting when I left. It felt like if I wanted to discuss fabrics or fits any longer it would be an imposition on the next customer (and I doubt I was in the room any longer than twenty minutes).

Those are minor complaints though, and I was treated professionally, courteously, and can honestly recommend the experience to anybody.

Assuming I met with the right guy.

 

[Feraud]

Those are minor complaints though, and I was treated professionally, courteously, and can honestly recommend the experience to anybody.

What style outfit did you decide on?