Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Sunday, I’m taking a look at a jacket I commissioned from Sors Studio.
Previously, I chronicled my experience getting a vest, shirt and pants done at Sors Studio here, as well as reviewed the fit, style and craftsmanship of the garments here. After the articles were published, I received multiple emails from readers, asking for my opinion on suit jackets from Sors Studio. Recently, I was in the mood for something adventurous – so I returned to Sors Studio for a second round!
Sors Studio – the Experience
To avoid any overlapping content with my previous articles, I will only be showing my experience of commissioning a suit jacket, especially the baste fitting. If you would like to see how the Sors Studio showroom is like, the fabrics/customisation options available, as well as the measuring process, do read my article on my Sors Studio experience here.
Being a typical millennial, I follow quite a few celebrities on social media, one of whom happens to be John Legend. John Legend recently posted numerous photos of himself in stunning pink suits, and I absolutely dig the look. I immediately sent the photo of Legend in a pink suit to Gary, asking him if we could do something similar. Gary replied that – as my skin tone is considerably fairer than Legend’s – I should don a lighter shade of pink instead, and said that he would make a trip to his supplier to search for a suitable fabric. After a week or two, Gary sent me a photo of the above light pink cotton fabric, and with my approval, tasked his tailor to create a baste jacket for me to try on (based upon the measurements he took the previous time).
For those uninitiated with tailoring, a basted fitting process is where the tailor will let you try on a skeleton jacket, held together by temporary white basting stitches. For more information on the basted fitting stage, do read this educational article here. As this is labour intensive, the basted fitting process is one that is usually typically only seen at tailors of a higher price point.
As I mentioned in my initial review of Sors Studio, a basted fitting stage is essential to a true tailoring experience. To quote a line from the aforementioned article: “It’s the difference between flying first class and flying on a private jet.” Not only does it contribute towards a better fitting garment, it is also an experience to behold in itself.
It’s near impossible for a tailor to get the fit of a garment right on the first try – that would be akin to a writer having his first draft free of all errors! Just like how articles need to go through editing before being published, the basted fitting process is paramount to a near-perfect final product. Here, the jacket was a little too tight on me – I had unfortunately gained some weight since my previous measurements – and Gary duly noted the relevant areas to be altered using chalk and pins.
Gary also noticed that the back doesn’t drape as cleanly as he would have liked, and relayed to me that he will be adding more space to the back to allow it to drape better. He proceeded to take photos of the front, side and back view of the jacket as reference.
With the baste fitting done, we then moved on to the customisation options. With Gary, you know that you’re not going to get run-of-the-mill clothes – there’s always going to be something interesting! Here on the suit jacket, Gary first encouraged me to adopt a patch breast pocket (as shown above), as well as patch pockets with buttons for something a little different from the norm. He also suggested corozo buttons, which would complement well with the summer vibe of the pink suit jacket. Lastly, Gary also suggested a single button style (instead of the classic two buttons) for the jacket, with a dual-button option (more on that later). Naturally, I took him up on all his suggestions – this guy is an image stylist after all!
Lastly, Gary also shared with me the importance of having a comfortable, breathable lining. To accomplish this, he advised me to stay away from synthetic polyester linings – which often makes the wearer feel stuffy, especially in Singapore’s weather – and instead recommended me to opt for satin lining, which not only feels more comfortable to the touch but is also much more breathable. Unlike most other tailors with default lining books that one chooses from, Gary told me that he would go back to his supplier and search for a suitable satin lining to complement the pink suit jacket. As Gary then buys the fabric in small amounts – just enough for one suit jacket, sometimes maybe two – it is unlikely for you to bump into someone else with the same suit lining.
Sors Studio Suit Jacket – Review
After two weeks, I returned to Sors Studio and collected my suit jacket. Let’s see how it fits!
The front of the suit jacket looks lovely. Firstly, the shoulders fit nicely – they lie neatly, without any visible wrinkling or bunching. This is great as the shoulders is an area that is almost impossible to alter once crafted. Secondly, there’s slight tapering at the waist, giving the wearer a welcome slimming effect. Thirdly, the jacket is of the right length as well, ending just past the middle of my crotch – long enough to not expose the dress shirt underneath (a pet peeve of mine). Lastly, the jacket is of the right tightness too, with little to no visible wrinkles emanating from the jacket button.
I think the side looks good as well! The sleeves are of the appropriate width, and the sleeve pitch – whilst not perfect – is pretty good as one doesn’t see much wrinkling throughout. We also don’t see the presence of the dreaded shoulder divots here – one of the cardinal sins of tailoring, in my opinion! The sleeve length is spot on as well, ending at my natural wrist-bone. It doesn’t expose the shirt cuff, though I think that’s more due to the shirt (which I commissioned previously without the jacket) cuff being too short. Elsewhere, the jacket collar fits well too, with it resting on the shirt collar nicely without an unsightly gap in between.
