Master Tailor Andrew Ramroop selects his five favourite cloths from this season's collections.
In my view sport jacket cloths are infinitely more interesting than suit cloths. Quite often men's suits have to be worn within the confines of conformity. Whereas sport jackets are designed in an array of head-turning colour combinations, qualities, weights and weaves.
In my experience, the very men and women who are expected to conform sartorially within a business environment are the ones who anxiously await the opportunity to deck out in designs which they can express their individuality in. It is with this in mind that I have selected five sport jacket designs as my favourite for this month.
This season, my choice has been more challenging with the likes of Scabal, Holland and Sherry, Caccoppolli, HFW and W Bill launching exquisite innovative collections. My selection (in no particular order) is versatile as it enables these cloths to be tailored for use in many settings. Especially when the occasion calls for dressing well, but not formal or in a suit.
1. This winter Prince of Wales flannel is the most versatile as it can be worn as a full suit (fully lined trousers, of course) or stand alone as a sport jacket. The vibrant pink check enables the wearer to coordinate with a woollen polo neck, shirt or a woollen knit tie. This cloth design lends itself to a traditional cut or the Maurice Sedwell Signature Delta-Line design.
2. One might say pink is the New Black. The base colour of my second choice is a vibrant pink, a colour that would stand out in any environment. To be worn when the wearer wants to portray an image of making an effort to present a look of style and imagination.
3. This cloth is from the Holland and Sherry Peacock range. It is soft, luxurious and a very well balanced design. I have made this cloth for a customer in Chargrin Falls, Ohio where the autumn foliage amuses the senses making us wish all year could be as colourful, but perhaps not as cold. With that background, standing out with this design makes my third choice a must have in any gentleman's wardrobe. Blending a purple check with the safety of grey is unusual. This combination is a safe choice but with an interesting twist. It is a versatile cloth that can be used at a country shoot, around your estate or simply while lounging around in town.
4. Wear this burgundy/blue sport jacket to a pub, club or sporting event and you are sure to turn heads of every gender. This design looks very different from a short distance away, which is a great advantage as the detail of this subtle design becomes more apparent closeup. This design oozes elegance, relevance and at the same time, simplicity.
5. If I was pushed to choose just one of all the exciting designs for this season, then I would not hesitate to go for this vibrant tartan. I cannot tell what clan it belongs to or if this was the figment of a textile designers creative imagination. This cloth caught my eye amongst the shelves of one of my suppliers. I couldn't resist it so I purchased the lot which was enough for only three jackets. I have styled one for The Count Federico Thyssen, a customer in Argentina. My innovative long collar extension, bellows pockets and shooting pleats adorned this superbly colourful tartan.