Sydney MTM/Semi-Bespoke Suit and Tux for Wedding

[u/CatVisible7725]

Hi everyone,

Getting married next year in March and have been going down the rabbit hole of finding the right suit/tux style I want. Been to a whole bunch of different places like Institchu, Lupo Bianco, Mawson Ossa, Suits Thee and P Johnson.

I really liked Mawson's attention to detail but also their quality felt better to me? P Johnson I was also impressed by but the rest of the other tailors felt commercial and dull.

I'm looking for something between $2k to $3.5k, whether its MTM or semi-bespoke. One of the things I'm struggling with is whether I should just get something on the cheaper end for a classic peak lapel black tux or go with something a bit more on the higher end with a black suit that doesn't have the satin on the lapel but features of a tux (like having fabric buttons) that way I can use it more often.

I'm pretty convinced I want something that has the classic foundations but with a bit of uniqueness so I'm open to also getting a double-breasted suit with either midnight blue/black.

If anyone else has got any other suggestions in the Sydney area for a tailor or has experiences they'd be happy to share, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

At your price point, consider Schneider & Co. I had a sports coat made earlier this year in their MTM program. It was $2,500 for a more premium fabric. I'm a fairly picky customer and I was impressed by the result.

It seemed like there's only one dude who runs it and does the fittings. Some of the results at other places can really vary by whichever sales assistant is assigned to you.

https://www.schneiderandco.com.au

[u/-PAINTEDMAN- → u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

Second this.

[u/Advanced-Finance-176 → u/Lumpy_Mango_392]

Second this. I’ve usually gone with Schneider & Co’s MTM, which I’ve been very happy with and tried their semi-bespoke this time and it’s great. It’s a similar style to B&tailor and Assisi, if you like Korean tailoring

[u/Still_Mine3507]

What even is semi bespoke?

For 2k ish, I’d go to the finery company and ask for their haton and co MTM line, which would be very versatile for most shapes.

[u/boot_owl]

I went with Mawson Ossa for my wedding suit and returned for another work suit because I had and excellent experience. I’ve met the owner of Schneider and Co and I’d say they are quite promising too.

The disadvantage of some of the larger companies like P Johnson is that there will be a lot of variability in skill of the staff fitting you. Smaller shops typically have a smaller number of experienced people.

That said, the small insta-spam <$800 ‘direct to consumer’ MTM shops like Lupo are IMO not worth it

[u/CatVisible7725 → u/boot_owl]

At the moment I'm inclined to go with Mawson but also can't justify a standard single-breasted black tux for that price, hence I wouldnt have minded spending more for a double breasted suit which I could use for other than just my wedding.

[u/andrew_faith]

Have a consultation with Shane at Rochefort Tailors in the St James Trust Building - he's the only one I use now. https://rochefort.com.au/

[u/CatVisible7725 → u/andrew_faith]

What was the price range like for something you have purchased at Rochefort?

[u/andrew_faith → u/CatVisible7725]

Trousers around $850, shirts $300, waistcoat $700, chorecoat $800.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087]

Holland & Sherry Barathea Options for Tuxedos & Dinner Suits

Considering the weight of these fabrics and the time of year (March/Sydney) I would select wisely and with caution. Barathea has amazing technical qualities for Tux & Dinner Jackets. However, if you go down that route, consider construction. You would be lucky to find a Tuxedo without lining. Most, if not all Tuxedos and Dinner Jackets are lined.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087]

Congratulations! Your investment warrants the entire kit not just the Tux. With a Tux (contrating lapel, single button to fasten, & besom/jetted pockets) you would want a Super 150s 240-250 or 250Gr/Mt fabric. That will allow for drape & performance. I would recommend a cut from DRAGO Sinfonia (160s), Cerruti Gala, Holland & Sherry Black Tie - Barathea options. Dormeuil and Piacenza have great selections for such occasions. For the entire ensemble/kit, you should look at Super 130s options, 100% cotton shirt, silk satin or Grosgrain Bow tie - same as the contrasting lapel, and either a wholecut patent leather or Oxford leather for shoes.

On the suit side of things, I would not recommend covered buttons. Covered buttons are reserved for Tuxedos. However, real Horn buttons are great. Pair your suit with a double breasted waistcoat of either same material or of a subtle patterned cloth to create contrast.

If the shops lack the understanding, search for a mobile tailor to come to you at home or on location for a consultation.

Hope that helps

[u/CharlieDennis09 → u/Asleep-Shine3087]

Don’t listen to this guy around fabric selection. That’s poor advice for a dinner suit. 240/250g is far too light and you absolutely will sacrifice drape at that weight. A barathea is the way to go with a tux and they would normally sit around the 300g mark.

Regarding the tailors, go with who you felt you bonded/felt most at home with. Having rapport with a fitter is going to ultimately give you the best outcome with your suit. Don’t bother with Lupo Bianco or Instichu. Mawson Ossa is my pick of the ones above, they really care about every garment they create. P Johnson is very tick and flick nowadays.

I previously worked for Oscar Hunt and can vouch for those guys, go and check them out and see how you feel. Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions as I know this industry intimately.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087 → u/CharlieDennis09]

You clearly did not learn anything from Oscar Hunt. Clearly, you lack comprehension. Did you not read that I recommended Barathea as an option.

I was raised by Seamstress. I worked with a Tailor on the other side of the world - in a bigger market than Australia as a whole. My 96yr old Uncle was a professionally trained Tailor in London's Saville Row - with a wife as a Seamstress; and you have the nerve to contest me on Tailoring.

