Road to Perdition suit maker

[jake431]

I'm not sure if you guys who are more vintage minded than I liked the suits in Road to Perdition (I feel like the consensus was the movie captured the "look" of the era), but the below is the contact information for the man who did all the custom suiting for the movie - at least Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. He does a fair amount of costume work for Hollywood, and I know that many are always on the lookout for a tailor who knows how to cut a vintage suit. Paul's a nice guy (his shop is on the ground floor of my office building) and his prices are reasonable for a good suit. He makes suits, tuxedos, shirts, slacks, all custom work made to measure. A friend I work with had some custom shirts made, and is very pleased with the results.

Here's that info:

Paul Chang Custom Tailors
180 N La Salle St # 170
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 332-0423​

-Jake

 

[dr greg]

apocrypha

I heard that they opened up some old mill in the NE of the US and actually had the suit material woven on vintage looms to get that extra touch.

 

[jake431]

He has a lot of different suiting material in his shop, and I'm sure he's got more than what is out. I haven't asked him details about his work on movies, so I can't speak to whether old mills were reopened or vintage cloth was used.

-Jake

 

[Johnnysan]

Jake,

Thanks for this information...I've been considering a custom suit for some time now and he might just be on my "visit" list next time in Chicago. You mentioned that his prices were "reasonable." Any idea what a custom suit would set me back? Thanks!

 

[Tomasso]

A friend I work with had some custom shirts made, and is very pleased with the results.

My experience was not at all positive. There were numerous fit and construction issues with my shirt order which were never satisfactorially resolved. The shirts were made up in Chinatown and the quality control was sorely lacking. There were also constant delays in delivery.

I used him for a few minor alterations as well. Shoddy work that always had to be done over at least once.

 

[Barry]

I used him for a few minor alterations as well. Shoddy work that always had to be done over at least once.

I am sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. I was actually just telling another lounge member that I was considering going to Chicago to visit some cousins, Optimo and then Paul Chang's shop. If the alterations are bad I'd be a little worried about buying a couple of suits, jackets and trousers.

Edit: By the way - how much are we talking for a suit? There are two tailors in my neighborhood. One charges roughly $2500 (starting price, I'm guessing) for a suit - that's way out of my league though.

Barry

 

[jake431]

According to his price sheet, on display (it could be more for a vintage custom suit, you'd have to ask), it starts at $1100 for a two-piece suit.

-Jake

 

[resortes805]

I heard that they opened up some old mill in the NE of the US and actually had the suit material woven on vintage looms to get that extra touch.

This is actually true. The film's director was dissatisfied with how modern fabrics hung, so they had heavy 1930's weight fabrics woven just for the movie. I'm not sure if they opened up an old mill, but for sure the fabrics used in the film were made specifically for those costumes. What I wonder is what happened to the bolts of fabric that are surely left over and how can I get my hands on it!

 

[Mr. 'H']

The heavy fabric makes the suit hang differently. I can attest to that - I have vintage cut suits that are made of a lighter fabric and you just know it is not authentic.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Paul Chang

Barry,

Paul Chang came up in a thread ages ago I think he also
does a lot of theatre costume work & he is really $$$$
but good

SC

 

[Fletch]

The heavy fabric makes the suit hang differently. I can attest to that - I have vintage cut suits that are made of a lighter fabric and you just know it is not authentic.

Yes, I'm coming over to that opinion myself. Especially with trou. You can have a swell baggy 22" knee, but walk out in the wind and you might as well be wearing pipestems. Also, I play saxophone and perspire a lot, and by the end of the first set I'm usually accompanying myself on accordioned sleeves.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I have a problem with those old, super-heavy suit fabrics, even in winter. We now live in a centrally heated world; the moment we step inside a building, warm (usually too warm) air slowly begins to fry us. Sure, we can take off our suit jackets -- but what about those super-heavy trousers?


.

 

[Feraud]

We need less heat and heavier fabrics!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Sure ... but tell that to the gas company, or the electric company.


.

 

[carebear]

We need less heat and heavier fabrics!

Sure ... but tell that to the gas company, or the electric company.
.

Or the ladies...

 

[Tomasso]

Or the ladies...

It's been my experience, that the ladies are the first to complain when the thermostat is dialed down. I've been in some offices where the temp was set at over 80 degrees to accommodate a couple of women.[huh]

 

[carebear]

It's been my experience, that the ladies are the first to complain when the thermostat is dialed down. I've been in some offices where the temp was set at over 80 degrees to accommodate a couple of women.[huh]

Mine too. Not that I necessarily want women dressing in lots of layers.

 

[Lawman]

Speaking of heavier fabrics, last year I purchased two Golden Fleece suits at our local BB, and the fabric is incredible. No other suit I have, and I own some pretty fair ones, hang like they do. It did not hurt that I scored them for $400, as opposed to the listed $2k.

I think I am going to go the heavy route from now on, even though I am in NC and the summers can be brutally hot. Everything is air conditioned.

Mark

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Incidentally, quite a bit of Jude Law's wardrobe for this film came from Night and Day Vintage in Chicago. Story the guy tells is that the snooty wardrobe lady came in saying she wanted to fit a medium sized chap with 30s clothing. The dame in the store told her to have a look around and she said "Oh, you don't have the kind of stuff i want"

>> "What do you want?"

"Stuff that looks like it's been lived in!"

>>"Like this?"

Dame pulls out box of horribly stained, ripped, moth eaten stuff from recent estate purchase. The wardrobe lady went nuts, "That's EXACTLY what i want!!!" and just bought the whole box of crap.

bk