A custom
made to measure shirt is always a great asset to
your image. Before you begin your search for the
right shirt, understand that there are many
different levels of quality in made to measure dress
shirts. By trying to save a few dollars, you can hurt
your look rather than improve it. Here are a few things
to look for in your new shirtmaker:
 Shirting
fabrics come in a wide variety of qualities.
The best shirting fabrics are woven from 100% ultra fine long fiber cottons.
Single ply fabrics are woven from single threads
of cottons. This allows for a wide range of patterns at a
low price. The downside of single ply cottons is that they
are not very strong and last only a short time.
Two Ply cottons are made by twisting two single yarns tightly
together. This process creates a strong,
soft and luxurious fabric. Two ply
fabrics require the use of long fiber,
such as Egyptian Giza or Sea Island
cottons. The best shirtmakers in world
limit their offerings to the finest two
ply fabrics made of long fiber cotton,
woven in Italy or Switzerland.
At Gavroche, we limit our offering to
only the highest quality shirting
fabrics available worldwide. The fabric
you see above is a two ply twill,
made from Egyptian ultra fine cotton,
woven in a small mill in Italy. It is
very breathable and very soft to the
touch, giving it a smooth feel and a
silky shine. |
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 The
single most important feature of any
shirt is, without question, the fit.
Too often, men will choose a shirt
because they like the look of the
design, or the feel of the fabric. But
the reality is that if a shirt does not
fit correctly, it will feel wrong and
look out of place. A perfectly fitted
shirt gives an enormous advantage to
your look and image; an advantage people
notice. Gavroche offers a perfect fit
guarantee on all shirts. Some lower end shirtmakers
refuse responsibility when the shirt
doesn't fit the client. Avoid these
people at all costs and ask your shirtmaker
if they have a perfect fit guarantee.
The finishing touches are also very
important in a custom shirt.
One easy way to distinguish a better
shirt is by the rate of stitches per
inch used during the tailoring. The
average shirt is made using 13 to 15
stitches per inch. In comparison, a
luxurious shirt will be tailored with 20
to 25 stitches per inch. This process of
course takes more time and is more
expensive. Better shirtmakers also
tailor their shirts using single needle
stitching along the seams. This makes
for a more refined look and better
durability, but takes twice
as long as the double needle stitching
used in mass produced shirts.
Mother of pearl, or nacre, buttons are
another indication of a luxurious shirt.
These buttons, once prevalent, are now
harder to find and thus more expensive.
Although fragile, these buttons, give a
deep shine and nice reflection. As a
general rule, nacre buttons are only
found in higher end garments. Gavroche
offers mother of pearl buttons standard
on all shirts. |
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 Good
service is particularly important when
choosing your shirtmaker because the end
product is custom made for you.
Some companies may offer good quality
shirts, but their customer service is
terrible. The result? You receive a nice
shirt that doesn't fit, and they won't
correct the problem. In other words, you
paid a premium price to receive a custom shirt
that fits you perfectly, and you receive
a something else. You are forced to place another order
with adjusted measurements and spend
twice as much as initially anticipated.
Gavroche offers a better than 100%
guarantee on all shirts, so you never
have to worry. |
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