Alexander S. Kabbaz - Joelle M. Kelly ... & Sons
Fine Custom Clothiers

Proudly Introduce Jon Green & Giovanni Gagliano
Custom Tailors

Introduction by Alexander S. Kabbaz

I've borne witness these past two decades to the disappearance of most of the world's quality shirtmakers. Now including even Paris, Rome, London and New York they can be counted on just one hand. Sadly, this demise has now spread to the art of tailoring. Where merely ten years past I'd have sent you to any of twenty artisans whose sole concerns were quality of creation and pride in reputation the list has now dwindled to but a few.
We are most pleased that one of these few is  our Custom Tailor-in-Residence. Head tailor for the renounced Roland Meledandri and, before that, lead designer & patternmaker at Brooks Brothers, Giovanni Gagliano is incomparable. Possessing the talent to visualize and translate your wishes into exquisite designs, he has the years of training and tailoring skill to craft these designs into clothing of a caliber you've not seen for all too long. 
As experienced draftsmen, we are not limited to what most tailors refer to as "their model". Gentlemen's designs range from most conservative to modern and fashionable. Finally, rarest are artisans equally comfortable working with both ladies & gentlemen... and our ladies designs run the gamut from established to spectacular! Complimenting our shirts, blouses and furnishings with tailored clothing brings a wonderful dimension to our oldest craft.

One-Stop Shopping

One-stop shopping for the majority of your clothing needs has many advantages, not the least of which is your savings of time. Having suits, shirts, and furnishings Custom Tailored in one place makes wardrobe color and style coordination much more easily accomplished. Finally, satisfying that certain immediate need is facilitated by the availability of a wide range of furnishings & accessories, many available on a rush basis when necessary.

One-Stop Shop...service, old style!

Tailoring...Our Old-World Philosophy

A fashionable lady of the late nineteenth century observed, "There is but one way to wear beautiful clothing-just put it on and forget that it's there." Proper practice of the sartorial trade requires a combination of scientific knowledge and artistic skill. It is only by careful attention to the science of fit, the art of design, and the scientific artistry of comfort that clothing can be made to sit on the body with the ease and style that lend themselves to being forgotten. This is the foundation of our tailoring philosophy.
Fit and comfort are our first objectives. To achieve these, we must first take the measure of our client. Naturally, there are the quantitative notations...chest, waist, sleeve, and the like. Equally important are those of a qualitative nature. Sloping shoulders, neck length, height of bust and posture comprise just a few of the judgements we must make. A studied combination of these will yield your Basic Pattern. Single or double breasted, high gorge or low, trousers or skirt are a few of the questions we'll pose. Once these Basics details are in hand, the artistic concerns of style come into play.
Depending on your availability for fittings, achievement of a correct pattern requires about a month to six weeks and yields one suit in your chosen style. Once you've worn this we can begin to create further suits as desired. Fewer fittings are the norm after the first suit is finished. Rather than a dry dissertation on the differences between a double bezun and a bellows pocket, we'll abandon this text in favor of sketches of a selection of our more popular models and styling details. Suffice it to say that an unchallenged tailor is a bored tailor. From the simplest skirt or trousers to full-dress ensemble, we welcome the adventure.

Hints for Wise Fabric Selection

Prior to beginning your selection of fabrics for shirts, blouses, and tailored clothing, a bit of planning is in order. The decision of which of our thousands of available fabrics you'll want to try first...and in which of your styles...can be a great deal of fun if sensibly approached. You'll need to determine: Creating a tree such as this for each outfit will successfully narrow the basis for each selection. Once a basic suit coat has been selected, we can begin with one or two additional coordinating slacks or skirts. The usefulness of each ensemble can be increased multi-fold by then filling them out with two or three shirts or blouses to accompany each tailored clothing combination with each outfit.

Our Method-Step by Step

New Clients-First Order

Gagliano explains the first meeting:

1     At our initial meeting we'll chat about your clothing preferences in order that I might gain a sense of your needs. We'll discuss basic styling, cut, fit and make the initial fabric selection while I take measures and notes. Here we also like to learn a bit about your profession and social activities in order that we may be more helpful in suggesting solutions to your future needs.
2     Later, after completely sponging your fabric to prevent future shrinkage, I'll design and strike your Basic Pattern incorporating my measurements with your style preferences. Using this pattern we'll cut your cloth. Next comes the cutting and basting of canvasses, haircloth, felt and padding. These create the all important foundations of the coat front and determine proper drape, body and shoulder appearance. This accomplished, we'll baste the body resulting in your first try- on.
3     As soon as mutually convenient after our initial meeting you'll return for fitting of this first try- on. At this session you'll be checking your comfort and styling details while we work on the garment's balance, ease, slope, and a myriad of other tailoring details.
4     In the shop we'll make the needed adjustments, add the sleeves and prepare the final try-on. When we meet I'll first check the alterations and then mark buttonhole placement and sleeve length.
5     Back at the workbench we'll remove the try-on basting, set the final sleeve length and finish the complete ensemble. After a couple of wearings to permit proper conformation of the garment to your body, we'll do our final check. If we find need for minute nips and tucks we'll do them at this time and take a few notes to be applied to your future orders.

Subsequent Orders

Reorders for similar styling go much more quickly in that we can often skip the first stage and go immediately to the final try-on. Major changes in style can be initiated without necessitating a complete new pattern as we have already accomplished the most difficult part, fitting your exact size and conforming to your desired comfort and drape.

Terms of Business

Our minimum initial order for tailored clothing, not including shirts and/or furnishings, is $4000. For subsequent orders, there is no minimum. Our suits range from $3000, with the majority being between $4000-$6000. A 5% discount applies to the purchase of five or more suits, and 10% to ten or more, purchased at the same time. New clients shall deposit 50% of the expected total or $4000, whichever amount is greater, upon taking of measurements. Previous clients shall deposit 50% of the total upon placing an order. The balance shall be due upon delivery of the finished work. A simpler arrangement may be offered later on. We accept checks in U.S. dollars drawn on domestic banks, or currency. Orders, once cut, may not be modified or canceled under any circumstances.

Please send e-mail to: custom@artistswoods.com
with questions or comments about custom clothing.

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Copyright © 1997-2001 Alex Kabbaz & Joelle Kelly

Last modified: January 28, 2001