That is the belted suede jacket I had made earlier this 12 months by Fred Nieddu, primarily based on movie and bespoke items he had made whereas cutter at Timothy Everest. 

It’s fairly an uncommon type, however after a few months of sporting it in numerous permutations, I’m now fairly used to it. 

Though its roots had been in a safari jacket made for The Crown, the design is best regarded as a belted smoking jacket, I feel, simply with a large notched lapel. 

To the person on the road, it’s maybe merely a suede jacket with a belt. But it surely’s lower with a slight overlap on the entrance – as a brief gown or home coat may need – and it’s this that offers it a selected character. 

Belted, the wrap offers it extra of the looks of a gown; unbelted, with the fronts left to hold, that half DB offers the entire entrance a slouchy look, with extra materials within the chest and hips. 

That’s accentuated by the shoulders, which we intentionally lower just a little extensive, as I often favor with my tailor-made jackets. 

There’s additionally comparatively little construction – no shoulder pad and solely canvas within the collar, not the lapel. The suede can be comparatively heavy.

So if the jacket is just worn open, the belt free, it appears virtually shapeless. Solely the craft and construction of the collar saves it from being dishevelled. 

I’ve discovered I want to make use of the belt actively because of this: both to cinch the again just a little, so the fronts are pulled again just a little; or to wrap round and tie, holding the fronts overlapped. 

As I mentioned, it’s taken just a little time to get thus far, however that’s half the enjoyable of an uncommon design. And it’s an authentic one, within the sense that Fred has by no means made this explicit design and lower earlier than. 

In reality, it’s price pausing a second to replicate on the assorted uncommon tasks I’ve taken on with bespoke tailors through the years. 

There have been one or two with Graham Browne, the wrap coat with Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, the suede blazer with Cifonelli, and most notably the gilet and leather-based jacket with Davide Taub at Gieves & Hawkes. 

I’d say total, my success fee is lower than 50% – if we outline success as nonetheless sporting and liking a chunk now, a number of years later. 

That’s not nice, although proper now I feel Fred’s jacket falls into the profitable half, so far as I can inform after a few months. 

However I additionally assume all of the tasks include the identical lesson, which is that creating one thing from scratch could be very dangerous. Significantly with somebody who’s a educated craftsman, however not essentially a educated designer. 

That’s to not say the tailors do something incorrect. Simply that they don’t essentially know the way the ultimate result’s going to prove; and even when they do, they won’t be capable of talk that fully. You’re in all probability even much less outfitted to think about, sketch out or talk yor imaginative and prescient.

It may be very rewarding, and it’s definitely attention-grabbing and absorbing. But it surely’s a dangerous and costly sport to play. I really feel I can solely advocate it to readers which have that cash to play with. 

However again to Fred’s jacket. 

The selections we made through the becoming stage – described right here – had been all appropriate I feel. It was good to take away the 2 chest pockets, good so as to add to the size and to boost the collar. 

The sudden ingredient was the suede, which as I mentioned has proved fairly heavy. This make the pockets bag just a little, and the belt extra tubular than flat. Fred was compelled to supply from a brand new tannery, which made this a bit unsure, and naturally with a suede jacket the fittings are often in a toile reasonably than the ultimate materials. 

If anybody is contemplating making a chunk like this, I’d advocate looking for someplace you may attempt on a pattern garment first, within the last materials. Somebody like Sartoria Melina in Naples, as an example, often works with one kind of nubuck and has samples of most designs to attempt (at the least in Naples). 

That is no assure – I nonetheless managed to order a surprisingly vibrant shade of orange nubuck from them. But it surely does considerably cut back the dangers. 

The handwork on Fred’s jacket is gorgeous, significantly as a result of I understand how exhausting it’s to work in suede. Many, many due to Zoe for working by way of the ache.

One of many good issues about placing the collar up is that it exhibits all that handwork beneath: the swirl of machine stitching holding the canvas in place, after which hand stitching of the collar to the physique (so as to create extra curve, and hug the neck). 

One factor I would change is to maneuver the belt upwards, as presently it doesn’t cowl the seams on the back and front, the place the completely different panels of suede connect. 

The inner tie that fastens the 2 sides, serving to the belt, has additionally proved just a little flimsy. However each issues are straightforward to vary and I do know Fred shall be greater than keen to take action. 

I actually like this jacket. Typically that doesn’t come throughout in a evaluate, when you’ve listed all of the little belongings you’re going to vary, or would accomplish that in case you commissioned it once more. 

However I do. I really like how distinctive it’s, but how the dark-brown suede means it’s virtually as versatile as a bomber in the identical color. 

I simply really feel compelled to warn readers considering of endeavor the same venture, as a result of mine haven’t all the time labored out that effectively. It could be loads, lot safer to purchase a ready-made suede jacket, or maybe an MTO or MTM model. Even simply to have a RTW one altered.

At £2500 for a suede jacket like this, going to a bespoke tailor for one thing experimental is private, fantastic, pleasing, however not low-cost. 

Most of Fred’s work is making rather more typical tailoring. Some beautiful examples may be seen on our preliminary article on his work, right here. His bespoke tailoring begins at £3500 for a go well with, and £2400 for a jacket (together with VAT). 

For the pictures, I took benefit of some studio time photographer James Holborow had, which is all the time enjoyable. James is now again within the UK, after a few years in New Zealand, and his web site is right here. 

The opposite garments proven are a black Dartmoor knit, flannels by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury and Belgravia loafers by Edward Inexperienced.