I’m pleased to say that the fit of the back is pretty awesome! It’s definitely much improved from the baste fitting, and one don’t see much wrinkling throughout. For the most part, the back of the jacket drapes rather nicely. There are some wrinkling emanating out from the center flap, but that’s rather unavoidable – though it does make me wish that we had opted for double vents at the back instead.
Overall, I would say that the suit jacket definitely fits well. As seen in the above photo, the suit jacket drapes naturally. Definitely satisfied with how the suit jacket fits!
With the fit reviewed, let’s move on to the style! Firstly, I have to say that I love the pink cotton fabric that Gary chose. It’s a lighter shade of pink that I initially had in mind, but I definitely agree with Gary that it suits my skin better. I also adore the striped texture that the fabric has, which makes it infinitely more interesting that a simple solid pink. Kudos to Gary for managing to source this fabric – you definitely won’t see this in a default fabric book!
The earthy tones single corozo button – contrasted with pink threading – acts as a nice juxtaposition to the light pink fabric. I like the single button style – it’s my first single button suit jacket, and I love the casualness of it. There’s also pic stitching along the lapels (traditionally a sign of artisanal craftsmanship), which is always a pleasant sight! However, the lapel roll isn’t that obvious here despite the suit jacket being half-canvassed.
Ah, but these aren’t your run-of-the-mill buttons! There’s actually an extra button in the jacket that allows the jacket to be double-buttoned (like in the photo above) for a tad more pizzaz. It’s a feature more commonly seen in tuxedos, but I think it looks great here as well! In addition, there are also buttons on the patch pockets. The buttons are merely ornamental but they provide added intrigue to the suit jacket.
In another unconventional twist, Gary incorporated a patch breast pocket with the suit jacket! I quite like it – it’s definitely an unusual look, something that you probably can’t find off the rack. I think it highlights the pocket square more as compared to a regular breast pocket too! In addition, the patch breast pocket actually has a expandable slit in the center, which increases the intrigue on an already interesting aspect of the suit jacket.
In case you’re wondering, the sleeve buttons – also corozo, with pink stitching – are functional! Unlike traditional suit jackets with 4 buttonholes, Gary decided to cut it down to just 3 buttonholes on this suit jacket, which I find to accentuate its summer casual, fun vibe.
As mentioned earlier, I trusted Gary to search for a suitable lining for the suit jacket – no generic patterns from a book here! On that front, I think Gary more than delivered. The floral silk lining looks simply stunning! As you probably could tell from the vest I did with Sors Studio previously, Gary has a penchant for fabrics with intricate patterns, and like on the vest, the patterned fabric here looks great as the lining for the suit jacket. I love the white background (which complements the white stripes of the jacket fabric), as well as the red/pink floral patterns which of course pairs wonderfully with the pink jacket. Gary also gave me a pen pocket on the inside as well, which I have since found to be very useful. Really love the interior of the suit jacket!
Lastly, Gary played around with the design of the back as well, incorporating a curved back at the top. Gary shared with me that the inspiration for this came from the design of hunting jackets, as well as the yoke deign of a shirt’s back. It’s an unique creation that he’s proud of. Again, I have to credit Gary for going outside of the box in his designs!
When I first approached Gary with the idea of a pink suit jacket I wanted it to be versatile. To that end, Gary encouraged me to pair the suit jacket with some of my regular (non-tailored) clothing. Most of my wardrobe is actually from Uniqlo – it’s cheap and decent – so I decided to try pairing the pink suit jacket with a white v-neck tee and yellow chinos from the Japanese fast fashion brand. I quite like the pairing – I look like I came out of a Wes Anderson movie! Moving forward, I think I will be tinkering more with pairing tailored suit jackets with casual wear, and it’s something I encourage you guys to try out as well. Kudos to Gary for pushing me to experiment!
All in all, I’m really impressed by the multiple intriguing design elements that Gary incorporated into the pink suit jacket. Gary’s strong sense of style and design is the USP (unique selling point) of Sors Studio for me, and the suit jacket – along with the vest and shirt I commissioned last year – definitely illustrates that!
Conclusion – so Sors Studio “shiok” or not?
Definitely – my approval of Sors Studio has not changed. If anything, it is bolstered by the innovative design elements present in the pink suit jacket! For those who like to be different from others – and are sick of the same navy/grey/black suits everyone wears – Sors Studio will definitely suit your needs.
For those interested in commissioning garments from Sors Studio, the price for a half canvassed 2 piece suit starts from $650, while a vest starts from $200. Usual lead time for suits are 4-5 weeks, typically with 2 fittings. Whether you’re someone clueless in style looking for a wardrobe refresh, or simply looking to dress to impress for a special occasion, I highly recommend turning to Gary at Sors Studio!
In addition, do read my initial review of Sors Studio here, and here.
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
P.S.S If you haven’t already, do follow my social media channels on Facebook here, and on Instagram here!
Sors Studio’s Location:
34 Arab Street #02-01 Singapore 199733
Photo Credits:
Dion Toh
Nigel Gomes
