Chanel RTW ~ Reveals, Chit-chat & Info thread

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#36,903
Brooklynite said:
In men's tailoring world, functioning button holes are sartorial integrity. Some tailors would reject the idea of losing the functioning button holes out right...they consider it an insult.

Did you buy that Hermes jacket? Would love to see a picture!
Click to expand...
💯

I assume Chanel 57 must have a button hole (machine?) , but I’ve not had cause to ask. Hermes is proud that they have a button hole machine in NYC. With one, sleeves can be shortened and the buttonhole recreated.

My H SA and Chanel SA both told me that one should have a combination of both shortening the sleeve from the shoulder and at the bottom of the sleeve if that much needs to be hemmed.

I assume that it would be safest to ask for the shoulder alteration first. Then a second fitting. Then sleeve alteration as necessary.

The Hermes jacket that could not be shortened by the shoulder (no seam/ bias cut) or the sleeve hem (zipper detail ran all the way up the arm) is below. This is only mildly on topic to this thread to the extent that it is Proof that Chanel takes its tailoring more seriously than Hermes. (Both the FSH SA and the head tailor told me that this jacket could NOT be made to fit me or anyone who needed shorter sleeves) From 2022, runway
IMG_5490.webp

@Himeji
Love how your alterations came out!
 
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#36,904
880 said:
Reasons to alter from Shoulder. Maintains the original proportions of the jacket, including sleeve pitch, shape, and buttonhole placement and functionality. The sleeve seams remain aligned with the original jacket design.
But it’s more complicated to achieve a seamless result and much more costly and labor intensive.

Alteration from the sleeve is faster; less costly. Although button functionality may be lost, this type of alteration may be necessary for two reasons :

1) if you wish to alter more than a couple of inches. Altering more than that from the shoulder isn’t recommended.

2) sometimes one needs extra circumference in the upper arm. (alteration from the shoulder may tighten the upper arm area).

Chanel tailors (and experienced third party) mainly alter from the shoulder. If a garment needs to be taken in, it’s my understanding that the tailor will open up all the seams and take a bit from each rather than simply the sides. There can be up to eight seams with ample seam allowance in a Chanel jacket which is why some garments can be adjusted up or down.

The chain weights are a PITA. Once functional, now decorative, they have to be cut or partially snuggled into the lining, and they are sewn back in by hand

ETA: in some garments (like some Hermes jackets) the sleeeves cannot be altered via the shoulder (no seam, like a dolman sleeve) or the sleeve has details like a zip run up most of the arm. Or, both. One of my dream pieces, a runway piece was like that. Also, as in another piece, if a printed silk pattern has a border, this can also be very difficult to shorten bc too much is lost and cannot be pieced together.

In men’s tailoring, some of the most beautiful jackets are without lining or have a half lining to preserve the shape. This is bc full lining can hide a messy interior. A jacket with entirely visible seams has to be finished perfectly.
Click to expand...

I had a nightmare with a jacket that was altered from the shoulders last year. It was put right but after that fiasco I would never shorten sleeves again. Sometimes the tailor will take in the shoulders in too because the sleeves may look disproportionately 'stubby' after shortening, it's not so bad with most Chanel jackets because the upper arm is usually quite snug and the arm hole set close to the body. The problem is some of KL's vintage models with exaggerated shoulders. Having said that I did completely resize a Chanel leather waistcoat (KL era) but it had to fit close to the body exactly.

For trade shows fur coat samples were made without lining to show off the skill of the furrier. I have a wild-type mink that won an award (my grandmother was a furrier) the reverse looks amazing.
 
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#36,905
880 said:
💯

I assume Chanel 57 must have a button hole (machine?) , but I’ve not had cause to ask. Hermes is proud that they have a button hole machine in NYC. With one, sleeves can be shortened and the buttonhole recreated.

My H SA and Chanel SA both told me that one should have a combination of both shortening the sleeve from the shoulder and at the bottom of the sleeve if that much needs to be hemmed.

I assume that it would be safest to ask for the shoulder alteration first. Then a second fitting. Then sleeve alteration as necessary.

The Hermes jacket that could not be shortened by the shoulder (no seam/ bias cut) or the sleeve hem (zipper detail ran all the way up the arm) is below. This is only mildly on topic to this thread to the extent that it is Proof that Chanel takes its tailoring more seriously than Hermes. (Both the FSH SA and the head tailor told me that this jacket could NOT be made to fit me or anyone who needed shorter sleeves) From 2022, runway
View attachment 6218336
Click to expand...

Well, Chanel is a high-fashion Maison and Hermes a saddler :D
 
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#36,907
Brooklynite said:
In men's tailoring world, functioning button holes are sartorial integrity. Some tailors would reject the idea of losing the functioning button holes out right...they consider it an insult.

Did you buy that Hermes jacket? Would love to see a picture!
Click to expand...
That is exactly what bugged me. I felt that with some effort they could make a new button hole. They didn't want to do it, obviously. Is it possible that they don't have button hole attachment feature for the sewing machine? My mother had one for her home sewing machine*back in the day. Or they could have made a hand tailored button hole.

*I have to note that the button hole attachment was a Mother's Day gift. My mother always liked practical gifts.
 
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#36,908
880 said:
💯

I assume Chanel 57 must have a button hole (machine?) , but I’ve not had cause to ask. Hermes is proud that they have a button hole machine in NYC. With one, sleeves can be shortened and the buttonhole recreated.

My H SA and Chanel SA both told me that one should have a combination of both shortening the sleeve from the shoulder and at the bottom of the sleeve if that much needs to be hemmed.

I assume that it would be safest to ask for the shoulder alteration first. Then a second fitting. Then sleeve alteration as necessary.

The Hermes jacket that could not be shortened by the shoulder (no seam/ bias cut) or the sleeve hem (zipper detail ran all the way up the arm) is below. This is only mildly on topic to this thread to the extent that it is Proof that Chanel takes its tailoring more seriously than Hermes. (Both the FSH SA and the head tailor told me that this jacket could NOT be made to fit me or anyone who needed shorter sleeves) From 2022, runway
View attachment 6218336

@Himeji
Love how your alterations came out!
Click to expand...
Two things. I think on the whole, Hermes tries harder. When I had some damage to the leather on a Kelly, the local craftsperson came up with a brilliant solution that saved me $$$$ because they didn't have to replace an entire panel. You all know that means, sending the bag back to Paris and being lucky if you see it in 2 years. I had a similar experience with the Chanel tailor and SA telling me to pass on a jacket because with the pattern and the shoulder and sleeve alterations required, it was going to be tricky and their knowing what a PIA I can be re alterations, they said I would never be happy.
 
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