That was part of the idea. Today I’m going to go into more detail about the product, using a try-on session I had with Agyesh (Madan) and Nick (Ragosta) to talk about what makes a few pieces special, and reveal about Stoffa.
I hope you find it a useful extension, and some good geeky information for all you product lovers. Note that the pieces are intentionally made for a range of seasons, so some of them aren’t online yet (I’ve linked to those that are). But those that are not available are made to order.
Long sleeve camp shirt
Taupe wool/silk/linen
This piece is a good example, to me, of the use of made to measure at Stoffa. I love the style of this shirt, and the unique material, but when I tried it on the length was too short and the body is A-line. This usually happens with room shirts, as I’m smaller than my average chest size, and I’m tall.
Unlike other places, however, I can find one that is made to measure and add a little bit of length and body. Interestingly, Nick said that people sometimes do these shorts, because they want a bigger look – they go up a size or two in that loose, 90s style, but they don’t want the length to reach the knees.
It is also interesting that the measurement is used here not to achieve precision – as you usually do with sewing – but to create a different style, a different expression of the piece.
Suede popover
Fig suede
This popover is very useful as an illustration of what constitutes Stoffa’s style. But the materials are also expressive.
Regular readers will know that I havethe Hermes popoverthat I love you. But despite its orange color, that piece is much older than this Stoffa version. The Stoffa piece has a larger collar, deeper opening, no buttons and a blousier fit, which makes it more showery/sexier/revealing.
That style crosses the Stoffa range (knitted polosthey are the same – wide opening, no buttons) and it’s something you shouldn’t really try to change made to measure (the mistake I talked about.one half). But it doesn’t mean that other pieces can’t be yours – I might not wear a popover, but I’ll wear a polo for example, or shirts, also with a big collar.
In practice, our discussion reveals a lot of work and thought process that goes into this. “We wanted the line to be soft enough to wear on the skin, but also smooth enough to open and come off easily,”Nick said. “You want it to be breathable, so it’s not too sweaty, and not too heavy; you can’t use 200g or more yarn as it defeats the point of having lightweight suede. It took a while to find the right one, but we got there.”
Most brands would just opt for a standard line (I know, I’ve been in those conversations) and certainly won’t use wool/silk to hold him.
Double-breasted shirt jacket
Chocolate tropical fur
As you would expect, this one I found most interesting because it was very close to sewing. Speaking to Nick and Agyesh about it, however, they emphasized the shirt side of things, and how the materials can make two very different versions.
“We call it a shirt jacket on purpose,” said Nick. “Yes, it’s viewed in a fancy way, but that’s not the idea you have in your tailored coat head.
Anyway, this is the first thing I would like to measure, because the style is as complicated as the coat – the length, the volume, where the waist sits. A shirt is the easiest thing to fix from afar, but a jacket is more complicated. Apparently most agree, because most of these shirt jackets are ordered through MTM, in store.
The second point was that the design was done in such a way to fully reveal certain fabrics. Wool is preferred because it is soft and supple, while certain wool/silk is preferred because it is smooth and has a lot of shine. A lot of the point of the dress is about the fabric, which is not how we usually think about things.
This is actually a problem I know students have when they send things like shirts to tailors. They use sewing materials, because that’s what’s available, but those materials aren’t always appropriate for something that isn’t completely built. It’s a place where design-led products are almost always better.
Raglan coat
Anthracite silk/cotton/linen
If the coat isn’t that warm, and isn’t waterproof, what’s the point? I know it’s a question readers think about (and ask) all the time. The answer I think is, like this coat, style. During the seasons, some people choose a piece with a three-quarter length as a field jacket, while others prefer something longer.
In fact, London is the kind of place where a mid coat is very useful – where it can be cold in the morning but warm in the afternoon; where you usually have to layer; where shorter showers are possible than the storms you get in New York. This week it’s been quite the same in London actually.
It was also great to talk to Agyesh about waterproofing, as it is such a sensitive topic that is often reduced to ‘Is it waterproof?’. He doesn’t use medicated materials, but chooses materials that are water resistant – it makes a big difference if the material is a strong knit, a little brush, wool rather than cotton and so on. Those types of materials mean that water doesn’t penetrate the material as quickly, and creates resistance to the environment.
Lastly, I don’t have any of the current pieces above, but I do have a few that I wear a lot, so in general these are:
- Spread collar shirt in cotton/silk (sand with ivory)
- U-neck vest in cashmere (walnut)
- Currently availablecottonbut not cashmere
- Field blouson in wool/hemp (sand)
- It is available to be measured by different factors
- Cotton terry knit sweatshirt (bone)
They are all shown below.If anyone has any questions about these or other pieces, let me know and I can try to answer from this experience, or push them to Nick and Agyesh.