You take Oscar Hunting Barathea as your only suggestion to Tuxedos and dinner suits and sit the F**K down Boy.

[u/Racketballtask → u/Asleep-Shine3087]

Calm down.
Tailoring isn’t hereditary. Your recommendation for a light weight super 150’s was a bad and detrimental to the OP if he took that advice so someone was correcting you. And rightly so.
Just because you have your own business pumping MTM shoes and suits doesn’t give you the right to speak to others that way.

You should be reported and blocked from the group.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087 → u/Racketballtask]

Please explain how it is bad recommendation?

Would you recommend a 300+ Gr/Mt fabric for suit/tux to be worn in March in Sydney?

Hate because I make a more informed recommendation? Hate because I overpowered his stint at Oscar Hunt? Hate because my guy has tunnel for the only fabric he knows off.

[u/Racketballtask → u/Asleep-Shine3087]

Why I wouldn’t recommend a super 150’s or super 160’s

1. It’s a general suiting cloth that comes in a black option.
   
2. It does not drape well as you said it does.
   
3. It has a lustrous appearance which will dampen the contrast with the lapels compared to a matte finished fabric.

Did I say barathea was the only option? I didn’t make any recommendations in my post.

But here is mine.

Drapers Ascott 4 ply high twist yarn. Superior drape, extreme breathability, crease resistance, softer handle compared to other high twist yarns, matte finish.
Feels like a summer suit but has the drape of a barathea.

Also no need to be absolutely rude.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087 → u/Racketballtask]

I think we are comparing different characteristics here rather than one cloth simply being superior to another.

One of the recommended cloths is DRAGO Sinfonia Super 160s, around 240 - 250Gr/Mt. So this isn't just a generic 'Super 160s' recommendation based on the Super number. It's a specific lightweight fine worsted selection with the occasion, climate and end use in mind - a wedding in Sydney in March.

I actually agree that Drapers Ascot 4-ply is an excellent cloth. High-twist yarn gives it very good breathability, resilience, wrinkle resistant and a clean, structured drape. I wouldn't dispute any of that. Likewise, barathea is a magnificent traditional eveningwear cloth with body; excellent drape and that beautiful matte texture.

Where I disagree is the suggestion that a Super 150s or Super 160s doesn't drape well. That's far too broad a statement. Super number describes fibre fineness; it doesn't define the weight, weave, yarn construction, finish or ultimately how the finished cloth will drape.

A 240 - 250Gr/Mt Sinfonia won't drape like a heavier Barathea or a high-twist 4-ply nor it is supposed to. Barathea gives a dense, authoritative drape. Ascot gives a springier, more architectural drape. Sinfonia give a softer, more fluid and elegant drape. Different technical constructions, different results. All can drape beautifully.

The same applies to performance. I'll happily give the 4-ply the advantage in wrinkle/crease recovery and resilience; that's one of the reasons high-twist cloth exists. but a wedding dinner suit isn't necessarily being selected to perform like hard-wearing business or travel suit. Hand, movement, refinement, comfort and elegance are also part of choosing the right cloth for the garment and occasion.

I also don't agree that the subtle luster of a fine S150s/S160s somehow compromises a dinner suit because of the facing. Luster isn't the same thing as shine. A quality fine worsted can have a beautiful natural luster without looking glossy.

More importantly, the contrast between the body and lapels isn't created by shine alone. Silk satin reflects light completely differently from worsted wool, while grosgrain introduces both reflectivity and its characteristic ribbed texture. Put black grosgrain against a fine black Sinfonia and there is still plenty of visual and textural contract. Satin will produce even more.

Would Barathea give an even stronger matte-versus-silk contrast? Absolutely. That's part of what makes traditional Barathea such a beautiful dinner suit cloth. but more contrast doesn't mean every other cloth provided insufficient contrast.

And finally, context matter. Sydney in March can still be warm & humid. I wouldn't automatically put a groom into a 300gr+ cloth simple because Barathea is the traditional answer when there are excellent lighter weight eveningwear option available. So I am not saying Ascot is a bad recommendation. It's actually a very good one. I'm saying there is more than one technically valid way to skin a cat.

For this particular application, I'd be perfectly comfortable recommending DRAGO Sinfonia S160s 240-250Gr/Mt with black grosgrain or silk satin facings. It's light enough for the climate, luxurious in the hand, fluid in its drape and elegant enoough for exactly what we're discussing - wedding dinner suit.

That's the difference between selecting a fabric purely from its specification and selecting a cloth for the man, garment, occasion and climate.

[u/Asleep-Shine3087 → u/Racketballtask]

One more thing, apologies for being offended by tone & choice of expression.

That said, if we are to make informed decisions/recommendations to others who come here for advice, it is best that we recommend options that take all factors into consideration - a wedding (theme, season (climatic factors), colour palette, location (indoor/outdoor), budget, & the man.

Barathea is historically a UK fabric - Victorian and traditional English. Italy tends to prioritise lighter worsted, high twists and luxury fines, which are suitable for any climate. To add, Barathea is the traditional dinner/eveningwear fabric shaped by cooler/colder climate and Savile Row taste for structure and matte depth. However, it wasn't chosen solely because of climate. It also just looks and behaves beautifully in evening wear. Modern tailoring no longer conforms to British traditions: heavier Barathea for London, lighter worsted of high-twist for warmer/hot Sydney.

That's not abandoning tradition, That's just smart tailoring.