Two suits can hang side by side and look the same, and still be built nothing alike. The price tag won’t tell you which is which. Here’s what does.
The three ways a jacket is built
Fused
A fused jacket has its front glued to a stiffening layer. It holds a press, doesn’t wrinkle much and travels well, which is why most suits under a few hundred dollars are made this way. It also stays exactly as stiff as the day you bought it.
Half-canvassed
A half-canvassed jacket has a floating layer of canvas through the chest and lapel, stitched in rather than glued. It softens to your shape over time instead of going stiff. It’s one of the things that adds to a suit’s price, so a half-canvassed suit usually costs more than an entry-level fused one.
Full canvas
A fully canvassed jacket carries that floating layer all the way down the front. It’s the most work to make, and the price reflects that.
What that means on our floor
Everyday Classics, $139 to $159. Look here for a first suit or a one-time occasion, or for a teenager who’s still growing. They’re durable synthetic blends that hold a press and travel well. Not wool, and we won’t tell you otherwise.
Signature Wool, $259 to $299. This is real wool, in weights that breathe. Most are 100% wool, and a few are high-wool blends. The tag tells you which. We make this line ourselves, so it costs less than a comparable suit at the mall. It’s what most of our customers walk out in.
Half-Canvassed Luxury, $300 to $500. These have that floating canvas chest, in premium wool bought as closeouts, so you’re not paying a designer-label markup.
The exception, and why it exists
Most of the floor falls into those three. The rest is designer and premium-mill closeouts that don’t follow the pattern, including fused suits priced above half-canvassed ones, because sometimes the fabric or the label is genuinely worth more than the construction. If you’re looking at one of those, we’ll tell you exactly what you’re paying for and why.
How to check for yourself
Pinch the front of the jacket just below the bottom buttonhole, between your thumb and finger, and roll it. If you can feel a third layer moving between the outer cloth and the lining, there’s canvas in it. If it feels like one stiff sheet, it’s most likely fused. Not sure? Ask a consultant to show you how it’s built.
When custom makes sense
It’s for the fit you can’t find on any rack. Custom starts at $599, with twenty measurements and two to three fittings. Italian cloth from Reda, Ermenegildo Zegna, VBC, Marzotto or Style Biella costs more. Ask for Ben.
Come in and pinch a few. Nobody here is on commission, so the answer will be straight.
Coming in from nearby? See men’s suits in Royal Oak, or start at the showroom.
